Paying for a Funeral?

CLAPTON

My experience is that on production of the Undertaker's bill, then bank will release funds to you i.e. write you a cheque.

You are responsible for paying the undertaker.

Primrose

What happens then if somebody dies who is bankrupt and literally doesn't have any money at all and no estate or life insurance. Can some authority force a relative or friend to organise a funeral if that individual doesn't have any money to fund it either or doesn't want to organise the funeral?

Errata

Nobody can be forced to arrange and pay for a funeral. Familes who can't afford to bury a family member can apply for a funeral grant. If no family can be traced the state will arrange and pay for the funeral.

Be_Happy

Thanks for all the help.

As I said, the problem is not with being able to afford the funeral, but with being able to access the dead person's funds to pay the undertaker. In my mother's case, the funeral director offered a discount if we paid immediately, so we did this from our own money and got it back later from the 'estate'.

My thoughts at the moment are that I'll put the funeral money for my husband and myself away in National Savings Index Linked Certificates and hope that if it came to the worst and both of us died at the same time, our son could make arrangements to pay the funeral costs while waiting for access to our cash.

lisyloo

What happens then if somebody dies who is bankrupt and literally doesn't have any money at all and no estate or life insurance. Can some authority force a relative or friend to organise a funeral if that individual doesn't have any money to fund it either or doesn't want to organise the funeral?

If someone dies without money then the state/council will organise it, but it will be very basic. They won't be laying on family cars, flowers or a buffet lunch.

My Dad has recently expressed his wishes in writing after a spate of ill health.
This includes details of readings, music, type of coffin, location etc.
At first I thought he was over-reacting but having seen it I now think it will remove a huge amount of stress and I will be happy knowing that I'll be doing exactly what he wants/wanted.
So it's not jsut the financial side, but all the other bits and pieces that can be arranged as well.

lisyloo

but with being able to access the dead person's funds

You could open a joint account with your son.

TeresaO

<My Dad has recently expressed his wishes in writing after a spate of ill health.
This includes details of readings, music, type of coffin, location etc.
At first I thought he was over-reacting but having seen it I now think it will remove a huge amount of stress and I will be happy knowing that I'll be doing exactly what he wants/wanted.
So it's not jsut the financial side, but all the other bits and pieces that can be arranged as well.[/quote]>

We recently arranged my mums funeral with none of the above knowledge - it made life very difficult in the family as different people had different thoughts of what she would have wanted. I agree with the poster above (sorry cann't remember who) that musch stress would have been avoided if mum had expressed her wishes.

T

margaretclare

lisyloo wrote: »

If someone dies without money then the state/council will organise it, but it will be very basic. They won't be laying on family cars, flowers or a buffet lunch.

None of these are obligatory or indeed, necessary. We don't intend any of those either - well, buffet lunch can be provided at the church we attend and where the service will be held.

My Dad has recently expressed his wishes in writing after a spate of ill health.
This includes details of readings, music, type of coffin, location etc.
At first I thought he was over-reacting but having seen it I now think it will remove a huge amount of stress and I will be happy knowing that I'll be doing exactly what he wants/wanted.
So it's not just the financial side, but all the other bits and pieces that can be arranged as well.

I couldn't agree more. From experience, because death is no longer discussed openly, no one wants to think about it BUT when it happens the bereaved are immediately 'all at sea', with choices and decisions to be made.

I've had to arrange a few funerals and I can say categorically that it gets a bit easier if you know what the deceased person wanted and there is a kind of comfort in carrying out his/her last wishes.

help_pretty_please

I've decided to leave my body to medical science, who says you can't be useful after your dead! I have four children and have told them all and left the papers where they know where they are. They can have a party for me when I've gone and say nice things about me - I hope.

jennifernil

Mum and I had a joint account as she was a taxpayer (pension plus savings) and I wasn't (no job). This saved some tax.

When she died the funds came to me so there was no problem with accessing enough cash to pay the funeral directors bill, but I did think it was very high.

When you are grieving 'cos your Mum has just died, you are not really thinking straight. I knew Mum would not want money spent on fancy stuff, but even a simple cremation came to almost £3000.

How do they justify these prices?