Is there a precedent (or Commissioners Decision) to support paying part of the cost of a limousine for travelling to a funeral, for the person arranging the funeral?

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Local Social Fund staff said DWP guidance only allows limousine bills to be paid if travel exceeded £50 miles* - I would appreciate it if anyone who knows better than me can tell me whether this is absolutely correct.

*Social Fund Maternity & Funeral Expenses General Regs(9)(3)(d) or (e)

Distance was _under_ 50 miles & it was a cremation. A limousine cost of £110 was just lumped in with all the additional funeral costs, which are capped by the Social Fund at £700 - the full amount of which was paid. But this left my client with a remaining balance payable to the funeral parlour of £910.

So it would be nice if part of the limousine bill could also be paid, under Reg 9(3)(f), but I have not found a legal argument to support this. Is there one?

Thanks,
Bernard Ekbery

sub paragraph f of Regulation 9 allows for the necessary cost of one return journey for the responsible person to either arrange the funeral or to attend it. The 50 mile bit does not apply here but it is probable that the decision maker would allow the actual cost of,say,a bus or train plus taxi or petrol costs for a car journey, calculated at number of miles for journey. The limousine charges on undertaker's bills tend to be very high and they are also used by mourners other than 'the responsible person'so the DMs would ask for the charge to be broken down so that they can see how the charge is made up. Any payment made under sub paragraph f is, of course, not part of the £700. The 50 mile limit is applicable to sub paragraphs (d) and (e)and a part payment would not be made if the journey was under 50 miles.