The cost of a funeral is broken down into two parts; our professional services and disbursements.
Disbursements are 3rd party charges which are paid out on behalf of the family. These payments are to cover the cost of Crematoria or Cemetery, Church, Minister, Doctors Medical Certificate Fees (for cremation), newspaper, floral tributes, catering, printed stationery and catering.
Our company policy is that we respectfully ask that all 3rd party charges are paid prior to a funeral taking place.
Our Charges
In accordance with the National Association of Funeral Directors, we provide you with a comprehensive price list.
The service is built around our professional service fee. We own and maintain our property and facilities, we have our own fleet of funeral cars and we are proud to say we employ thirty local people. This cost enables us to offer a 24 hour professional service. Incorporated into this cost is the availability of our professional team, attending to all necessary arrangements, to carry out the requests from our families, completion of all relevant documentation, liaising with all third parties, offering guidance, support and advice to our clients.
We will convey your loved one into our care from a local address, hospital or nursing home. This cost covers the services of the funeral operatives (24 hours), the vehicle and specialist conveyance equipment required, and the maintenance of facilities to which your loved one is conveyed to.
Our funeral vehicles (Hearses and Limousines) are charged for as separate components of the funeral. Also for the services of four Pall Bearers in attendance at a funeral and a Funeral Director to take charge of the entire proceedings.
We have an extensive range of coffins and caskets, both traditional or contemporary.
Preparation and Presentation of your loved one is a cost which covers the time that is afforded to take care of them in an appropriate and dignified manner, including embalming if required by our specially trained team.
Responsibility for Payment of a Funeral
It is important to stress that if you take responsibility for registration of a death, or make funeral arrangements, you legally become responsible for paying the funeral account.
We recommend that you check to ensure there are sufficient liquid assets in a bank or building society to cover the cost of a funeral, and are readily available to you.
Our company policy is to raise an invoice for the balance of the funeral account 7 days from the date of funeral, and we ask for settlement in full approximately 21 days after the said date.
Accounts which are referred to a firm of Solicitors maybe subject to an interest charge of 1.5% above the base rate, as obtaining probate (the proving of a will) can take several weeks.
It is advisable to pay the funeral account by your own mean, and then recover the money from the estate later.
How to Pay
Funeral costs can be paid in several different ways;
From the Deceased’s estate
Most banks and building societies will issue a cheque or make arrangements to pay the funeral account directly if there is sufficient money in the account to cover the costs. On request we can provide a pro-forma invoice for all funeral expenses, and this can be presented along with a Certified Copy of the Entry of Death (obtained from the Registrar) to the Bank or Building Society.
Insurance Policy or Pension Scheme
We recommend that you contact any of these providers to see if there is a potential payout.
Pre-Paid Funeral Plan
We work in association with Golden Charter. If you are unsure if the deceased has made a plan, we will be more than happy to check for you.
Help with Funeral Costs
If you are on a low income and are worried about funeral expenses, you may be able to apply to the Department for Work and Pensions for financial assistance. We recommend that if you are considering a claim you notify us at the time of making funeral arrangements of your intention to do so. This will help us to assist you and to give you the best possible advice in these circumstances.
To qualify to apply you have to be in receipt of one or more of the following:
- Income Support
- Housing Benefit
- Council Tax Benefit
- Job Seekers Allowance
- Disabled Person’s Tax Credit
- Working Person’s Tax Credit
Please be advised that claims are means tested and are not always guaranteed to be successful.
It should also be clear that a successful claim is not likely to cover the cost of the funeral in total, and therefore you should be prepared to pay the shortfall.
In exceptional circumstances and at our discretion we are happy to arrange an agreement to pay the account by means of monthly instalment, if it is deemed to be a genuine need of financial assistance.
Other financial assistance can be sought from:
- Friendly Societies
- Armed Forces Benevolent Fund
- Pensions
- Insurance Policies
- Employers Death in Service Award
If there is no help
There are circumstances when a person passes away and there is no relative or representative willing to take responsibility of registration, making funeral arrangements and paying for a funeral.
In this situation it becomes the responsibility of the local council or health authority to arrange and pay for a simple funeral.