The Government is being urged to reverse its decision in Budget 2014 to scrap the Bereavement Grant.

This grant was a once-off payment of €850 to help with the cost of a funeral. Eligibility was not related to your ability to pay for the funeral, but was usually based on PRSI contributions.

However, according to the Irish Hospice Foundation, at least 80% of the 29,000 deaths that occurred last year related to people over the age of 65 and this cut ‘represents a burden on older people's pockets and on their psychological security concerning funeral arrangements and peace of mind'.

According to Orla Keegan, head of education, research and bereavement with the foundation, the death of a loved one is one of the most challenging life events that a person must deal with. They are often left in a highly vulnerable state.

"The benchmark of any society is the way in which it takes care of its most vulnerable citizens. Therefore the decision by the Government to universally cut the bereavement grant in the budget raises serious ethical questions about the type of society it is creating and specifically how it treats its citizens at one of the most vulnerable period of their lives," Ms Keegan said.

She insisted that additional stress at this time, such as worries relating to finances, ‘may impede or interfere with how people cope with bereavement over time'.

"Certainly such stress can impact on decision-making. We are concerned that people may be compromised or constrained in the choices they make over a very short period around the death of a loved one," she said.

Ms Keegan pointed to international research which shows that there are significant costs associated with funerals, particularly for older widows. For example, one study found that among older widows, it took some 18 months for them to return to the financial status they had before the death of their husband.

"We believe cutting the Bereavement Grant will add to these types of burden in an unacceptable way for people bereaved in Ireland. It may also put more pressure on charities who will face requests for support. While we are told there is a fiscal saving, the ultimate cost associated with this blanket abolishment is high - the loss of our identity as a caring society," Ms Keegan added.