How to Plan a Funeral for Someone

Knowing where to start planning a funeral is often very challenging and can be very stressful, especially if you have never planned a funeral before. To alleviate some stress, we’ll be going through some key information about how to plan a funeral for someone.

How to Arrange a Funeral

When arranging a funeral, there are several important decisions that need to be made over a short period of time. While this can understandably feel overwhelming, taking things step by step can make the funeral arranging process more manageable.

The first thing you will usually need to do is contact a funeral director, who can help guide you through the funeral arrangements and explain the next steps. You will also need to decide whether the person who died wanted a burial or cremation, along with the type of funeral service they would have wanted.

You may also need to think about

• Choosing a coffin
• Organising floral tributes and flowers
• Selecting music for the service
• Arranging a hearse and transport
• Informing family members and friends
• Choosing between a religious or non religious ceremony
• Deciding where the memorial service or wake will take place

A good funeral director will guide you through the finer details and ensure everything is arranged in a meaningful way.

How To Organise a Funeral With Funeral Directors

Kenna and Turner Independent Funeral Directors specialise in providing caring and professional funeral services in areas around the Wirral and Merseyside. When it comes to selecting a funeral director, the wide array of people vying for your attention can be quite overwhelming, so trust us in helping with every step of the funeral process.

Regardless of the circumstances surrounding the death of a loved one, whether it be the first time you have experienced losing a loved one, a sudden death or otherwise, there can be a whole host of details that need to be sorted out over a short period.

Planning a funeral is also an area which a lot of people, quite understandably, do not have much understanding of, and so Kenna and Turner want to make sure that you have all the information available to you about what you need to know when planning a funeral.

To try and alleviate some of the stress that you may be experiencing following the death of a loved one, we’ll be going through some key information about how to plan a funeral, how long you have to plan a funeral, as well as some information about funeral planning on a budget. If you still have questions or need help with any aspect of funeral planning, please feel free to call us on 0151 638 4444.

Planning A Funeral When Death Is Near

In some instances, where a friend and/or loved one is in a situation where death may be imminent, it can be a good idea to make funeral plans in advance.

While some people avoid this due to them thinking that it can be quite a morbid notion, it can be massively helpful to have a funeral plan established in some form before they die to help alleviate some of the stress when they pass, thus allowing you more time to spend grieving. Planning ahead of time gives you more control when the passing occurs.

Planning Your Own Funeral in Advance

Many people now choose to plan ahead and make their own funeral wishes known before they pass away. This can feel like a difficult conversation to have, but it can make things much easier for family members and loved ones later on.

Some people do choose to take out a pre paid funeral plan to help cover their own funeral services and funeral costs in advance and others choose to write down their wishes for the funeral service, including whether they would prefer a burial or cremation, sentimental music choices, floral tributes, or whether they would like a religious or non-religious ceremony.

Planning your own funeral can also help reduce stress for friends and family at an emotional time, whilst also making sure your wishes are respected.

Funeral Planning Checklist

Here we will go through some general arrangements that you will likely have to go through after a loved one dies.

• Contact Appropriate People and Institutions – This is naturally the first thing that needs to be done, reaching out to the deceased’s close ones as well as necessary parties who will withdraw the deceased from the place in which they passed. The deceased will then have been confirmed as dead and moved to a local funeral home. Typically, the first port of call when someone dies will be either local law enforcement (if you found the deceased yourself), an attending physician/coroner, family members, legal representatives of the deceased, or a funeral director.
• Assess Any Pre-Arrangements – In some instances, a deceased person may have left some form of pre-arrangements and prepaid for their funeral. You may have to check their residence for any evidence of this and/or contact their lawyer if they had one.
• Meet with a Funeral Director – During a meeting with a funeral director, you will begin to arrange the funeral service itself, discuss the details of how the deceased will be cared for and whether they wanted to be cremated or buried. In some instances, the funeral director may be able to advise on specifics such as a burial plot; however, this is dependent upon the specific funeral director’s services.
• Choose the Funeral Items – It will be necessary for you to select items such as the coffin that the deceased will occupy, the tombstone (if applicable), and any memorial items you would like to commemorate the deceased.
• Handling of the Deceased’s Estate – Sorting out the terms of a deceased person’s estate, as well as any outstanding affairs of the deceased, can be conducted with the help of the deceased’s lawyer in most circumstances. The funeral director may also be able to advise you as to how to proceed with sorting out the deceased’s estate in some instances.

Important Documents Needed When Planning a Funeral

After a death, there are several important documents that may be needed before funeral arrangements can go ahead. In most cases, you will first receive a medical certificate, which confirms the cause of death. This is then used to register the death and obtain the death certificate.

You might also need:

• Insurance policy documents
• A will or details of the executor named
• Bank account or building society information
• Details of any pre paid funeral plan
• Contact information for legal representatives

Some banks and building societies may release funds directly to the funeral director to help pay funeral costs before probate has been completed. If you’re unsure about any paperwork or legal requirements, your funeral director or solicitor may be able to help explain the process.

How Much Do Funerals Cost?

When you lose a loved one, money can be the last thing that you want to be thinking about, but it is a sadly unavoidable part of a funeral. Broadly speaking, funerals are unavoidably expensive affairs, and people often do not have financial preparations set aside for such an occurrence.

For some people, there are private and/or public assets available to help in such situations, as funerals can generally cost a couple of thousand pounds, with cremations typically a cheaper option than funerals.

In the event of needing financial assistance for the costs associated with funerals when funeral insurance is not an option, funeral trusts, funeral loans, crowdfunding, or state/federal financial assistance can all be viable options to raise the funds.

It is also worth noting that an expensive funeral does not naturally translate to a “better” funeral. Funeral planning on a budget is something that a lot of individuals have to experience, and there is no shame in thinking about finances concerning a funeral. A funeral is about making sure that your loved one is sent off from this world with their loved ones, and so the things that you say at a funeral, the music choices, and the actions of the people there are what make a funeral a respectful send-off.

Help With Funeral Costs

For some families, paying the full cost of a funeral can be very difficult. Depending on your circumstances, there may be financial support payment options available to help with funeral expenses. Some people may qualify for Funeral Expenses Payment. We would recommend reaching out to the local council, Wirral council, which may also be able to provide advice or support on entitlements and eligibility criteria.

The total funeral costs can vary depending on factors such as

• Burial or cremation fees
• Funeral service arrangements
• Hearse and transport
• Coffin choice
• Flowers and floral tributes
• Crematorium or cemetery costs

If you’re a friend or family member and are feeling worried about costs, we can talk you through simple funeral options, and explain costs clearly.

Choosing Between a Cremation or Burial

One of the main decisions when planning a funeral is choosing between a burial or cremation. In some cases, the person who died may already have made their funeral wishes clear to family members.

A burial will usually take place in a cemetery or natural burial ground, while a cremation takes place at a crematorium.

There are many reasons why someone may choose burial or cremation, including:

• Religious beliefs
• Personal wishes
• Family traditions
• Environmental considerations
• Funeral costs

Neither option is right or wrong. The most important thing is choosing the option that feels right for the person and their loved ones.

How To Plan A Cremation Funeral

There is a common misconception that, if you are choosing a cremation funeral for your loved one, standard funeral practices cannot be put in place. However, there are still a whole host of forms of memorials that can take place with a cremation funeral, including the likes of:

• Funeral service (with or without viewing the deceased) with the cremation to follow.
• Memorial service held at a funeral home or church, followed by the internment of the deceased’s ashes.

Additionally, the act of spreading the deceased’s ashes in a location that meant a lot to them is a practice that a lot of people find to be a perfect memorial to their loved ones. This should all show you that cremation does not need to be a less personal and/or respectful form of funeral compared to a “traditional” funeral.

How To Plan A Burial Funeral

A burial funeral can be personalised to reflect the wishes, beliefs, and personality of your loved one. Services can take place at a church, chapel, funeral home, or graveside before the burial itself.

Some families choose a traditional cemetery burial, while others may prefer a natural burial option. Personal touches such as music, readings, flowers, and tributes can help create a meaningful farewell.

Learn more about arranging a direct burial service.

Simple Funeral Options

Not every family wants a large or traditional funeral service. Some people prefer a simple funeral with fewer formal arrangements and lower costs.

A simple funeral can still be a very personal and meaningful way to say goodbye to a loved one. This may include a smaller ceremony, a direct cremation, or a quiet memorial service with close friends and family members.

A funeral director can help explain the different options available and help you choose a service that feels right for your family, wishes, and budget.

Reach Out for Advice on Funeral Arranging

Hopefully, this information will have given you an overview of the sorts of things that you may need to be considering when it comes to planning a funeral. However, for more detailed insights into any one of these steps, please do not hesitate to reach out to Kenna and Turner Independent Funeral Directors on 0151 638 4444.

We can provide funerals across the whole of the Wirral , ensuring that your loved one gets the funeral that they deserve. We can ensure that the funeral is within whatever borough you desire, making sure that everything from the funeral itself to the wake afterwards is kept close within the town or village boundaries you desire.