Funeral planning and associated costs
Making funeral arrangements can feel complicated and stressful, particularly at an already difficult time.
If you’ve recently lost a loved one and you’re in charge of arranging their funeral, you might be feeling overwhelmed with all the details.
Before you start planning a funeral
There are certain things you need to do before a funeral can take place.
First off, after the person has died you should contact people that knew them, including their employer, as soon as possible.
Register the death
There are a number of steps to registering a death.
- A medical examiner will issue a medical certificate giving the cause of death.
- The certificate usually gets sent to the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages.
- The Registrar will contact you to arrange an appointment to register the death.
- You must then register the death within five days in England (or eight days in Scotland).
Sometimes a doctor may not be able to issue the medical certificate giving the cause of death. If this is the case, they’ll refer the death to the coroner – who may order a post-mortem examination.
How to plan a funeral
Most people use a funeral director service to arrange a funeral. They can manage all aspects of a funeral, ensuring it runs smoothly. You can usually choose from different services, depending on your budget.
If you decide to use a funeral director, make sure they belong to a professional association such as the National Association of Funeral Directors or the Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors.
You can use the funeral directors register to search for a funeral director in your area.
Different types of funeral
There are different types of funeral, such as burial, cremation and even funerals you put together yourself. Your choice of funeral will be based on many factors, including the wishes of the person who died and your budget.
Burials
A burial is a graveside ceremony held after the main funeral service.
If you choose a burial for the deceased person, you’ll need to find a plot. There are some things to bear in mind:
- You can only lease a burial plot, not own it. However, you’ll be given the option to ‘top-up’ the lease. Depending on the local authority and place of burial, leases can last up to 50 years or more.
- You’ll need a grave deed for the deceased, showing that they’re entitled to a grave in a churchyard, cemetery or elsewhere. You can get this deed when you purchase “the exclusive right to burial” from the cemetery or burial grounds.
- If the deceased didn’t live in the area that they’ll be buried in, the plot may cost more. This is called a non-resident pricing policy, and the cost will differ depending on the local authority.
- Most cemeteries are non-denominational, so you can hold most types of service in their grounds.
One of the main reasons people choose a burial is that it provides mourners with a physical location where they can visit and remember their loved one.
However, a burial is often more expensive than cremation.
Cremation
Cremation tends to be the most popular type of funeral in the UK.
It takes place at a crematorium, where you can also have the funeral service.
When arranging the cremation, you’ll need to complete the following forms:
- Application for cremation. This is usually given to the family by the funeral director.
- Certificate for cremation (the green form). This is given to the family by the registry office when they’re registering the death.
Cremations are usually cheaper than burials, particularly ‘direct cremations’ which don’t include a traditional funeral service. They can also be a more eco-friendly choice than burials, due to not requiring burial plots or embalming chemicals.
Funerals you organise yourself
If you decide to organise a funeral yourself, you’ll be responsible for, among other things:
- Collecting the body from the place of death.
- Storage of the deceased until the time of the funeral.
- Registering the death.
- Deciding whether the service will be at a cemetery, crematorium or somewhere else.
- Booking the service venue.
- Appointing an officiant (person who delivers the service).
- Arranging the transport of the coffin.
- Arranging the mourners, floral tributes and (if relevant) grave digging.
- Organising the wake/reception.
Arranging a funeral yourself could save you money and allows you to have more control over the event. However, having to take care of all the details yourself can be daunting.
Some undertakers offer advice, although they’ll charge you for this. The cemeteries and crematorium department of your local council may also be able to guide you through the process.
How much do funerals cost?
Funeral costs vary depending on the type of service and options you choose. Typically a cremation will be less expensive than a burial.
If you choose to use a funeral director, they’ll give you an estimate of their costs. These will be made up of both their own costs and other disbursements (extra costs).
What are the costs involved?
Funeral director costs may include:
- chapel of rest
- embalming
- organisation and documentation
- coffin
- hearse and limousine
- pall bearers and other support staff.
As well as disbursements such as:
- doctor’s fees for death certificate
- cremation fees
- burial fees, such as rights of internment, grave digging and headstone installation
- the person who performs the funeral service, often a minister
- crematorium service.
There are other costs you’ll need to factor in as well, including flowers and catering.
Who pays for a funeral?
Funerals can be paid for in a number of ways, including:
- the deceased person’s estate (funeral costs have higher priority over other debts)
- a life insurance policy held by the deceased person
- a funeral plan taken out by the deceased person
- family or friends.
On some occasions (where no other sources of payment are available) the local council or NHS may organise and pay for a funeral. However, this won’t include things like flowers, cars or notices in the local newspaper.
People on a low income may be able to get help paying for a funeral from the government.
At Beagle Street we regularly search official records. So when a policy holder dies, we don’t have to wait for you to contact us (although it's best to contact us first). This means we could give you financial support faster than other insurance providers.
How can life insurance help?
Funerals can be expensive. So it makes sense that more people are thinking about how they can pay for their own funeral, to reduce the financial burden on their family. But what’s the best way to ensure that these costs are covered?
One option is to factor your funeral costs into your life insurance policy.
At Beagle Street, we offer flexible, affordable life insurance to give peace of mind to you and your loved ones.
You can get a quick quote to see how much it would cost you to protect your family.
You might also want to consider putting your life insurance policy in trust.
Life insurance policies placed in trust are typically paid out faster, giving your loved ones the vital funds they may need to make funeral arrangements.
You may also be interested in...
Life insurance and inheritance tax
It’s important to understand how inheritance tax could affect a life insurance payout to your loved ones, and whether it’s worth putting your policy into trust.
Terminal illness cover vs critical illness cover
Terminal illness and critical illness cover are different types of personal insurance, and it’s important to understand the difference.
What is joint life insurance and how does it work?
Our joint policies will pay-out once only, on the first person who passes away and a claim is made within the policy term.
Find out how much life insurance could cost with Beagle Street
Our simple, online quick quote tool will let you know how much cover you can get and how much it’s likely to cost you. There’s no commitment to take out a policy.