We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum. This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are - or become - political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.

Help, extra cheap funeral needed

charliecarrie
charliecarrie Posts: 2 Newbie
edited 21 November 2023 at 11:28AM in Deaths, funerals & probate
Help please! I'm trying to arrange a funeral for my dad but I simply cant afford it. I'm a on a very low income, I can barely afford to pay my mortage and have no savings, but DWP wont help with funeral costs as I'm not on benefits. I have a cost of funeral of £3000 and tomorrow I'm going to have to a shop around but i cant even afford £2000 so i m now considering organising it myself...Any advice please?
«134

Comments

  • PasturesNew
    PasturesNew Posts: 70,698 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Was he in any particular trade, or in the services? Many have charities set up to help.

    Did he have a works' pension? My dad's pension gave £2k (I think) towards a funeral (we didn't know this at the time, the money just turned up 1-2 months after).
  • suejb2
    suejb2 Posts: 1,918 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Have a look on the direct.gov site I don't know your circumstances but you may get some info off it.Put funeral in the search bit.
    Life is like a bath, the longer you are in it the more wrinkly you become.
  • daska
    daska Posts: 6,212 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    Did your dad have any property/ savings at all? If you can't pay for it out of your own pocket or out of his estate then you have another option which is to apply for a pauper's funeral. If he died in hospital then contact the hospital. If he died at home then contact your local council. Not knowing where you are I've put a link to the first council that came up via Google to give you a bit more info.

    http://www.woking.gov.uk/planning/envhealthservice/pfuneral
    Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants - Michael Pollan
    48 down, 22 to go
    Low carb, low oxalate Primal + dairy
    From size 24 to 16 and now stuck...
  • Thank you all. My dad was on long term disability benefit and rented his house he had no savings, no death plan etc. I have searched for charities but no luck. I spoke to the hospital this morning where he died and explained I had no money they just referred me to the funeral home who thought I would be entitled to something but turns out not, as I am not on any benefits. I will go back and speak to the hospital. I am so sad this shouldn't be a time to come down to money or lack of.
  • Fire_Fox
    Fire_Fox Posts: 26,026 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    edited 1 October 2012 at 10:39PM
    Speak to the local council, they can organise and pay for a funeral where there is no estate. It's not you that needs to be entitled AFAIK, it is the deceased who is eligible for a pauper's funeral. If you were eligible for the help because you were on specific benefits you would get the money and you would organise the funeral, subtly different.
    Declutterbug-in-progress.⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️
  • *Robin*
    *Robin* Posts: 3,364 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker Stoptober Survivor
    Fire_Fox wrote: »
    Speak to the local council, they can organise and pay for a funeral where there is no estate. It's not you that needs to be entitled AFAIK, it is the deceased who is eligible for a pauper's funeral. If you were eligible for the help because you were on specific benefits you would get the money and you would organise the funeral, subtly different.

    I think the current pc term is "basic funeral".
  • blossomhill_2
    blossomhill_2 Posts: 1,923 Forumite
    Sorry to hear of your loss, OP

    There is a way to save on even a basic funeral; a small element of the costs involved are in preparation that isn't strictly necessary, it is only needed if mourners are going to see the deceased

    If you can be sure that no mourners will be requesting a viewing, this charge can be removed from the costs

    I don't want to put too much detail here in case of distressing you or other bereaved people but if you ask the funeral director exactly what each charge covers you will soon see the services that I mean
    You never know how far-reaching something good, that you may do or say today, may affect the lives of others tomorrow
  • margaretclare
    margaretclare Posts: 10,789 Forumite
    Have you thought of a 'green' burial? I believe these are a lot cheaper than other kinds.
    [FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Æ[/FONT]r ic wisdom funde, [FONT=Times New Roman, serif]æ[/FONT]r wear[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]ð[/FONT] ic eald.
    Before I found wisdom, I became old.
  • *Robin*
    *Robin* Posts: 3,364 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker Stoptober Survivor
    Have you thought of a 'green' burial? I believe these are a lot cheaper than other kinds.

    Not when one considers the price of the burial plot. 'Green' coffins also cost more than the undertaker's economy range.

    The council will provide a basic funeral, usually including coffin, undertaker's services, transport from hospital morgue to chapel of rest then hearse to crematorium, crematorium fees. Oh yes and the vicar/someone to conduct the [short] service.

    Not included; embalming, viewing facilities at chapel of rest, mourners' cars, flowers.
  • daska
    daska Posts: 6,212 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    *Robin* wrote: »
    I think the current pc term is "basic funeral".


    I don't think so. A 'basic' funeral is usually the term used by undertakers when they do just that I.E. no car, no embalming etc.

    A pauper's funeral is very specific. It's the funeral legally obliged to be provided by the local council, or hospital if the deceased died there, because the deceased leaves insufficient in their estate to cover the costs and the family can't pay.
    Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants - Michael Pollan
    48 down, 22 to go
    Low carb, low oxalate Primal + dairy
    From size 24 to 16 and now stuck...
Meet your Ambassadors

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 346.7K Banking & Borrowing
  • 251.4K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 451.4K Spending & Discounts
  • 238.9K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 614.3K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 174.8K Life & Family
  • 252.1K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.