Funerals: a step-by-step guide

When a loved one dies, you naturally want to provide a funeral that’s a personal and unique celebration of their life. But making the arrangements can seem daunting, especially given the emotional stress that many people feel at such a time. This guide will help. By outlining the key steps in the funeral planning process, along with an illustration of the costs typically associated with these steps, it will help you make the choices best suited to your needs and circumstances.

Initial steps: who should you call first?

Before you can arrange a funeral, you need to do certain things. These are:

Obtain a Certificate of Cause of Death, signed by a GP or hospital doctor.
Remove the body. Whether the death occurred in a hospital or at home, you will need to call a funeral director to arrange for the deceased to be removed.
Register the death

Usually, a death must be registered within 5 days (8 days in Scotland). However, under some circumstances, the doctor may report the death to the coroner. This will delay things slightly. When the death has been registered, the registrar will issue you with the documents you need to arrange the funeral.

Why are deaths reported to the coroner?

A Doctor needs to have seen and treated a patient for at least 14 days prior to death in order to issue a certificate of cause of death, if this has not occurred then the death must be reported to the coroner. There are also a number of other situations where a death must be reported, including but not limited to:

Deaths of anyone below 18 regardless of the cause of death
Deaths linked to medical treatment or within 24 hours of admission to hospital
Suspected suicides
A death linked to any suspicious circumstances
A death linked to an accident, regardless of when the accident occurred
Deaths linked to a person’s professional occupation

How to register a death

What information and documents do you need?

The registrar will require the name and current address of the person registering the death as well as key information and documentation for the departed including:

Date of birth
Birth certificate
Place of birth
Driving license
Passport
Marriage or civil partnership certificate
Date of death
Place of death
The signed (by a doctor) medical certificate showing the cause of death
Full name and any alias’s
Occupation
Most recent address
Proof of address (in the form of a utility bill or legal letter)

Not all of the documents need to be taken along with you so gather as many as possible, if you’re unsure that you have enough information to successfully register the death it may be worth giving the register office a call for more advice. Where & How: The information and documents need to be taken to your local register office (the same place you register births and marriages), you can find the address of your nearest office from the hospital, your GP or your funeral director or by a simple online search. To register the death the registrar will give you (this may differ in Scotland and Northern Ireland):

A certificate for burial and cremation
- Also known as the green certificate, this gives permission to bury the body or to apply for a cremation
A certificate for registration of death
- This certificate is required to deal with the deceased’s personal affairs such as pensions and benefits payments

Who can do it? Only the following people can register a death

A relative
A person that was with the departed at the time of death
A person who lives at the address where the person died
The person that is arranging the funeral (except the undertaker or funeral director)

Cost: Registering a death is free of charge.

Worth noting: You’ll probably need a number of copies of the death certificate (typically around 5), to give for example, to:

The executor of the estate of the person who has died
Financial institutions (such as banks & building societies)
The department of work and pensions

Who makes the funeral arrangements?

The vast majority of people use a funeral director service, though you’re under no legal obligation to do so. However, while ‘DIY’ funerals can save you money, they can be stressful and time-consuming to organise. A funeral director, on the other hand, can deal with all aspects of a funeral, and ensure it runs smoothly. The cost of using a funeral director varies with the level of service you choose. If you decide to use a funeral director, you may find it helpful to visit the websites of the following organisations. Their members all operate to strict codes of practice and price transparency.

National Association of Funeral Directors
National Federation of Funeral Directors
Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors

What costs are involved with a funeral?

Typically, a funeral director service will cost about £1,800 and will cover:

Chapel of rest
Embalming
Organisation and documentation
Coffin
Hearse and limousine
Pall bearers and other support staff

However, funeral directors will add certain costs called ‘disbursements’ – these typically include: [responsive_table id="12" /]

Other options you may want to choose, include:

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Who pays for a funeral?

Funerals can be paid for in a number of ways. The most common sources of payment are:

The deceased person’s estate (note that funeral costs take precedence over other debts)
A life insurance policy held by the deceased person
A funeral plan taken out by the deceased person
Family or friends

Note that, if the money is to come from the dead person’s estate, funeral costs and secured debts such a mortgage will be paid before other costs. 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 will not include arrangements such as flowers, cars or notices in the local newspaper. People on a low income may be able to get help in paying from a funeral from the Social Fund. You’ll find more information at GOV.UK.

Remember: 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. This means we could give you financial support faster than other insurance providers.

Burial or cremation?

Whether or not you use a funeral director, you need to decide whether you wish to have the deceased cremated or buried. Often, your loved one may have specified a preference in their will, but you are not legally obliged to follow this course. Whether you choose burial or cremation is completely your own choice, though around 3 in 4 funerals use cremation in the UK today. This is for a number of reasons, though it’s worth noting that cremations tend to cost significantly less than burials. If you’re using a funeral director, they will look after the arrangements, once you have chosen burial or cremation. If you are arranging things yourself, here are some key points to remember about burial and cremation.

Burials: things to remember.

If you choose burial for the deceased person, you must find a plot. Remember that: You can only lease a burial plot, not own it. However, you will be given the option to ‘top-up’ the lease at regular intervals. Depending on your local authority and place of burial, leases on plots and can last up to 50 years or more.

You can only lease a burial plot, not own it. However, you will be given the option to ‘top-up’ the lease at regular intervals. Depending on your local authority and place of burial, leases on plots and 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. The deed is obtained 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 wish to be buried in, the plot may cost more. This is called a non-resident pricing policy, this policy and the associated cost will differ from local authority to local authority.
Most cemeteries are non-denominational, so you can hold most types of service in their grounds.
Cemeteries vary in how they allow graves to be marked, for example some cemeteries may only allow you to place only one movable vase or memorialisation on the grave So if you want to use lots of decoration on a grave you may have to reconsider your cemetery choice .
People can also be buried on their own land.

The average cost of a burial is £1,645.

One of the principal reasons that people choose burial is that it provides mourners with a physical location where they can visit and grieve.

Cremation: things to remember.

If the person who died is being cremated, some paperwork will be required before proceeding. Ask at the crematorium if you’re not sure, but you’ll probably need:

Application for cremation. The funeral director will help you with this, or ask at the crematorium.
Doctors’ forms. These include a form completed by the doctor who certified the death and another independent doctor. Both forms have to be paid for, but if you’re using a funeral director, it will be included in the disbursements. As of the 6^th of June 2016 both forms (form 4 the Certificate of medical attendant & Form 5 the Confirmatory medical certificate) both cost £82.00 ⁵
Authorisation of cremation. The crematorium doctor issues this form, which allows the cremation to proceed.

What is direct cremation?

Today, an increasing number of people are opting for ‘direct cremations’, in which the body is cremated almost immediately, without a traditional funeral service. Because it does not involve viewing or embalming, or require a standard coffin, the procedure is an economic alternative to a traditional cremation. Note that you can still hold a commemorative event afterwards if you like. The average cost of a traditional cremation is £683.

Many people opt for cremation, as they don’t require the use of embalming chemicals, or take up space in the earth. This makes them an eco-friendly choice.

DIY Funerals: the essentials.

There’s no legal requirement to use the services of a funeral director – you can arrange a funeral yourself. This can save you a significant amount of money (this varies widely according to your choices) and allows you to have absolute control over the event. However, the logistics can be daunting. Some undertakers offer advice, though they will charge for this. The Cemeteries and Crematorium department of your local council may also be able to guide you through the process. If you decide to organise a funeral yourself, you will be responsible for, among other things:

Collecting the body of your loved one 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 chapel or other place
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

Worth noting: If you find the prospect of organising a funeral overwhelming, but are concerned about the cost of a full funeral director service, don’t forget that most funeral directors are prepared to provide as much or as little help as you want.

Death abroad and repatriation.

If a friend or relative dies abroad, while you’re in the UK, you should contact the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). They will advise you on the next steps. If you’re abroad, and someone with you dies, you should contact the nearest British Embassy, High Commission or Consulate. They will give you advice on what you need to do. Frequently asked questions about death abroad include:

Where is the death to be registered?

All deaths must be registered in the country where the person died. Information about how to register a death abroad can be found on the how to register a death page on GOV.UK.

Where does the funeral take place?

You can either arrange for the body to be returned to the UK (known as repatriation), or have the funeral overseas. Before you can bring the body home, you’ll need a death certificate from the country in which the person died, authorisation to remove the body from the country concerned and a certificate of embalming.

How much does repatriation cost?

This varies widely, depending on place of death. However it can be expensive, so you need to make sure you can meet the costs before making arrangements.

Can I claim repatriation or overseas funeral costs on travel insurance?

Possibly, if the deceased person had travel insurance with repatriation & funeral cover included.

What does the law say? The legalities of death and funerals.

As you might imagine, the law surrounding death and funerals has evolved over a long period, and is today quite complex. However, these complexities surface only in relatively rare circumstances – in most cases, the law is well-defined and easy to understand. Below is a summary of the key points of law concerning death and funerals. If you’d like a more comprehensive review the guide to your legal rights and responsibilitiesfrom Good Funeral Guide is a useful resource.

The executor (personal representative) of a deceased person has a right to take charge of a dead body unless (a) the coroner wishes to examine the body, or (b) the person died of an infectious disease
A funeral is not required by law
You do not have to use an undertaker or funeral director
If no one accepts responsibility for disposing of a dead person, the responsibility defers to the state
You are not legally bound to carry out funeral wishes
All deaths must be registered
Failure to dispose of a body may result in prosecution
Want a free funeral? You can bury a dead person on your or their own land
Permission is required to move a buried body
The law surrounding ashes is muddled – they may or may not be defined as property
You don’t have to bury or cremate someone who has died. You can preserve them

How can Life Insurance help?

Funerals can be expensive. So it makes sense that more and more people are thinking about how they can pay for their own funeral, so that their families don’t have to worry about finding the money when the time comes. The question is – what’s the best way to ensure that these costs are covered? One popular and extremely effective method is to factor your funeral costs into your life insurance policy. At Beagle Street, we offer extremely flexible, affordable and simple to understand life insurance products. If you’d like more information about our Life Insurance options with Beagle Street click here to visit our Life Insurance page or call us on 0800 247 247.

Life Insurance in Trust

Life insurance policies placed in trust are typically paid out faster, giving relatives, friends or family the vital funds they may need to make funeral arrangements. Trusts also come with a number of additional benefits, use our life insurance trust tool to find out how much you could potentially save.

How can I ensure fast financial support?

Funerals can be expensive. And even if the deceased person has an insurance policy or funeral plan, it can take time to make and complete a claim. That’s why, at Beagle Street, we do everything we can to speed things up. One of the things we do is regularly and actively search official records, so when a policy holder dies, we don’t have to wait for you to contact us. This means we could give you financial support faster than other insurance providers.