How to arrange a funeral and choose a funeral director

Most people arrange a funeral through a funeral director, who cares for the person who has died and organises the service, the bookings and the paperwork. You can choose any funeral director, and it pays to compare two or three: every funeral director in the UK must publish a standard price list, so you can compare like with like. Start by checking whether the person left wishes or a funeral plan. Then decide on burial or cremation and the kind of service you want, and get a written estimate before you agree to anything.

Do you have to use a funeral director?

No. There is no law that says you must use a funeral director, and some families arrange everything themselves, from looking after the person at home to booking the crematorium. The Natural Death Centre has guidance on arranging a funeral without one. Most people do use a funeral director, especially in the first days after a death, and some choose one just for particular parts, such as collecting the person and caring for them until the funeral.

What should you check first?

• A funeral plan. If the person paid for a funeral in advance, the plan may name a funeral director and cover some or all of their fees. Look for the paperwork or ask the bank. Plans do not usually cover everything, so check what is included.
• Their wishes. The will, a letter of wishes or something they said may set out whether they wanted burial or cremation, a religious service, particular music or a place for their ashes. Wishes are not legally binding, but most families try to follow them.
• Who is in charge. The executors named in the will have the final say on the funeral. If there is no will, it is usually the nearest relative. It helps to agree early on who will make the decisions.
• The budget. Work out what the estate can pay and whether anyone needs help. The guide to funeral costs and help paying explains the options.

How do you choose a funeral director?

Compare price lists

Since 2021, funeral directors in the UK have had to publish a standardised price list, set by the Competition and Markets Authority. It shows the price of a standard attended funeral and of a funeral with no service, such as direct cremation, in the same format, on the business’s website and on its premises. Ask for the price list from two or three firms and compare them. Prices for similar services can vary a great deal, even in the same town.

Independent or part of a group?

Some funeral directors are independent, often family firms that have served the same area for generations. Others are branches of larger groups, such as the Co-op, Dignity or Funeral Partners, and may still trade under a long-standing local name. Neither is better in itself, but many people want to know who they are dealing with. Our listings show ownership where it is known, and you can search independent funeral directors.

Trade association membership

Many funeral directors belong to the National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD) or the National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors (SAIF). Members agree to follow a code of practice, and each body runs a complaints process if something goes wrong. In Scotland, funeral directors must also follow a statutory code of practice set by the Scottish Government.

Questions to ask

• What is included in your price, and what will be added as third-party costs?
• Can I see your standardised price list and have a written, itemised estimate?
• Where will the person be cared for, and can we visit them in a chapel of rest?
• When do you need a deposit, and when is the final bill due?
• Are you independent or part of a group?
• Can you help with the arrangements our faith or culture requires?

You can search funeral directors by county, then filter by service.

What decisions will you need to make?

• Burial or cremation, or a direct cremation with no service and perhaps a memorial later. See the guide to burial, cremation or direct cremation.
• The type of service. A religious service led by a minister or faith leader, a humanist ceremony, or a ceremony written with an independent celebrant.
• The venue. A crematorium chapel, a church or other place of worship, a cemetery chapel, a natural burial ground, or somewhere with meaning for the family.
• The date and time. This depends on the venue and on when the death can be registered. Most funerals take place two to three weeks after the death. Some faiths ask for burial within a day or two, and funeral directors can usually arrange this.
• The coffin, or a shroud or casket, and what the person will wear.
• Cars: whether family travel in funeral cars or make their own way. Some funeral directors can arrange a horse-drawn or other alternative hearse.
• Flowers or donations. Families often ask for “family flowers only” with donations to a charity. See the guide to funeral flowers.
• Notices in a local newspaper or online, giving the date and place of the funeral.
• A gathering afterwards, sometimes called a wake, at home, a pub, a hotel or a community hall.
• Whether to stream the service for people who cannot attend.

How do you pay for a funeral?

The funeral director will usually ask for a deposit to cover third-party costs, such as the crematorium fee, and send the final invoice after the funeral. The funeral is normally paid for from the person’s estate. Most banks will pay a funeral director’s invoice directly from the person’s account, even before probate, if you give them the invoice and a death certificate. Ask the bank how it handles this.

If the estate cannot cover the cost, the person who signs the contract with the funeral director is responsible for paying. If you get certain benefits, you may qualify for a Funeral Expenses Payment, or Funeral Support Payment in Scotland, so check before you sign. The guide to funeral costs and help paying has the details.

What if something goes wrong?

Raise it with the funeral director first, in writing if you can. If they are an NAFD or SAIF member and you cannot sort it out, use the trade body’s complaints process. Citizens Advice can also help with consumer rights. You can get advice from the Citizens Advice guide to death and wills.