Student left in debt after father’s funeral
A nursing student has been left with nearly £3,000 of debt after being forced to pay the cost of her father’s funeral without assistance.
Beccy Oxley, who studies nursing at Liverpool John Moores University, was refused help by the government due to being a student. A letter rejecting her application explained that only those receiving one of a list of benefits were eligible.
According to the Liverpool Echo, she said: “I feel like I’m being penalised because I’m a student. I work 30 hours a week as well as assignments on top, but I barely have enough money to live off without paying for a funeral too.
“I wanted to give my dad a proper send-off, but I don’t know when I’ll be able to pay the debt back. I was advised that if I wanted help with funeral costs I’d need to leave uni and sign up for benefits.”
£600 was available through Beccy’s father’s bank account to assist in paying for the funeral, but a gap of around £2,900 remained, which she met by taking out a loan.
The paper added that Beccy was calling for a change to the rules so that future students could avoid similar issues.
A spokesperson for the Department of Work and Pensions said: “Our sympathies are with Miss Oxley at this difficult time.
“Funeral payments provide an important safety net for people on benefits, covering the cost of a basic burial or cremation. This ensures we have a sustainable system that supports those most in need, while also being fair to the taxpayer.”
Tags: Beccy Oxley, benefits, debt, DWP, Funeral Payment, John Moores, Liverpool, nurse, nursing, student, university