Online funeral notices have increased in popularity for a number of reasons. West Sussex funeral director, Freeman Brothers, offers this service, and Funeral Arranger, Alex, shares some of the top benefits here…

Communicating funeral details

One of the key benefits of an online funeral notice is that it’s a way to share information about when and where the funeral is taking place. This can save making lots of phone calls, or remembering who to update once a service is booked because, once the page is live, people will be able to find it and read the information at a time that suits them.

There is space to provide details of the service itself, plus any gatherings afterwards if you would like to extend an invitation. Many people also choose to specify any dress code preferences in this section too.

There are some who wish for funeral details to remain private, and this can also be communicated via the page, meaning that you don’t have to miss out on the other benefits by not having a page at all.

Sharing memories online

Freeman Brothers is partnered with MuchLoved, which means that the funeral notice also serves as a dedicated tribute page. Similarly to social media pages, these spaces offer the opportunity to upload photos, as well as other methods of engaging. You can leave messages on special occasions, or even if the person just pops into your head. Many people find this comforting – the common humanity of bereavement can help us to process and cope, as well as being a way to learn new things about the person we miss, or be reminded of happy memories.

Fundraising for your chosen cause

Perhaps the most popular benefit of online funeral pages is that they can be used to donate to charity. Or, if you’re struggling to choose, more than one charity can be nominated. Transactions are made securely and at the donor’s convenience, which is more important than ever in the digital age of friends and family being located across the world.

Donations being made online also means that it’s easier for GiftAid to be declared and claimed where appropriate, meaning that certain donations receive an additional boost.

Being able to donate even if people are not able to attend the funeral service means that you can reach a bigger audience, and hopefully raise more vital funds for your chosen cause.

Ease of sharing the page

Thanks to the simplicity of sharing a link to the page, any internet-enabled device can send or receive this information. For those involved in arranging the funeral, this again means that you don’t have to tell multiple people, or write lots of unique messages. One draft can be composed, before being and copied and pasted to share via email, text message, WhatsApp, or a social media post. At a time when you are likely to be busy with a number of tasks, this decrease in effort is welcomed by many.

The power of online funeral pages

At the time of writing, over £85,000 has been donated in 2025 so far via online pages registered by Freeman Brothers. This total has come from over 1,500 individual donations, at an average of £55 per donation, which will make a huge difference to the organisations benefitting from the support. If there is a charity – or charities – that is close to your heart, we’d urge you to let your loved ones know which it is, so that they can ensure when the time comes that the cause supported is the one you have chosen. Many people select charities linked to health, but there is no restriction – whether you’d like to support animals, vulnerable groups, the arts, or any other organisation, it is an open decision that we don’t influence.