Petition Basic state funeral costs to be covered by National Insurance contributions to ensure dignity/provide essential support to poverty-stricken families

I believe that the Government Equalities Office ought to put in place provisions to allow for NI contributions to cover the cost of a basic funeral, as a BBC news story (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-15245710) tells of people are being turned away from funeral parlours until they can afford a deposit while their relatives remain in local mortuaries. Currently, the average cost of a cremation in the UK is £2,720 and a burial is £3,462. Of the money spent by the state for public benefit over our lifetime, this is such a fractional amount that could make a huge difference to families who currently struggle to pay their bills, let alone an unanticipated expense like funeral costs for a relative who dies unexpectedly.
It would make a tremendous difference to many people if a capped amount of our NI contributions was allocated to be spent on a basic 'state' funeral, particularly in such times of financial hardship. We not only deserve dignity in life, but in death also.