Arrange the funeral

The funeral can usually only take place after the death is registered, unless the death has been reported to a coroner.

You can pay for a funeral director to arrange the funeral or do it yourself.

You should check if the person who died made arrangements for their funeral - this could include prepaid funeral plans or life insurance. You can check this with local funeral directors.

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

Funeral directors

A funeral director will provide advice and support when you’re arranging a funeral. 

If you hire a funeral director, you can choose a funeral director who’s a member of either:

These organisations have codes of practice - they should give you a price list when you choose their services.

Contact your local council to see if they run their own funeral services. Some local councils do this alongside local funeral directors, for example for non-religious burials. 

The British Humanist Association and Institute of Civil Funerals can also help with non-religious funerals.

Arranging the funeral yourself

You can choose to arrange a funeral yourself. 

Contact your local council for information about: 

  • buying burial plots
  • contacting crematorium services
  • funeral costs 

Cremations

There are different forms to complete depending on where the death took place. 

Contact your local council or crematorium if you need support with your application.

Funeral costs

Funeral costs can include:

  • funeral director fees
  • things the funeral director pays for on your behalf (called ‘disbursements’ or ‘third-party costs’), for example the person who performs the funeral service, crematorium or cemetery fees, or a newspaper announcement about the death
  • local authority burial or cremation fees 

Funeral directors are legally required to publish a price list for the standard set of products and services they offer.

MoneyHelper has information about funeral costs and how to reduce them.

Paying for a funeral

The funeral can be paid for:

  • from a financial scheme the person had, for example a pre-paid funeral plan or insurance policy
  • by you, or other family members or friends
  • with money from the person’s estate (savings, for example) - getting access to this is called applying for a ‘grant of representation’ (sometimes called ‘applying for probate’)

You can apply for a Funeral Expenses Payment if you have difficulty paying for the funeral.

The Children’s Funeral Fund for England can help to pay for some of the costs of a funeral for a child under 18 or a baby stillborn after the 24th week of pregnancy.

Moving a body for a funeral abroad

You need permission from a coroner to move a body for a funeral abroad. You must do this even if the death is being investigated by the coroner. 

Apply at least 4 days before you want the body to be moved.

Find a local coroner using the Coroners’ Society of England and Wales website.  

There is a different process for:

Part of What to do when someone dies: step by step

  1. Step 1 Register the death

    1. Register the death

    Check what to do if:

  2. Step 2 Tell government about the death

    The Tell Us Once service allows you to inform all the relevant government departments when someone dies.

    1. Use the Tell Us Once service to tell government
    2. If you cannot use Tell Us Once, tell government yourself

    You'll also need to tell banks, utility companies, and landlords or housing associations yourself.

  3. Step 3 Arrange the funeral

    1. You are currently viewing: Arrange the funeral
    2. Get help paying for a funeral
    3. Get help paying for a child's funeral

  4. Step 4 Check if you can get bereavement benefits

    You might be eligible for financial help.

    Check if you can get:

  5. and Deal with your own benefits, pension and taxes

    Your tax, benefit claims and pension might change depending on your relationship with the person who died.

    1. Manage your tax, pensions and benefits if your partner has died
    2. Check how benefits are affected if a child dies

  6. and Find bereavement support and services

    Get help with managing grief and the things you need to do when someone dies.

    1. Find bereavement help and support
    2. Find bereavement services from your local council

  7. and Check if you need to apply to stay in the UK

    If your right to live in the UK depends on your relationship with someone who died you might need to apply for a new visa.

    Check the rules if:

    1. Contact UKVI to check the rules for other visas

  8. Step 5 Value the estate and check if you need to pay Inheritance Tax

    To find out if there’s Inheritance Tax to pay, you need to estimate the value of the property, money and possessions (the ‘estate’) of the person who died.

    1. Estimate the value of the estate to find out if you need to pay Inheritance Tax
    1. Find out how to report the value of the estate
    1. Pay Inheritance Tax if it’s due

  9. Step 6 Apply for probate

    You might need to apply for probate before you can deal with the property, money and possessions (the ‘estate’) of the person who died.

    1. Check if you need to apply for probate
    1. Apply for probate

  10. Step 7 Deal with the estate

    Pay any debts or taxes owed by the person who's died. You can then distribute the estate as set out in the will or the law.

    1. Deal with the estate
    1. Update property records