How to choose a funeral director

Getting the right funeral director for you and your family is massively important. The right funeral director will give you lasting good memories of the funeral that can stay with you forever. 

Ask friends, family and neighbours who they would recommend.  Professionals like doctors, nurses, vicars, solicitors really shouldn't recommend someone but ask them who they would choose if they needed to arrange a funeral.   

Check who owns and runs the company. A number of "family funeral directors" have been bought by large corporations and keep the trading name. 

The Competition and Markets Authority (Government Organisation, CMA) has run an investigation into funeral directors and a law has been passed that ALL funeral directors MUST display a list of their prices on their website. This must be set out in a standard format so that prices can be compared easily between funeral firms.  

Trade organisations such the National Federation of Funeral Directors "NAFD" have a Code of practice to help maintain minimum standards. 

Are they able to give good unbiased advice. Can they recommend additional services eg. Florists, Stonemasons, Caterers etc without taking a commission. 

Are they honest and genuine, do you feel they are on your side? 

When someone dies and it is expected, it will tend to take place at either  a Hospital, a Hospice, a Nursing/Residential Home or at their Home.

The staff at the hospital/hospice will contact the doctor that was treating the person , and will arrange for paperwork to be issued. This will be the Medical Cause of Death (MCCD) and also cremation papers should they be required. The staff at the hospital/hospice should then advise you when it has been issued, so that you can contact the registrar.  

If the home has not already asked you, they will contact you and ask for details of the funeral director you would like to use. The home would then contact us and we would bring  your loved one into our care. 

You would normally contact the persons doctor or surgery. They or a qualified Nurse would then call at the house to confirm the death. Once the doctor or Nurse has attended, please contact us Tel 01285 656336 day or night and we will bring them into our care. 

If the death is sudden or unexpected it may be reported to the coroner. They will then examine the circumstances and the person's medical history and decide if they will require any further involvement. 

Below is a list of organisations and people you may need to tell.  Some of this will need to be done before the funeral and some after.

Registration is covered in the next section. It is vitally important that this done since no funeral can take place without registration or the authority of the coroner.

This is a government run facility that really is useful. It will inform all the governmental and local council services .

Banks, Building Society,  Credit Cards, Loans, Stocks and Shares

Car: Insurance, DVLA both car and Licence, 

House Insurance: Many policies have a clause if the house is empty, that after 28 days the policy becomes void unless you inform them.

Mortgage provider, Landlord.

Pension provider 

Solicitor

TV Licensing

Utilities: Gas, Electric, Phone, Broadband