# ESIC fixes funeral benefit at ₹20,000 under Social Security Code

2026-10-19T13:16:52+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 1 independent outlet

The Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) has notified a funeral benefit of ₹20,000 under Section 32(1)(f) of the Code on Social Security, 2020. The notification, published in the Gazette on 16 October 2026, takes effect retrospectively from 8 May 2026. The benefit is payable to the eldest surviving family member of a deceased insured person to cover funeral expenses. If the deceased had no family or was not living with them, the amount goes to the person who actually bore the funeral cost. The notification was issued under Rule 21 of the Social Security (Central) Rules, 2026. ESIC exercises the powers conferred by the Code to fix the amount, which now stands at ₹20,000.

## Indian Opinion Analysis

The retrospective effect from 8 May 2026 means families of insured persons who died after that date may now claim the benefit, but the notification does not specify a deadline for filing claims. Eligible claimants must prove they are the eldest surviving member or the person who actually paid for the funeral. The ESIC notification sets a fixed amount, removing earlier ambiguity, but the process of verifying claims and disbursing payments will determine how quickly families receive the assistance. The next step for affected families is to contact their local ESIC office with the required documents.

## Coverage

- scconline.com <https://www.scconline.com/blog/post/2026/10/19/esic-funeral-expenses-fixed-at-20000/>
  Straight reporting of the notification with no commentary or slant

This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.

Tags: ESIC, Social Security Code
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