The death of a loved one is naturally a highly emotional time, and family and friends are likely to feel an intense mix of feelings; sadness, anger, confusion or shock, amongst many others. As well as navigating the emotional side of things, there are also many practical things to sort out such as the funeral, reading of the will and registering the death.
Arranging a funeral might feel overwhelming for family and friends already coping with grief, but there’s a lot of help and support available to assist you with the process. Hiring a funeral director can take a lot of the stress and organisation that comes with planning a funeral off your hands, but naturally, it’s important to find someone that you feel comfortable with during this difficult time. If you’re looking for advice on how to choose a funeral director who’s right for you, see our guide below for some handy tips and what to expect during the funeral planning process.
What does a funeral director do?
A funeral director’s main role is to take on the majority of the funeral planning, according to you and your family’s wishes. This gives friends and relatives some much-needed space to breathe and process their loss, without worrying about the added burden of planning a funeral.
A funeral director will ensure the process runs smoothly and can also help to talk you through your options (for example burial or cremation, coffin styles and funeral transport). The main duties of a funeral director include:Collect the body of the deceased and transport them to a funeral home (and then on to the funeral on the day).Wash and dress the deceased and prepare them for viewing if the family wish to visit their loved one at the funeral home.Help plan the ceremony.Oversee all legal paperwork.Supply coffin bearers where appropriate.Organise the funeral service and guide attendees through the process on the day.Coordinate any other third party arrangements, such as transport, flowers, order of service sheets and catering.
A funeral director can also assist with any other services you may need, such as embalming, repatriation of the body to or from another country, and access to ongoing bereavement support after the funeral.
How to choose a funeral director
It’s important to choose a funeral director that you feel comfortable with, and you may already have someone in mind thanks to recommendations from family or friends. Before you begin contacting funeral companies and narrowing your search, you’ll need to register the death within five days (eight days in Scotland). You’ll need either a medical certificate or permission from a coroner to register the death and once this is done, you’ll be given a ‘certificate of burial’ to give to the funeral director so that planning can go ahead.
The death of a loved one is, understandably, a very emotional time, but it’s really worth taking your time to seek out a funeral director you feel happy with so they can guide and support you through the process. There are several ways to help you search and decide on the right person for you, so read on to find out more.
Compare prices
Prices can vary hugely depending on the type of services you require and how much of the planning you want the funeral director to take on. Most funeral companies list their prices online, but it’s worth contacting a few different companies and checking what their quote includes, and what it doesn’t. In some cases, the deceased may already have a financial plan in place with a funeral company, meaning that some services might have already been paid for.
You should also ask any potential funeral directors about payment options and whether they’d need payment upfront or after the funeral. Many funeral companies have payment plans available which allow you to spread the costs over time.
Check they offer the services you need
The type of funeral you choose is a highly personal choice and can be influenced by faith or religion, the deceased’s wishes and values, your budget and the services available to you. Always check that any funeral director you’re considering can offer the type of funeral you’re looking for; whether that’s a traditional religious service, an alternative contemporary funeral or a green eco-burial.
Most funeral homes can make arrangements for either burial or cremation, but added services like embalming or viewings will require extra facilities on-site.
Look at qualifications
There are several organisations that provide professional training and qualifications for funeral directors, so choosing a member from one of these bodies is a good place to start. If you already have a director in mind, check to see if they’re a member of either the National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD) or the National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors (SAIF). Both of the above have codes of conduct for their members to follow, so you can have peace of mind that certain standards will be adhered to. There are many excellent funeral directors without any formal qualifications, but these organisations are a good place to start if you’re searching from scratch.
Look for recent reviews
Recommendations from family, friends or faith leaders are a great place to start, but it also helps to read recent reviews of any funeral directors that you’re interested in. Online reviews will give you a more detailed insight into the type of services on offer, the overall standard of service and how the funeral director and staff handle things. It can also tell you more about their level of care and compassion, as well as practical concerns like cost, reliability and availability.
Useful questions to ask
It’s a good idea to make a list of questions to ask any potential funeral directors, especially during what is likely to be an emotional and overwhelming time. Having a clear list of questions and what you’re looking for will ensure everyone is on the same page before you proceed and it gives you complete transparency about costs and which services are included.
Some useful questions to think about include:Which services are included in your quoted price? Are there any third-party costs?
(these include fees for external services like transport, coffin prices or flowers).Do we need to pay the full amount
upfront or can it be done in instalments?Do we need to provide our own transport?
Can we pick and choose the services we want and only pay for those?Do we buy a coffin from you or can we choose another source?
Remember that funeral directors have a wealth of experience in this sensitive area and will be used to answering the concerns of family and friends. It’s important that you’re completely happy with the funeral arrangements before going ahead, so directors will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have.
What if we want to organise the funeral ourselves?
There’s no obligation to use a funeral director if you don’t want to, but many people choose to do so as it can remove the burden of organising everything themselves. If you do wish to organise the funeral yourself, you can contact your local cemetery or crematorium for more information regarding forms to fill out, who to contact and the next steps you’ll need to take.
South Coast Funeral Services – The family-owned funeral directors here for you
If you’re looking for sensitive, compassionate and professional funeral directors in Dorset, get in touch with the team at South Coast Funeral Services. With over 35 years’ experience in the industry, our family-owned business is available to support you 24 hours a day, seven days a week. With extensive experience planning both traditional and contemporary funerals, we also have in-depth knowledge when it comes to planning funerals from multiple different faiths.
We pride ourselves on supporting you every step of the way and can oversee all funeral arrangements, from the service itself to transport, coffins and flowers. We can also arrange eco-burials and have a range of pre-paid funeral options available to help you spread the costs. If you’re looking for a ‘funeral directors near me’, give us a call today or visit our website to find out more.
