15
The Funeral
( continued )
Using a Funeral Director
Many people choose to use a professional Funeral Director . They can help streamline the whole process , through a very upsetting and sometimes stressful time . Personal recommendations may be available from family and friends who have already used their services . Most Funeral Directors belong to one of the following organisations :
• National Association of Funeral Directors www . nafd . org . uk
• National Federation of Funeral Directors www . nffd . co . uk
• Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors www . saif . org . uk
How will you pay for the funeral ?
Funeral Costs If you arrange a funeral you are responsible for paying the bill , so check where the money will come from and if there will be enough . Funeral costs may be paid in different ways including :
• From the Estate of the deceased
• The deceased may have been paying into a funeral scheme or have a prepaid funeral plan - you will need to check paperwork to see if a plan exists
• Money from a life insurance policy or pension scheme
• The deceased ’ s bank or building society may agree to release funds to pay for funeral costs
• You , or the Executor , may need to pay and then recover the money from the Estate later . In certain cases help may be available from State funds .
Funeral costs for the same services may vary considerably from one Funeral Director to another . It is therefore best to get more than one quote to compare costs and services .
You should ask the Funeral Director for a written quotation detailing these fees .
Financial Help If you are finding it difficult to pay for a funeral that you have to arrange , you may be able to get some financial help .
Bereavement Support Payment You may be able to get Bereavement Support Payment depending on when your husband , wife or civil partner died .
If your husband , wife or civil partner died before 6 April 2017 you may still be able to get other financial help . Please visit www . gov . uk / bereavement-supportpayment
Please note you can ’ t claim Bereavement Support Payment if you are in prison . You must claim within 3 months of your husband , wife or civil partner ’ s death to get the full amount . You can claim up to 21 months after but your payments will be less . Parents who suffer the loss of a child under the age of 18 will be entitled to two weeks ’ statutory paid leave from work .
Bereavement Service helpline : Telephone : 0800 731 0469 Monday to Friday , 8am to 7.30pm
What choices do you have for the funeral ?
A funeral can be either by cremation or burial in England and Wales
Sometimes the choices in arranging a funeral are more limited due to a person ’ s chosen religion or belief . However , apart from that you can organise the funeral yourself and personalise it , in a way that suits you . In some cases the deceased has planned the funeral details in advance , or at least let their wishes be known , which can be a great help .