Burial or cremation?

Most people will have a preference for either burial or cremation, which may be influenced by religious customs, family traditions, or personal wishes. Sometimes, this preference is expressed in a Will. Knowing whether you wish to have a burial or cremation is one of the first pieces of information we’ll ask for, as it affects all other decisions, including the paperwork.

If you’re unsure, you might consider any views the person who passed away expressed about funerals they attended or arranged, such as for a spouse. Ultimately, in the absence of clear instructions, the decision lies with the Applicant (the person instructing the funeral director).

Burial options

Burials can take place in various locations, and here are some common options:

Churchyards

Only open churchyards can accept new burials. Many churchyards are full, allowing only burials in existing graves. In this case, the relationship between the deceased and the person already buried must be established, along with confirmation that space remains.

Burial in a churchyard typically requires the person to be Christian, and they must have lived in or have a close connection to the parish. Reserving graves is only possible with a faculty from the Diocese, so it’s best to have a backup plan in case there’s no space when needed. Churchyards often have strict rules about memorials.

Cemeteries and Burial Grounds

Owned by local, district, or parish councils, these sites charge for purchasing a grave, each interment, and memorial placements. Some allow plots to be bought in advance, but charges may be higher for non-residents. Rules on memorial sizes are typically in place to allow for grounds maintenance.

Natural/Green Burial Grounds

These sites aim to maintain environmental benefits and have strict rules about the type of coffin, floral tributes, and whether embalming is allowed (it’s usually not). Memorials may be very limited, with trees often planted in the area instead.

Cremation

Cremations can be arranged at any crematorium, and you are not restricted to one nearby. There can be differences in facilities, costs, and service durations between crematoria. Additionally, paperwork—including the Application for Cremation and the necessary documents from the attending doctor or Coroner—must be completed in advance. We will help with all necessary forms and ensure they are delivered on time.

Cremation services vary in type:

• Full Service: A standard-length service (from 30 minutes to an hour) at a time of your choosing.
• Limited Service: A shorter service, often held early or late in the day at a lower cost.
• Unattended or Direct Cremation: No congregation is present. The deceased is taken directly to the crematory, or in some cases, placed in the Chapel without attendees.

Date and time

One of the key considerations when planning a funeral is choosing the date and time. The availability of venues, such as places of worship, ministers or officiants, crematoriums, or burial grounds, can affect the timing, and these are often beyond the control of the funeral director. However, your funeral director is usually flexible and will do their best to accommodate your preferred time.

We recommend gathering the availability of key attendees before finalising the booking. It’s important to inform your funeral director early on about any unsuitable times or preferences.

For some, having the funeral as soon as possible is a priority. Keep in mind that being flexible with the time of day can help secure an earlier date. Midday funerals are often the most popular, and Fridays and Mondays tend to book up quickly, so considering alternative times or days may help expedite the process if needed. Please be aware that funerals are not typically held at weekends.

Setting a budget

Deciding on a suitable budget is an important early step when planning a funeral. Your budget will help guide many of the choices you make, from the type of service and venue to flowers, transportation, and memorial options.

It’s essential to be clear about your financial parameters, as this will ensure that every aspect of the funeral is planned in line with what is both meaningful and manageable.

Funeral costs can vary widely depending on the options chosen. Your funeral director will be able to provide a clear breakdown of the costs involved, helping you understand where flexibility exists and where fixed expenses apply, such as fees for burial plots or cremation services. If you’re unsure, our Funeral Cost Estimation Tool can give you a helpful overview of potential costs, tailored to your preferences.

By having a clear budget in mind from the start, you’ll be better equipped to make informed decisions and avoid unexpected expenses later.

Death notices in the press

It used to be traditional to announce someone’s death to the wider community, and provide funeral details, by way of a notice in local and/or national newspapers. This practice continues to this day, although many people feel that there are more modern ways, such as social media, to ensure people find out the useful details.

If you would like to place a notice, we can assist — including with suggested wording to keep the costs down, as the national newspapers in particular charge more for lengthier content and can be very expensive even for something quite simple. Which paper is best for a notice will vary per area. For national newspapers, The Times or The Telegraph are the most common. There may also be publications connected to particular professions, for example, The Church Times, which publishes death notices.

Obituaries, where a writer researches information about the person who has died and publishes those details for readers’ interest, are usually written about people who have been prominent in some way and are different to paid-for-death notices.

The funeral of a baby or child

Many people express the idea that the death of a baby or child is the worst thing that someone can experience, and it is certainly true that it feels against the natural order in a way that losing your parent or other people from an older or same generation might not. You may feel that the death of a younger person also means the loss of their potential and the hopes and dreams you had for them and their future.

There is no reason why a funeral for a baby or child can’t be the same in scale as that of an adult, if that’s what is wanted — like all funerals, there is no obligation to have anything you don’t want. Some of your preferences might simply be based on how you feel about certain things — for example, you might not like the idea of a traditional hearse considering the smaller size of the coffin.

Our professional and compassionate team have experience of helping people bereaved of a child work out what is right for them, and will work with you at your pace to create the funeral service which is right for you, whatever your wishes might be. Your instinct may be to prefer something on a smaller scale, and we can help make this meaningful for you if this is your choice.

Many costs for the funerals of babies and children will be covered by the Children’s Funeral Fund, which was introduced in the UK in 2019 to ensure that people bereaved of a child did not have to face the additional burden of paying for their funeral.

Freeman Brothers will claim from the Children’s Funeral Fund on your behalf to reduce the administration that is required of you at this difficult time.