Assistance in the case of death

The Law on Assistance in the Case of Death

Types of death grants

Two types of death grants have been established:

• funeral allowance.
• allowance for repatriation of remains of Lithuanian citizens who have died abroad to the Republic of Lithuania (repatriation allowance).
   

Funeral allowance

A lump-sum funeral allowance equal to 8 basic social benefits (BSB) is paid to the eligible person burying the deceased, if the deceased was: 

• citizens of the Republic of Lithuania.
• foreigners who have resided in the Republic of Lithuania and who have been granted a long-term resident permit of the Republic of Lithuania to reside in the European Union.
• foreigners who have resided in the Republic of Lithuania and who have been granted a temporary residence permit of the Republic of Lithuania for the purpose of working in the Republic of Lithuania in a job requiring a high level of professional qualifications.
• foreigners who have resided in the Republic of Lithuania and who have been granted asylum or temporary protection in the Republic of Lithuania.
• persons who are required, in accordance with the regulations of the European Union on the co-ordination of the social security systems of the Member States of the European Union, to be subject to the application of the provisions of this Law.
• foreigners who have resided in the Republic of Lithuania, who have been issued a temporary residence permit and allowed to work in the Republic of Lithuania, and who until their death have been working in the Republic of Lithuania, or who have previously worked in the Republic of Lithuania for a period of at least 6 months and have been registered with the Employment Service under the Ministry of Social Security and Labour of the Republic of Lithuania as unemployed;
• citizens of a Member State of the European Union, the European Economic Area, and the European Free Trade Association, including members of their families, who have been issued with documents confirming or conferring a right of residence in the Republic of Lithuania.
• foreigners residing in the Republic of Lithuania who have been issued a permit to work in the Republic of Lithuania on a seasonal basis.
• foreigners residing in the Republic of Lithuania who have been issued a temporary residence permit to reside in the Republic of Lithuania as an intra-company transferee.
• citizens of Australia, Japan, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America, Canada, New Zealand, South Korea and their family members who have resided in the Republic of Lithuania and have been issued temporary residence permits in the Republic of Lithuania.

The funeral allowance is also paid in the event of a stillborn child to the eligible people.

The funeral allowance is not paid if the funeral costs are covered by the state or municipal budget. 

Repatriation allowance

Repatriation allowance is equal to the actual cost of transporting the remains to the Republic of Lithuania but must not exceed 54 BSB.

The natural person organising the repatriation shall be entitled to a repatriation allowance if the following conditions are met:

• the average income of the natural person organizing the repatriation per month is less than 3 times the amount of the state-supported income (SSI).
• on the day of death, he or she were persons living together with the deceased or were close relatives of the deceased. In the absence of them, persons who are relatives of the deceased in the ascending line or are related by affinity.

The repatriation allowance shall not be provided for repatriation of mortal remains of civil servants, state officials, politicians, and soldiers who have died abroad due to the reasons related to performance of their official duties, and whose repatriation to the Republic of Lithuania shall be covered by the state.

The individual responsible for the funeral arrangements must apply to the municipal administration for a funeral allowance based on the deceased’s last declared place of residence. If the place of residence was not declared, the application should be based on the deceased’s last known place of residence or the actual place of the residence of individual responsible for the funeral arrangements. This application must be submitted no later than 12 months from the date the right to a funeral allowance arises. The individual responsible for the funeral arrangements may also submit an application for a funeral allowance to the municipal administration based on the address of the registered office of the legal entity.

A natural person who has organised the repatriation of the remains must apply to the municipal administration for support for the repatriation of the remains based on the deceased’s last declared place of residence. If the place of residence was not declared, the application should be based on thedeceased’s last known place of residenceor the actual place of the residence of natural person who has organised the repatriation of the remains. This application must be submitted no later than 12 months from the date the right to support for the repatriation of the remains arises.
 

Allocation and payment of death grants

 Funeral allowance:

• The decision about allocating the funeral allowance shall be made and the allowance shall be paid to the person burying the deceased within 24 hours from the day of receiving the application and all documents necessary for the funeral allowance in the municipal administration, if the application is filed within 10 business days from the day the right to a funeral allowance takes effect.
• If the person burying the deceased applies for a funeral allowance later than within 10 business days from the day the right to a funeral allowance takes effect, the decision about allocating the funeral allowance shall be made and the allowance shall be paid within one month from the day of receiving the application and all documents necessary for the funeral allowance in the municipal administration.
   

Repatriation allowance: