Documents
Detailed planning of the funeral
The key decisions that need to be made for the funeral are listed below . If you ’ re using a funeral director they will help you with all of this :
• where the body should rest before the funeral
• time and place of the funeral ( though this can only be finalised once the order for burial / cremation has been issued )
• type of service ( religious or other ) and who will conduct it / contribute
• how much to spend on the funeral
• whether to have flowers or instead donate money to a chosen charity
• where to donate flowers after the funeral
• sending out invitations
• placing a notice in the newspapers .
What documents will I need to arrange a funeral ?
The crematorium or cemetery office will require a form for cremation or burial before the funeral can take place .
These forms will be issued either by the Coroner ( if relevant ) or by the Registrar and , with your permission , can be emailed directly to the crematorium , cemetery office or funeral director . If decisions about the funeral have not been made , in some circumstances , the forms can be issued directly to the family of the deceased .
Taking the deceased ' s will into account
Remember to check the will or other written instructions for special wishes about their funeral or what should happen to their body . However , in law , they are preferences and not instructions . The executor doesn ’ t have to follow the instructions about the funeral left in the will . If there are no clear wishes it ’ s generally the executor or nearest relative who decides whether the body is to be cremated or buried .
What should you do if the deceased asked for their body to be donated to medical science ?
In this case , you should contact your local department of human anatomy to see if they are willing to accept the body and , if not , whether anywhere else would be willing to accept it . The hospital or doctor will normally help to arrange this .
The body is normally kept for up to three years and then cremation or burial arrangements are discussed with the family or representative of the deceased . You should remember that the death still needs to be registered in the usual way .
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