Greenville Leader

Families who lost a relative due to COVID-19 could qualify for federal assistance for burial expenses, U.S. Rep. James E. Clyburn said.

"Under a FEMA program established by Congress, nearly $26 million in COVID-19 funeral assistance has been provided to 3,700+ SC families impacted by this pandemic," Clyburn, a Democrat, tweeted. "It cannot erase their grief, but this program  can ease the financial burdens associated with losing a loved one. If you have lost a loved one to COVID-19, you may qualify for FEMA's  funeral assistance program."

The assistance is available for COVID-19 related funeral expenses incurred after Jan. 20, 2020, FEMA said.

Eligible expenses include funeral services, cremation, caskets or urn, burial plot, marker or headstone, and "transportation for up to two individuals to identify the deceased individual," FEMA said.

The assistance is available to U.S. citizens, noncitizen nationals, or qualified aliens.

The assistance is available regardless of income.

"Your income does not affect your eligibility, although you will be asked  to provide your annual gross household income when you apply for  COVID-19 Funeral Assistance," FEMA said. "FEMA collects this information for  demographic purposes only."

If the relative died early in the pandemic and COVID-19 was not listed as the cause of death on the death certificate, families might still be eligible.

"FEMA expanded its COVID-19 Funeral Assistance documentation  requirements to allow applicants to submit a signed statement from the  certifying official listed on the death certificate, local medical  examiner, or local coroner attributing the death to COVID-19 for deaths  that occurred between January 20 and May 16, 2020," FEMA said. "The signed statement must accompany the death certificate and include  a causal pathway, or explanation, linking the cause of death on the  death certificate to COVID-‍19."