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Deaths and bereavements

Funeral Grant

Jobcentre Plus (formely the Benefit Agency or Social Security) may be able to help with immediate funeral costs if you are in receipt of certain benefits. You must get estimates before going ahead.

Contact your local Jobcentre Plus:

Walthamstow Jobcentre
Grosvenor Park Road
Walthamstow, E17 9Pe
Tel: 020 8219 8600

Leytonstone Jobcentre Plus
Robart House
1-3 Lemna Road
Leytonstone, E11 1JJ
Tel: 020 8988 5300
Textphone: 020 8988 5303
Website: www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk

Probate

When someone dies, somebody has to deal with his or her estate (the money, property and possession owned by the person who has died.) For information on the ways in which the money may be collected, the debt paid and the balance distributed to those who are entitled to receive a share in the estate. Contact Age Concern Waltham Forest for a factsheet 14 "Dealing with someone's estate".

DWP leaflet 'What To Do After A Death in England and Wales.' D49

Website: www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/dwp/2004/d49_apr.pdf
Tel: 020 8558 5512
Fax: 020 8558 0383
E-mail: g.minhas@ageconcernwf.org.uk

Public Guardianship Office

The Public Guardianship Office helps to look after the financial affairs of people who are not mentally capable of doing so themselves. It is part of the Department of Constitutional Affairs, and acts as the administrative arm for the Court of Protection. They aim to:

• Promote and protect the financial and social well-being of our clients
• Guide and work with the people who are appointed to look after a client's financial affairs, known as receivers or attorneys appointed under an Enduring Power of Attorney.

Enduring Power of Attorney (EPA)

An Enduring Power of Attorney is a legal process in which a person (known as the donor') hands over to someone else (known as 'the attorney') power to decide what is done with his or her financial affairs and property. The attorney can use the power straight away if that is what the donor wants, or the donor can make it clear that EPA is only to be used if they become mentally incapable to manage their affairs in the future. The power must be made while the donor is capable of understanding what an EPA is and what it is intended to do. The specialist EPA team becomes involved when the donor has lost, or is losing, their mental capacity. At this point, the attorney registers the original EPA with the Court of Protection so they can start managing the donor's finances. They provide information and support during the registration process and investigate if concerns are raised about the management of a registered EPA.

Protection

The Public Guardianship Office helps and advises families of mentally incapacitated people on how best to protect the incapacitated person's finances. They also support families and advisors when they make an application to the Court of Protection to take on the role of receiver, enabling them to effectively manage the person's finances. They then support them in completing their duties effectively, at the same time monitoring their actions to ensure that they are acting in the best interests of the incapacitated person. The Court of Protection can find a person willing or suitable to take on the role of receiver. In a number of cases, where there is no suitable alternative, the Chief Executive of the PGO takes on this role. Contact:

The Public Guardianship Office
Archway Tower
2 Junction Road
London N19 5SZ
Tel: 0845 330 2900
Textphone: 020 7664 7755

Death and bereavement

You may find the Help the Aged (020 7278 1114) booklet on Bereavement ISBN:1-904528-43-0. Web: www.helptheaged.org.uk very useful. It looks at all the emotions/experiences you may be having around grief, feelings, looking after yourself, what needs to be done, practical concerns, looking to the future and helpful organisations.
The Compassionate Friends (0117 953 9639) Web: www.tcf.org.uk is a nationwide self-help organisation. Parents who have been bereaved themselves offer friendship and support to other bereaved parents, grandparents, and their families.

Cruse Bereavement Care 020 8940 4818) Web: www.crusebereavementcare.org.uk Offers free information, advice, support and counselling to bereaved people. Cruse runs a helpline, and can supply a wide range of books, helpful leaflets and a newsletter for bereaved people.

National Association of Widows (024 7663 4848) Web: www.nawidows.org.ukOffers friendly support and information to all widows.

Natural Death Centre (020 7359 8391) Web: www.naturaldeath.org.ukoffers advice on arranging inexpensive, environmentally friendly funerals, and on arranging a funeral without using a funeral director.

Probate and Inheritance Tax Helpline (0845 30 20 900) Mon-Fri 9am - 5pm

Samaritans (08457 909090) Web: www.samaritans.org.uk offer a sympathetic listening ear to despairing and suicidal people of all ages.

Waltham Forest Samaritans (0208 520 9191) Mon - Fri 5.30 - 10.30pm

War Widows Association of Great Britain (0870 2411 305) Web. www.warwidowsassociation.org.uk gives advice, help and support to all war widows and dependants.

Phoenix Counselling Service (020 8984 9887) Web. www.phoenix-counselling.co.uk

Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide (Office 0148 261 0728) Helpline 0870 241 3337 9a - 9pm Monday - Sunday