Arranging a funeral

Citizens Advice have a very helpful section on their website devoted to arranging a funeral.

Most funerals are arranged through a funeral director. Find one who belongs to one of the professional associations, such as the National Association of Funeral Directors – NAFD or the Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors – SAIF. These associations have codes of practice and complaints procedures. Some local authorities also run their own funeral services by arrangement with a local firm of funeral directors.

You can arrange a funeral without a funeral director. If you want to do this, the Natural Death Centre or Cemeteries and Crematorium department of your local authority can offer help and guidance.

If you arrange the funeral with a funeral director, you’re responsible for the costs. You should ask to see a price list before choosing a funeral, or explain how much you have to spend and see what services are possible.

You might be able to get help paying for the funeral if you’re on benefits. Check if you can get a Funeral Expenses Payment on GOV.UK.

Once you’ve chosen the funeral, you should be given a written estimate giving a breakdown of all of the costs involved. Ask for one if it’s not provided.

If you want to compare costs, you can contact other funeral directors, or ask someone else to help you with this.

A basic funeral is likely to include:

• a plain, lined coffin
• transport of the body of the person who has died to the funeral director’s premises, usually up to ten miles from wherever the death occurred
• the care of the person who has died until the funeral. This will include washing and dressing the person who has died and laying the body out, but will not include embalming
• providing a hearse to take the body to the nearest crematorium or burial ground
• providing the necessary people to carry the coffin
• making all other necessary arrangements, for example, getting the required forms.

Other services funeral directors could provide, or which you may want to sort out elsewhere are:

• flowers
• a more expensive coffin and fittings
• press notices
• a medical certificate required for cremation, and any doctor’s fees for signing this
• an organist
• fees for religious services
• a burial or crematorium fee. The burial fee will usually include the costs of preparing the grave
• extra cars
• embalming
• extra services by the funeral director, for example, use of the Chapel of Rest, transport from the mortuary, or special viewing arrangements
• the cost of journeys of more than ten miles to the funeral director’s premises
• a memorial
• catering arrangements
• stationery.

You may need to sign a contract with the funeral director. Make sure you read it carefully and ask the funeral director about anything you don’t understand.

Some funeral directors might ask for a deposit before making the funeral arrangements.  

You may be offered a discount to pay for the funeral before or soon after it takes place. If you know the money will be released at a later date to cover the cost, you might want to consider a bank loan or overdraft to pay early.

Money may be released later, if the person who has died made arrangements to pay for their funeral through an insurance or other policy, or if money is released after their estate has been dealt with.  

If there is a legal claim for negligence against someone for the death, the cost of the funeral can be claimed as compensation.

Otherwise, you may agree payment by instalment, or pay after the legal process of dealing with the person’s estate has been settled.  

More about what to do after a death

More about what to do if you need help with the cost of a funeral on GOV.UK.

If you need more help

Other useful information

National Association of Funeral Directors

618 Warwick Road
Solihull
West Midlands
B91 1AA

Tel: 0845 230 1343
Fax: 0121 711 1351
E-mail: info@nafd.org.uk
Website: www.nafd.org.uk

National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors

3 Bullfields
Sawbridgeworth
Hertfordshire
CM21 9DB

Tel: 0845 230 6777
Fax: 01279 726300
E-mail: info@saif.org.uk
Website: www.saif.org.uk

Natural Death Centre

In The Hill House
Watley Lane
Twyford
Winchester
SO21 1QX

Tel: 0871 288 2098
E-mail: contact@naturaldeath.org.uk
Website: www.naturaldeath.org.uk

This Government’s website is also very useful as it takes you through step by step all that needs to be done after someone dies  https://www.gov.uk/after-a-death

You can search for funeral directors on the Funeral Directors Register – a service run by the National Federation of Funeral Directors.

There are a number of websites offering useful help and guidance, we suggest you search ‘How to manage online accounts following a death’.

For general counselling and support, contact:

PO Box 800
Richmond
Surrey
TW9 1RG

Day-by-day helpline for adults and young people: 0808 808 1677 (Mon-Fri 9.30am-5.00pm)
Tel: 020 8939 9530 (office)
Fax: 020 8940 1671
Email: info@cruse.org.uk
Website: www.cruse.org.uk
Twitter: www.twitter.com/CruseCare

WAY Widowed And Young is a self-help organisation for people aged 50 and under who have been widowed. Their website is: www.widowedandyoung.org.uk.

14 New King Street
Deptford
London
SE8 3HS

Helpline: 0345 123 2304 (Monday to Friday from 10.00am to 4.00pm and 7.00pm to 10.00pm)
Northern Ireland helpline: 0288 77 88 016 (Monday to Friday from 10.00am to 4.00pm and 7.00pm to 9.30pm)
Tel (office): 0345 120 3785
Email: info@tcf.org.uk
Website: www.tcf.org.uk
Facebook: www.facebook.com/www.tcf.org.uk
Twitter: www.twitter.com/saytheirname

Support following the death of a same-sex partner

Helpline: 0300 330 0630 (7 days a week 10.00am to 11.00pm)
Email: admin@switchboard.lgbt
www.switchboard.lgbt

Support following a suicide

The Flamsteed Centre
Albert Street
Derbyshire DE7 5GU

National Helpline: 0300 111 5065 (7 days a week 9.00am to 9.00pm)
Support: sobs.support@hotmail.com
Office: sobs.admin@care4free.net
Website: www.uk-sobs.org.uk

Barnardo’s Child Bereavement Service

The Child Bereavement Service provides individual and group support to children and young people who have been bereaved. There is also an advice line that is open to any adult concerned about a bereaved child. The service is provided mainly for Northern Ireland, but will give telephone or email advice and information to people anywhere in the UK. Contact details are:

23 Windsor Avenue
Belfast
BT9 6EE

Advice Line: 028 9066 8333
Email: catherine.meighan@barnardos.org.uk
Website: www.barnardos.org.uk

Child Bereavement UK

Child Bereavement UK offers support to families when a child of any age dies or is dying, or when a child is facing bereavement. It runs a support and information helpline and email service staffed by trained bereavement support workers. Child Bereavement UK also provides training in bereavement support to professionals. Contact details are:

Clare Charity Centre
Wycombe Road
Saunderton
Buckinghamshire
HP14 4BF

Support and information line: 01494 568 900 (Monday to Friday from 9.00am to 5.00pm)
Fax: 01494 568 920
Email: support@childbereavementuk.org
Website: www.childbereavement.org.uk

The Child Death Helpline

Barclay House
37 Queen Square
London
WC1N 3BH

Helpline: 0800 282 986 (if calling from a landline) or 0808 800 6019 (if calling from a mobile phone)
Email: contact@childdeathhelpline.org
Website: www.childdeathhelpline.org.uk

The Lullaby Trust

11 Belgrave Road
London
SW1V 1RB

Bereavement support line: 0808 802 6868
Information line: 0808 802 6869
General enquiries: 020 7802 3200
Bereavement support email: support@lullabytrust.org.uk
Information email: info@lullabytrust.org.uk
General enquiries email: office@lullabytrust.org.uk
Website: www.lullabytrust.org.uk

The Rosie Crane Trust

The Rosie Crane Trust provides support for bereaved parents. They offer a 24-hour ‘Listening Ear Helpline’, available to all in the UK. Their drop-in centres are available in Somerset, North Dorset and North Devon in England.

Rosie Crane Trust
PO Box 62
Ilminster
Somerset
TA19 0WW

24 hour helpline: 01460 55120
General enquiries email: contact@rosiecranetrust.co.uk
Website: www.rosiecranetrust.org

Support following a stillbirth

The Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society (SANDS)

Victoria Charity Centre
11 Belgrave Road
London SW1V 1RB

Helpline: 0808 164 3332
Email: helpline@sands.org.uk
Website: www.sands.org.uk

Support following a miscarriage

The Miscarriage Association

17 Wentworth Terrace
Wakefield
WF1 3QW

Helpline: 01924 200 799
Email: info@miscarriageassociation.org.uk
Website: www.miscarriageassociation.org.uk