Widely broadcast and prominently reported on its website today by BBC Scotland, the above and:

A widow says she was left facing an impossible choice after her husband’s death – sell the family home or return to work and put her two sons into full-time childcare.

Lorraine Wallace, from Kirkcaldy, Fife, is now campaigning for changes to better support grieving families after her bereavement support payments (BSP) ended.

Her husband David was diagnosed with bowel cancer in January 2023 and died 21 months later, aged 44. He is survived by Lorraine, 42, and their sons Adam, 10, and 8-year-old Joey.

The UK government said BSP provided short-term support, while other benefits were available if longer-term income support was needed. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8x2n4e9g4po

This is a UK benefit not devolved, so the headline could do with that referred to and the text, above, needed it earlier.

There is no scope for the Scottish Government to modify it but they have, ignored by media including the above report, done what they can with this:

Funeral Support Payment:

• Available if you (or your partner) receive certain low-income benefits (e.g., Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Income Support) and are responsible for the funeral.
• Covers reasonable costs of burial, cremation, or hydrolysis in Scotland (often the full cost) plus a standard amount (£1,327.75 in recent figures) toward other costs like the funeral director, coffin.
• Covers travel costs in some cases.
• Applies to funerals for adults, children, babies including and in some cases outside Scotland.
• It’s more generous and flexible than the English equivalent;
• It aims to reduce funeral poverty.

Source: https://www.gov.scot/policies/social-security/funeral-expense-assistance/