Harris County Funeral and Burial Help 2026–27: The County Bereavement Program and Other Ways to Pay
Texas has no statewide program that pays for low-income funerals the way some states do. In Houston and the rest of Harris County, the main public safety net is the county's Bereavement Program, which provides a dignified burial or cremation for people who die with no financial means. A few other programs can help depending on how your loved one died and whether they served in the military.
This guide explains how the county program works, who decides the next of kin, and the other benefits you can use.
Last checked October 2026. The County doesn't publish detailed eligibility rules online, so call the Bereavement Program to confirm before making arrangements.
The Harris County Bereavement Program
The Bereavement Program is run by Harris County Housing & Community Development. The County describes its mission as making sure deceased people have access to a dignified funeral service and burial.
Contact:
Phone: 713-696-1952
Office: 8410 Lantern Point Dr., Houston, TX 77054
Who it's for: A Harris County job posting for the program says its purpose is to make sure abandoned decedents, or those with no financial means, get a dignified funeral through burial or cremation. Staff interview the family or next of kin to determine eligibility, then manage the case.
How often it helps: The County reports that from January 1, 2025, to April 30, 2026, the program handled 1,324 cremations, 191 burials, and 11 unknown cases. Cremation is by far the most common outcome, so if a full burial matters to your family, ask about that early.
County cemeteries:
Harris County Eastgate Cemetery: 21122 Crosby Eastgate Rd., Crosby, TX 77532. Open 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Harris County Oates Cemetery (operated by Commissioners Court Precinct 2): 5434 Oates Rd., Houston, TX 77013. Open 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesday and Thursday.
What to have ready when you call:
The deceased's full name, date of birth, and date of death
The medical examiner case number, if the Institute of Forensic Sciences has your loved one
Your relationship to the deceased
Information about any money, insurance, or property the deceased left. The program is for people without financial means, so expect questions about this.
If Your Loved One Is at the Medical Examiner
The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences (IFS) is the county's medical examiner. It handles people who die suddenly, unexpectedly, or by violence. Its family brochure explains:
There's no charge to the family for the examination or autopsy.
The IFS doesn't arrange funerals or viewings. The legal next of kin must choose a funeral home, and IFS releases the body to that funeral home.
Personal property is released to the chosen funeral home, which returns it to you.
You can check case status at IFSCaseStatus.com or call (713) 970-7000.
Who is the legal next of kin? IFS follows Texas law, which sets this order:
A person named in a written document signed by the deceased
The surviving spouse, including a common-law spouse
Any adult child
Either parent
Any adult sibling
The next closest adult relative, in the order Texas inheritance law names
If you're the next of kin and you can't pay for a funeral, call the Bereavement Program before you sign a contract with a funeral home.
If the Death Was Caused by a Crime: Up to $6,500
If your loved one died because of a crime, such as a homicide, a DWI crash, or an assault, the Texas Attorney General's Crime Victims' Compensation (CVC) Program may help.
Amount: up to $6,500 for funeral and burial costs, for crimes after July 14, 2016.
Transportation of the deceased more than 50 miles one way is paid separately and doesn't count toward the $6,500.
Covered costs include professional funeral and burial services, flowers, caskets, urns, and grave markers.
Who can apply: Anyone who paid funeral and burial costs. If several people paid, the money is split fairly.
Last resort: By law, CVC pays after other sources. Burial insurance, for example, has to be used first.
Documents: a signed, detailed Funeral Purchase Agreement, proof of payment, the death certificate if required, burial or life insurance details, and transit permits or invoices if the body was moved out of state.
Apply online or by mail through the Attorney General's office. Call (800) 983-9933 with questions.
If Your Loved One Was a Veteran
Free burial at Houston National Cemetery. Eligible veterans, and often their spouses and dependents, can be buried in a VA national cemetery at no cost to the family. That includes:
A gravesite
Opening and closing of the grave
A government burial liner
A government headstone or marker
Perpetual care of the gravesite
Veterans also get a burial flag, a Presidential Memorial Certificate, and military funeral honors.
Houston National Cemetery: 10410 Veterans Memorial Drive, Houston, TX 77038. Phone 281-447-8686. Office hours are Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
VA burial allowance. For a non-service-connected death on or after October 1, 2026, the VA pays up to a $1,032 burial allowance and $1,032 for a plot. For a service-connected death on or after September 11, 2001, the maximum is $2,000. You generally must file within 2 years after the burial for a non-service-connected death. Apply online at VA.gov or with VA Form 21P-530EZ.
Social Security's $255 Payment
Social Security may pay a one-time $255 lump-sum death payment to an eligible surviving spouse or child. Call 1-800-772-1213. Surviving family members may also qualify for monthly survivor benefits, so ask about both.
Keeping Funeral Costs Down
Under the FTC Funeral Rule, funeral homes must give you an itemized price list, and you can choose only the goods and services you want. You can also buy a casket or urn elsewhere, and the funeral home can't refuse it or charge you a fee for using it.
Ways to lower the bill:
Ask for direct cremation or immediate burial prices. These skip viewing and embalming.
Compare at least two funeral homes. Prices vary widely.
Ask your church or faith community whether it has a funeral fund or a free space for the service.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Texas have a state program that pays for funerals?
No general one. Help usually comes from the county (in Harris County, the Bereavement Program), the Crime Victims' Compensation Program for crime-related deaths, the VA for veterans, and Social Security's $255 payment.
What income qualifies for the Harris County Bereavement Program?
The County doesn't publish income limits online. Staff determine eligibility by interviewing the family or next of kin. Call 713-696-1952.
Will the county do a burial instead of a cremation?
The County reports both burials and cremations, but cremations are far more common. Ask the program what options are available for your case.
Can I hold a service if the county handles the burial or cremation?
Ask the program what's included. You can also hold a free memorial at a church, community center, or home at any time.
Do we have to pay for the autopsy?
No. The Institute of Forensic Sciences says there's no charge to families for an examination.
This guide is general information, not legal advice.
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