| Organising a funeral
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Organising a funeral can be a very stressful
ordeal especially when emotions are running high.
If a Will
has been made it should be consulted to see whether the deceased
had any specific requests.
Where there is no Will, decisions will need
to be made on how the service should proceed.
A funeral director will help you to organise the funeral but here
are a few items to remember:
- Inform people when and where the funeral is to take place
- Arrange a coffin
- Take care of flower arrangements
- Allocate or hire pallbearers
- Decide on the service including songs, readings etc.
- Organise the transport of the coffin to the ceremony
- Arrange refreshments after the service
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| Burials and Cremations
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If the deceased is to be buried it is worth contacting
the church where you would like the burial to take place immediately
as there may a shortage of space and you may have to find an alternative.
There are cemeteries owned by private companies and local authorities
for which you would have to pay for a grave space.
If the deceased is to be cremated the crematorium should be contacted
and you will have to obtain an application for cremation in order
to proceed.
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| Documentation needed
before a funeral can take place |
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Before a funeral can take place it is essential that certain documentation is obtained including:
- A death certificate showing the cause of death
- A No Liability to Register Certificate
(obtained from the registrar in the area where the burial is intended)
or
- Application for cremation
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| Your own funeral |
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Here are a few things you might like to
consider when making plans for your own funeral.
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| Cost |
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Depending on what kind of funeral you would
like will make a difference to the cost. Do you intend to make it
clear in your Will that
you will pay for your own funeral or are you intending to leave
this to others?
Be careful when considering your choice of funeral
as it could deplete the estate you leave behind
or leave others in an uncertain financial position.
For more information
about funeral arrangements and costs visit www.funeralcare.co-operative.co.uk.
You can claim funeral expenses from the DSS but their are various constraints
on eligibility such as the claimant or their partner must be receiving
social security and must not have savings in excess of £500. More information
is available at their web site www.dss.gov.uk/
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| Body options
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When you die do you want to
be laid to rest somewhere in particular before your funeral or are
you happy to let others decide for you?
Will you have a viewing or would you prefer not to?
How do
you want to be transported to the funeral - by car, horse and cart
etc?
Do you want to buried, cremated
or choose some other ceremony such as burial at sea?
Do you want your
organs to be donated for medical science?
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| Your coffin
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There are a huge range of coffins
to choose from so it might be worth writing down the kind you would
like such as whether its a dark wood with brass handles and velvet
interior or whether you are happier to have a very basic coffin. Do
you want anything placed in the coffin with you? Is there anything
in particular you would like to wear?
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| The ceremony
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What kind of ceremony would
you like and where would you like it? Is there anyone you would like
to speak for you, any songs you would like, particular flowers or
any special service?
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| Headstone/Urn
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You may want a certain style
of headstone or urn with something particular on it which again you
must specify in your Will unless
you are happy for others to decide.
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| Afterwards
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When the ceremony is over do
you want a large party or a small gathering and if so what do you
have in mind? Are you going to provide for this in your Will?
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