The next of kin of a seafarer who died below the age of 67 receive a funeral grant with the provision that the deceased received or would have been entitled to a MEL pension determined in line with the special accrual rates.

A funeral grant is awarded to the surviving spouse if the seafarer was married at the time of death. In other instances, a funeral grant is awarded to the deceased seafarer’s estate with the provision that the distributee of the estate is a child, grandchild, adopted child or one or other of the parents of the deceased.

The amount of the funeral grant is determined based on the age of the deceased. The funeral grant is a tax-free lump-sum payment.

Seafarer’s age     at time of death	Funeral grant  (2011 level)
less than 51 v	12.768 e
51 -55 v	9.577 e
56- 60 v	6.385 e
61- 66 v	3.193 e

The Seafarer’s Pension Fund awards a funeral grant in conjunction with the survivors’ pension decision without a separate application. If an application is made for a funeral grant only, a separate freely written application should be submitted.