Arranging the funeral of a loved one is never easy and is amongst many tasks that you need to complete after they die. The funeral catering will not be first on the list but is an important part of celebrating the life of your loved one.
Here’s 7 things you need to do or check after your loved one has died
Register the Death
Register the death within 5 days
However, before you can complete the registration you must have the following:
- A medical certificate from their GP or a hospital doctor
- If the death was reported to a coroner, you need their permission to register the death
Depending on the wishes of the deceased, you’ll be given a certificate for burial or an application for cremation. Fill out any information where necessary and give the certificate or application to the funeral director, burial organiser or crematorium.
Organise the Funeral
There are two routes to go down when organising a funeral, you can choose to pay a funeral director to plan everything for you or an increasingly popular route is to do it yourself. We’ve gone into a little more detail further down this post.
Inform the Government
A new system is in-place called Tell Us Once. Specifically, this allows you to fill out one form which notifies all relevant sectors of the government of the death.
You will need the unique reference number provided to you when you registered the death.
Check Eligibility for Bereavement Benefits
Depending on your relationship with the deceased, you may be eligible for the following financial support:
Assess Your Benefits, Pensions & Taxes
Your relationship with the deceased may directly impact the aforementioned financials if:
Check the necessity to apply to stay in the UK
Your right to live in the UK may be solely dependent upon your relationship with the deceased. If this is the case, you may need to apply for a new visa if:
- You live in the UK as a partner of a UK Citizen or someone with ‘indefinite Leave to Remain
- The deceased served in HM Forces and you are their partner
Consider the Estate
The deceased may have a will, money or property that somebody will need to sort. If you are the executor of the will, a close friend or relative this may be your responsibility.
Funeral Director or DIY
Many of us put our trust in the expert hands of funeral directors, who take care of the body, transport and ceremony. We’re all about championing local business, especially family businesses and there are a few exceptional options right on our doorstep…
As a matter of fact, research shows that since the funeral industry remains unregulated, prices of funerals continue to rise year on year by 6%. This is double the rate of inflation. Indeed, the same study deems that large and national funeral care providers and crematoriums are the main culprits of these price hikes. Therefore, independent funeral directors are the way to go if you want to keep costs down.
As a result, few bereaved opt to go it alone and arrange the funeral themselves. However, this option is a lot of hard work and whilst some might appreciate keeping busy, others don’t want any hassle during their time of grief. Nevertheless, it’s worth checking this guide out, at the very least to see what you’re getting for your money.
Funeral Extras
Otherwise known as discretionary items, these are not essential components of a funeral but they bring personality and a feeling of celebration to the event.
This funeral expense includes flowers, room hire, memorials and catering. In contrast, these expenses remain largely unchanged over the past 11 years.
Funeral Catering
We’re dedicated to keeping the cost of your funeral catering down. Furthermore, we don’t charge any extra for funerals (or any other type of event for that matter). We’ll talk you through our many options, as we’ve got ‘Set Catering‘ lists for all numbers of guests. On the other hand, you might want to choose a few options from our ‘Create Your Own‘ range.
Download Brochure
A funeral is such a sensitive event, therefore we ask that you check all timings and check again. Above all, we would not want your catering to arrive out of synch with the rest of the day. We want the day to go as smoothly as possible, with your mind at ease that the catering is sorted.
Finally, if you need extra guidance or support, our friendly team is here to talk face to face. Be sure to check our reception opening times before setting off. Whereas, if you know what you need to order, you can shop online.