Personal

Funeral Arrangements

SOLVING PERSONAL LEGAL MATTERS

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Arranging the funeral and paying the funeral expenses

When you have confirmed that the body is to be buried or cremated rather than given for medical research, give the certificate for burial or cremation to the funeral director.

The funeral director will discuss the arrangements with you and guide you through the process leading up to the funeral and the burial or cremation.

What kind of funeral did the person who has died want?

Many people leave notes saying what kind of funeral they would like, or they express their wishes in their Wills.

You are not legally obliged to follow the wishes of a person who has died but usually relatives and friends prefer to do so.

It can be distressing to discover after the funeral that it was not arranged as the person wished, so look as soon as possible for a note and the Will.

Paying for the funeral

By taking on the responsibility of arranging the funeral, you are also taking on the responsibility of paying for it.

You will eventually be able to reimburse yourself from the estate of the person who has died, providing there is enough money in the estate to cover the funeral expenses.

You, or other family members, may be willing to pay the funeral expenses, on the basis that you will claim a repayment from the estate later.

However, there are other ways of paying for the funeral:

Look through the papers of the person who has died for anything relating to a pre-paid funeral plan. If you find that the person subscribed to a plan, contact the provider, and follow the procedure it recommends.
A bank where the person who has died had an account may be prepared to release money from the account. The bank freezes an account when it learns about the account holder's death, making no further payments out. However, it may make an exception for funeral expenses. Contact the bank to ask whether it will release money to pay for the funeral.
Look through the papers of the person who has died for anything relating to life insurance or pensions and contact the providers.

If the person had a job at the time of the death, contact the employer's HR department.

Lump-sum payments can often be made from life insurance policies and pension schemes very soon after a death.

However, you should, if possible, consult the solicitors advising the personal representatives before using lump-sums of this type to pay funeral expenses: there may be a more tax-efficient way to use the money.

If you are arranging a funeral for a partner or close relative and you are on a low income, you may qualify for help in paying for it. You may have to repay some or all of it from the estate of the person who has died.