Who is responsible for making the arrangements?
The person who makes the arrangements must be able to give instructions and be able to sign documents regarding the funeral arrangements. This person will also be responsible for arranging payment of the funeral.
Our advice and arrangements
When you contact us we will need to know where the deceased is, we will collect them as soon as possible and bring them into our care.
We will either arrange to meet you in our funeral home or arrange to see you at your home to make the funeral arrangements.
We will make all necessary arrangements with officiating clergy, cemeteries or crematoriums and assist you in the completion of documentation. You will receive confirmation of all arrangements and a detailed estimate of costs.
What type of funeral?
Will it be a burial or cremation
Where will it take place i.e. church, cremation chapel, cemetery chapel, graveside or elsewhere
Please see our section on burial or cremation.
We will arrange with the necessary parties a day, date and time for the service.
Information we also need:
Name, address and age of the deceased
Location of the deceased
Name and contact details of their doctor
Has a death certificate been issued
Whether the funeral is to be religious or non-religious ceremony
How many limousines? (each carries 6 people)
Where the cortege will leave from
Where will you return to
What ever your requirements are we can arrange it for you.
Cremation
If you choose to have a Cremation the Funeral Director will arrange for the necessary forms to be completed and signed by yourself.
The doctor who attended the deceased during their illness will need to sign a Form B and a second doctor will have to sign a Form C which will either be done at the hospital or arranged by the Funeral Director. A fee is payable for these and will be paid on your behalf by the Funeral Director.
In the case of a Coroners post-mortem the Forms B and C are not required. Most Cremations have a chapel service, but if you prefer you can have a service in church first and then follow on to the crematorium.
Burial
When you have a burial you can either have a service first at the church or by the graveside.
If you have an existing grave we will need the deeds to the grave or some documents relating to the grave, if you do not have either of these we will help you.
If you do not have an existing grave we will arrange the purchase of a new one.
There may be fees for:
Purchasing a new grave
Opening or digging the grave
Removal & replacement of existing memorials
Whatever your choice of funeral the Funeral Director will make all the necessary arrangements.
Your choices of funeral
When you have decided on either a burial or cremation the following personal choices are available to you.
Funeral Officiate
There is normally a Priest, Minister or non-religious officiate who conducts the service on the day of the funeral. He or She will visit you to discuss with you what you would like in the service and details on the deceased. They will offer help and support at this time.
Your choice of coffin
We have a wide range of coffins available to you from the very simple to the elaborate, which you will be able to choose either from a catalogue or from our showroom.
We supply four bearers to carry the coffin, but if members of the family or friends would like to carry the coffin this can be arranged.
Arranging to visit the deceased
We have a Chapel of Rest where you can come and visit the deceased, this is a very personal decision and we are there to help you at this time. Clothes and personal belongings can be brought in for the deceased but certain materials and metals when it is a cremation cannot be used, please ask our advice on this. We do have a selection of robes which are acceptable to the relevant authorities.
Transport
When you arrange the funeral you will need to consider the following:
Whether you will be having a motor hearse, a horse-drawn hearse or other vehicle of your choice.
How many Limousines will be needed (most carry six people)
Where the cortege will leave from
Will it take a special route
Where will you return to
Will you require wheelchair access
Music
Many people like to have a specific piece of music played on entering, during and leaving the service, this can be anything from traditional organ music to CD supplied by yourself. Alternatively you may like a musician playing at the service.
We will be happy to help and advise on this, Some locations do have certain restrictions.
Eulogy
During the service the officiate, a friend or relative may like to say a few words about the deceased or read a poem.
Obituary notice
An obituary notice can be placed in a national or local newspaper, or a paper local to where the deceased lived in another town or city some time.
We can help you word and design your obituary.
Flowers
We will be pleased to offer help and advice on flowers we can also help you choose an arrangement from one of our brochures.
Flowers should be delivered to the funeral director two hours before the time of the funeral unless otherwise stated.
Donations
Sometimes families wish to restrict the floral tributes to family members only, and request that donations to a chosen charity be an alternative. Sometimes the family request both and leave the
decision to the sender.
Refreshments
After the funeral service you may wish to offer refreshments,
You may wish to do this at your or the deceaseds home or you may wish to hire a hall or room. You may also wish to have the catering provided for you. Once you have decided what you would like we can help with the arrangements.
Service Stationery
Many people like to have an order of service printed for the funeral. We can help to advise on the content and have these printed for you.
The Cost of the funeral
When you have decided on all your choices we will give you an estimate of the cost.
This is made up as follows:
Professional services, liaison with third parties and personnel required to arrange the funeral and all our help and support
Collecting the deceased and bringing into our care
Presentation of the deceased in our chapel of rest
Hearse and one limousine inc 4 bearers
The cost of the coffin or casket
Additional charges such as extra limousines, additional mileage and cremated
remains casket
Payments made on your behalf, are known as disbursements. These include doctors fee, ministers fee, and cremation fee etc.
Payments of disbursements are requested before funeral date.
The day of the funeral
We will be there to guide, help and support you through the day.
We will ensure that the funeral proceeds on time and carry out all your instructions that have been previously arranged.
After the funeral
We are still here to give you any advice, help and support you may need.
Paying for the funeral
You will receive an invoice seven invoices days after the funeral. If you do not understand any part of the invoice please contact our funeral home. Payment is due thirty days after the invoice date. Payment can be made by Cash, Cheque or Credit Card. If payment is being made by a bank or solicitor please advise us.
D.S.S Benefits:
Help is sometimes available for those who cannot afford to pay for a funeral. The funeral grant is normally payable if all the close members of the family are in receipt of benefits:
Income Support
Family Credit
Housing Benefit
Community Charge Benefit
If one member is not in receipt of benefit, then the DSS will assume that this person has sufficient funds to pay for the funeral. And the claim will be refused. Also the deceased person must have left no funds or assets which could be used to pay, or part pay, for the funeral.
Should this be the case we strongly recommend that you either make an approach to your local DSS office before making funeral arrangements or talk to your Funeral Director.
Memorial masonry
We offer a wide range of stone memorials. A brochure and price list is available.
Some of the options to consider are:
Colour
Shape
Style and colour of lettering
Wording
Type of material, granite or marble
Application of a design or photo plaque
If you have an existing memorial we can arrange additional inscriptions and cleaning.