Connecticut’s Department of Social Services will pay up to $1,800 toward funeral and burial costs for residents who die without the means to cover those expenses, and Connecticut funeral assistance is available through two parallel tracks under state law.1Connecticut Department of Social Services. What is the Funeral and Burial Allowance? One track covers people who were receiving certain public benefits at the time of death. The other covers anyone who dies without a sufficient estate and has no family member legally required and able to pay. Separate federal benefits from the VA and Social Security may add to what the state pays.
Who Qualifies
DSS runs two eligibility routes, both leading to the same benefit. The first applies to anyone receiving benefits under the State Supplement Program or Temporary Family Assistance at the time of death.2Justia Law. Connecticut Code Title 17b – Section 17b-84 The second applies to anyone enrolled in the State Administered General Assistance program, or to anyone who dies without a sufficient estate and has no legally liable relative able to pay.3Connecticut General Assembly. Assistance With Funeral Expenses
“Legally liable relative” is narrower than it sounds. Under Connecticut regulations, it means only a spouse, or the parents of a child who was under 18, unmarried, and not emancipated at the time of death.4Connecticut eRegulations. Sec. 17b-198-11 Special Benefits Adult children, siblings, and other extended family are not legally liable, and their income is not counted. So if the surviving family consists of adult children or siblings, the deceased can still qualify as having no able legally liable relative.
When a legally liable relative does exist but cannot afford the costs, the family can still receive assistance. In most cases DSS looks at the deceased’s own resources rather than the relative’s income to decide what to pay.
How Much the State Pays
The $1,800 figure is a ceiling, not a set payment.1Connecticut Department of Social Services. What is the Funeral and Burial Allowance? Several things reduce it, dollar for dollar, before DSS writes a check:
- Money held in a revocable or irrevocable funeral fund, or in any prepaid funeral contract, reduces the payment by the full amount.2Justia Law. Connecticut Code Title 17b – Section 17b-84
- The face value of any life insurance policy the deceased owned that names a funeral home, cemetery, or crematory as beneficiary is subtracted.
- Liquid assets in the estate, such as bank accounts, are subtracted.
- If friends, relatives, organizations, veterans’ programs, or other benefit programs together contribute more than $3,400 toward the funeral, the amount above $3,400 reduces the state’s share.
A small prepaid contract, a modest bank balance, or a small life insurance policy will not disqualify anyone. They lower what the state pays, and DSS covers the remainder up to $1,800.
How to Apply
Applications go to a DSS Resource Center on the state’s Application for Payment of Burial and Funeral Expenses form. A funeral director, family member, or anyone who arranged the funeral can file, and the deadline is one year from the date of death.1Connecticut Department of Social Services. What is the Funeral and Burial Allowance?
Plan to submit:
- The death certificate.
- Financial documentation: bank statements, records of liquid assets, and information on any life insurance the deceased held.
- Proof of enrollment if the deceased was receiving State Supplement, TFA, or SAGA benefits.
- A contract or itemized statement from the funeral home, cemetery, or crematory showing services and costs.
DSS pays the funeral director, cemetery, or crematory directly. Families cannot be reimbursed, so bringing the funeral home into the application from the start matters.3Connecticut General Assembly. Assistance With Funeral Expenses Most funeral directors know the program and can help prepare the paperwork.
If DSS Denies the Application
Denials usually come down to two things: the deceased’s assets or other offsets wiped out the benefit, or a required document was missing. You can request a hearing within 60 days of the date on the denial notice.5Connecticut Department of Social Services. Requesting a Hearing The simplest route is the hearing request form attached to the denial notice; a signed letter explaining why you want a hearing also works.
At the hearing you can bring additional financial records or other evidence. Representation is allowed, and Connecticut Legal Services offers free help to low-income residents. If the hearing officer upholds the denial, the next step is an appeal to Connecticut Superior Court, filed within 45 days of the final decision.6Justia Law. Connecticut Code Title 4 – Section 4-183 Appeal to Superior Court Court appeals involve filing fees and formal procedures, so it’s worth getting legal aid help before you reach that stage.
Federal Benefits That Can Add to the State’s Payment
The DSS benefit is not the only source of help, and federal programs can be combined with it.
Social Security Lump-Sum Death Payment
Social Security pays a one-time $255 death benefit to a surviving spouse, or to qualifying children if there is no spouse.7Social Security Administration. Lump-Sum Death Payment A separated spouse can still qualify if they were eligible for benefits on the deceased’s record. The application must be filed within two years of the death.
VA Burial Allowances
For veterans, the Department of Veterans Affairs may pay a burial allowance of up to $1,002, plus a separate $1,002 for a plot or interment space when burial is outside a VA national cemetery.8Department of Veterans Affairs. Veterans Burial Allowance and Transportation Benefits A headstone or marker allowance of $441 is also available. Those amounts apply to deaths on or after October 1, 2025. Burial in a VA national cemetery is available at no cost and includes the gravesite, opening and closing of the grave, and a headstone or marker.
FEMA Funeral Assistance
When a death results from a federally declared major disaster, FEMA may help cover funeral expenses if the applicant can document the link to the disaster and show costs were not covered by insurance or other programs. The COVID-19 funeral assistance program that ran from 2020 through 2025 is closed.9FEMA. COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Families dealing with a disaster-related death should check FEMA’s website or call 211 for what’s currently available.
Where to Get Help
Connecticut Legal Services, the state’s largest legal aid organization, gives free advice to low-income residents dealing with a DSS denial or appeal. Greater Hartford Legal Aid offers similar services in the Hartford area.
Some Connecticut towns keep discretionary burial funds that can supplement the state benefit, especially for residents in immediate financial distress. Ask your local town social services department what’s available. Religious organizations and charitable foundations occasionally provide emergency grants for funeral expenses, particularly for individuals with no surviving family. Dialing 211 in Connecticut connects you to a statewide information line that can point you to local programs.