Funeral and burial assistance

About this program

Funeral and burial assistance is provided throughthe Last Post Fund – a non-profit organization – to help pay for funeral and burial services, including a military gravestone, for eligible Veterans.

To qualify the Veteran will have met service as well as health or financial criteria.

Do you qualify?

You should apply for this assistance if the Veteran met the following military service and either the service-related (matter of right) or financial (means tested) criteria.

Military service

To qualify, the Veteran must have been:

• a former member of the Canadian Armed Forces or any predecessor naval, army or air forces of Canada or Newfoundland; or
• a Canadian Merchant Navy Veteran of the Second World War or the Korean War; or
• an Allied Veteran who served with the Allied Forces during the Second World War or the Korean War. The Veteran must also have lived in Canada for at least 10 years, or lived in Canada prior to enlisting and was living in Canada at their time of death.

Service-related (Matter of right)

If the deceased Veteran received (or qualified for) a disability benefit from Veterans Affairs Canada and died as a result of that service-related disability.

Financial (means tested)

Eligibility is based on net assets at the time of death. If the assets of the deceased and the financial resources of the estate are insufficient to cover funeral and burial costs, a total or partial coverage of the cost is possible.

In the case of a Veteran with a spouse or dependent children, the combined assets of the couple are considered, excluding:

• A base amount of $43,610
• $700 per dependent child
• The family house and vehicle
• Income received during the month of death

If the net value of the estate of a single Veteran is not sufficient to pay off existing liabilities, including the cost of funeral and burial services, the Veteran is deemed to be eligible for this assistance.

How to apply

Please note there is a one-year time limit after the Veteran's death to apply for assistance.

Apply online

An online form may be used to initiate an application. Once submitted, a Last Post Fund representative will contact you. An official application form will follow by mail.

Apply by phone

If you’d like to apply for funeral and burial assistance call the Last Post Fund at 1-800-465-7113.

Additional information

Find out more

The current maximum rate payable toward funeral home costs is $7376 + tax. Funeral and burial assistance can cover the following types of costs:

• any medical costs of the deceased Veteran’s last sickness that have not otherwise been paid by the Minister and are not covered by a private or provincial health care plan;
• the following funeral services:
  • preparation of remains,
  • a casket or an urn that meets the standards specified by the Minister,
  • ceremonial services
  • death notices
  • transportation of the remains from where death occurred to a funeral home and to the place of burial and cremation;
• if required, a single grave and reasonable costs of opening and closing the grave as well as its perpetual care;
• a grave liner, if required;
• cremation
• a military style grave marker—upright or flat granite, or in certain cases, flat bronze—fitting with the standards of VAC.

Related programs

Grave-marker maintenance – Maintenance of all markers and grave sites that were provided by the Government of Canada.

Frequently asked questions

Are all Veterans eligible for funeral and burial assistance?

Any Veteran who meets the service criteria and who dies of a service-related injury or illness or their estates cannot pay for some or all of the funeral and burial costs would be eligible for this assistance.

Can an application for assistance be made prior to a Veteran’s death?

No. An application form cannot be issued or approved until the actual date of death because financial information and marital status can change right up to that time. The Last Post Fund would be pleased to discuss the information necessary to apply for assistance under the Funeral and Burial Program so a family member may prepare the information ahead of time should anything occur.

Where I can read about the regulations for this program?

For more detailed information about the regulations, please read the Veterans Burial Regulations.