Arranging a funeral guide PDF - Dignity Caring Funeral Services

What if the coroner is involved?Under certain circumstances the death mustbe reported by the doctor, hospital or registrarto the coroner (England and Wales) or procuratorfiscal (Scotland).This means that there will be a post mortem orinquest and you may have to delay your plans forthe funeral.In this case there will be no Cause of DeathCertificate. The death will be registered oncethe coroner has made a decision. The time thistakes will vary.Caring for the deceased ~ looking afteryour loved oneOnce you have entrusted the deceased to uswe will take care of them with respect andprofessionalism. Your loved one will be takenfrom their place of death to our specialistmortuary before being transported by privateambulance to the local funeral home. If youprefer they can rest at home or in church, ifthis is allowed.Spending time with the deceasedSome people find it helps to spend time withthe person who has died and like to bring asmall gift or photograph to put in the coffin.Others find it upsetting to see someone theyloved who is now dead. It’s a personal choiceand we can talk this through with you.Telling others about the deathYou may want to put an announcement in alocal or national newspaper to tell people aboutthe death and the details of the funeral. We canhelp you with drafting and sending a deathannouncement to a newspaper.After the funeral you can also place a thankyou message in a newspaper to thank thosewho attended and sent donations or flowers.We can keep copies for you and laminate themto protect them.We are able to provide an embalming serviceif required. Embalming delays the naturalprocesses that take place after death andwhilst not essential we think it is an importantconsideration if you want to visit the person inthe chapel of rest. We wash and dress everyonein our care and some people like to provide uswith items such as a favourite outfit.Our funeral directors will carry out your wishescarefully and respectfully but, if you would liketo help us look after your loved one, please letus know.3

Arranging a funeral for your loved oneArranging the funeral serviceThe funeral service is a way of sayinggoodbye to someone who has died. We arehere to take you through the decisions youneed to make to ensure you can arrange thefuneral you want for your loved one.Following the wishes of the deceasedIf the person who has died had a funeral plan,their instructions for the funeral will be recordedand you will need to provide us with the policynumber and details. Or they may have put theirwishes in their will or talked to someone aboutwhat they would like. If you don’t have any clearidea of what the person wanted, you will need tochoose between a burial or a cremation.Choosing between cremation or burialThe first choice people usually make is aboutthe type of funeral service that will take place.Whether you choose a burial or a cremation,we’ll be there to make all the arrangementson your behalf.Some things to consider about a cremation:• It can cost less than a burial• The funeral service can be held at thecrematorium. Most will have a service roomor other appropriate facilities.• The service may also take place in a churchor another location before going to thecrematorium.• There will be a strict time limit for the lengthof the service. This will vary depending on thecrematorium.• You will need to decide the final resting placeof the ashes. You can keep the ashes in anurn, scatter or bury them.Some things to consider about a burial:• You may already have a family grave or plot.We can arrange for this to be reopened and theheadstone removed before burial.• In some areas, burial space may be limited ormay be very expensive.• You might want to reserve plots or a large plotif you or your family want to be buried close by.• Woodland burials are now available in manyareas in the country. See page 9 for more details.• You can hold the funeral service in a localchurch or in a cemetery chapel. Some funeraldirectors have a room you can use for a serviceif you prefer.• After the burial you will need to consider ifyou want a memorial headstone, or a newinscription on an existing headstone.We can also give you advice on choosing amemorial and any local regulations you shouldknow about.Simple Funeral OptionWe also offer a Simple Funeral Option, whichprovides a limited, economic service. The costof the option includes:• bringing the person who has died into our careduring office hours (within ten miles);• looking after the person who has died andarranging a simple funeral;• providing a hearse and staff to go to the nearestcrematorium or cemetery;• providing a simple coffin; and• a funeral service to take place at a time tosuit us.Please note this option does not include embalming, spending timewith the person who has died in a chapel of rest or providingadditional cars.4

“We’re here to help you arrange thefuneral you want for your loved one. ”Choosing a coffin, casket or urnYou will need to decide the type of coffin,casket, or urn you want. We have a brochurewith a range of coffins, caskets and urns andwe can discuss this with you when you makethe arrangements.Information we need to arrange the funeralIn order to make the funeral arrangements thefuneral director will need:• The full name of the person who has died• Their full address• Their date of birth• Details of where and when they died• Confirmation of whether the person who hasdied had a pacemaker fitted. Pacemakers mustbe removed before the cremation.Arranging the funeral serviceFunerals are often based around family traditionsor religious preferences. Many people try to makefunerals more personal to reflect the life of theirloved one.The service can include anything you feelappropriate. Below we’ve listed the main thingspeople usually consider when arranging a funeralservice, but you should choose what is appropriatefor you and the person who has died.Choosing a coffin, casket or urn brochureYou can obtain a copy of our Choosing a coffin, casketor urn brochure from your local funeral director and itis also available to download from our website:www.dignityfunerals.co.uk.Some things to consider:• Where will the service be held, on what day andat what time?• Who will lead the service?• What would you like to be said and who by?• Would you like music?• Would you like flowers?• Would you like an order of service?• Do you want an announcement in a newspaper?• What transport arrangements do you want?• Are there any special arrangements you wouldlike us to make?When you have decided what you would like,we will tell you all the costs in a written estimateand then make all the arrangements for you.5

Arranging a funeral for your loved oneArranging the funeral service continued“We know that for ourclientsis important.”everydetailMeeting your needsA funeral service is a very personal event andpeople often have different requirements. Wewill do everything we can to ensure that yourneeds are met and that you can arrange thefuneral you want for a loved one.Where will the service be held, on what dayand what time?A funeral service can be held in any suitablevenue. Many people choose to have the servicein a church or crematorium chapel. The servicecan include anything you feel appropriate. If youchoose a religious service the minister will saywhat you can and cannot do. You can also holdthe service in a private home or a public roomsuch as a village hall. Please tell us if there isany time or day that does not suit you.Who will lead the service?Many funerals are held in a church and theminister will say what you can and cannot do intheir church. It is usual for the minister of thatchurch to lead the service unless they allowsomeone else to.If you want to hold the service at the crematoriumand would like a religious service, your localminister will be able to lead the service there foryou. You can also use the crematorium chapel tohold a service that is not religious.In theory, anyone can lead a funeral service. It couldbe a religious minister, a nonreligious ministersuch as a humanist, the funeral director or afriend or relative.What would you like to be said and who by?Many services include some readings and prayers.The person leading the service or a close friendwill often say something about the person who hasdied. You can include poetry and passages, andfriends and family can take part. If the persondelivering the main tribute has never met theperson who has died, make sure they know somepersonal details, especially the name they wereknown by.Would you like music?People are increasingly choosing to includeelements in the funeral service that reflect thelife of the person who has died, and it is nowquite common to incorporate favourite musicalcompositions, both classical and contemporary,as part of the funeral.Music often brings great comfort to mourners ata funeral and we can provide practical advice onplaying music at a funeral and offer a list ofpopular choices.Some things to consider:Almost any music can be played at the funeralas long as copyright restrictions do not apply.Commonly, people choose hymns or play a CDof a favourite song or piece of music. There maysometimes be live music. We recommend youdiscuss the choice of music with whoever isleading the ceremony as their views may haveto be taken into account.We can help you to source music, but if youprefer to have an organist you should ensure thatthey are able to play any particular hymns orsongs that you have chosen. You may also wanta choir at the service, just let us know and wecan arrange this with the church or crematorium.6

Would you like flowers?Many people choose flowers that were a favouriteof the person who has died. This is another wayof making the funeral more personal. There areso many types of floral arrangements, and wehave a brochure you can take away to helpyou decide.Some people choose to have flowers from thefamily only and choose an organisation forpeople to give a donation to. It is worthremembering that sending flowers can bea healing gesture for people who have lostsomeone close. Therefore it might be worthgiving people the choice of sending flowersor donating money to a charity, or both.We will collect the cards from the wreaths andbouquets and give them to you later if you want.We can also collect donations for you, andrecord who they are from.Would you like an order of service?You may like to provide an order of service.These are helpful for mourners and can be sentto people who can’t make the service. An orderof service includes the hymns or songs, readingsand anything else you would like. You could alsoplace small attendance cards on the seats formourners to fill in so you know who was there.After the funeral we can print thank you cardsfor you to send to people who gave flowersand donations.Choosing flowers & floral tributes brochureYou can obtain a copy of our Choosing flowers & floraltributes brochure from your local funeral director and itis also available to download from our website:www.dignityfunerals.co.uk.7

Arranging a funeral for your loved oneArranging the funeral service continued“We conduct every funeral withcompassion and dignity.”Would you like an announcement in thenewspapers?You may want to put an announcement in alocal or national newspaper to tell people aboutthe death and the details of the funeral. Afterthe funeral you can also place a thank youmessage in a newspaper to thank the people whoattended and sent donations and flowers. Wecan keep copies for you and laminate them toprotect them.What transport arrangements would you like?On the day of the funeral, the hearse will take thecoffin to the funeral service. The hearse is usuallyfollowed by limousines which carry the chiefmourners. We have chauffeured limousines thatsave you worrying about parking, driving andgetting to the service on time.Please let us know if there is a special route youwould like the procession to take. We can discussthis with you when you make the arrangements.Are there any other special arrangementsyou would like us to make?You may want to think about other ways ofmaking the funeral reflect the life of the personwho has died. People sometimes like to includeelements that will add a special touch to thefuneral service.Some of the things people choose includehorse-drawn hearses and releasing doves at thecrematorium or at the grave. We will do our bestto arrange anything we can for you.Some things to consider:Horse-drawn hearsesFor those seeking a more traditional style offuneral, a horse-drawn hearse may be arranged.Driven by experienced coachmen, this is theperfect choice for those who wish the service toreflect the dignity of a bygone age. The horses arepresented to a high standard, complete with aleather harness, traditional collar and plumes.Releasing white dovesThe release of white doves at funerals andmemorial services is an increasingly popular wayof adding that special touch to a funeral ceremony.The gesture helps to begin the grieving process ofletting go and is sure to live on in the memories ofall who attend the service. The trained white birdssoar into the sky, usually circling a number of timesin a group, before returning to their home lofts atdistances up to several hundred miles away.Motorcycle funeralsMotorcycle funerals honour and acknowledge thepassion that motorcycle enthusiasts enjoyed in lifeand demonstrate respect for all bikers.A motorcycle hearse is an entirely appropriatemeans of transport for those whose passion in lifewas motorcycles and is a dignified way of showingthat your loved one had character, style, energyand individuality.A motorcycle funeral is suitable for all bikers orex-bikers and may encourage happy memoriesof youthful days, holidays or day trips that aidthe mourning process.8

Woodland burialsWoodland burials offer an environmentally friendlyalternative to traditional funerals at crematoriaand cemeteries.Woodland burials are becoming popular and yourfuneral director will be able to tell you the locationof your nearest woodland burial site. A range ofeco-friendly, biodegradable coffins are availablefor this type of service.The environment of woodland burial groundsis kept as natural as possible. Memorials andheadstones are not usually permitted but oftentrees can be planted to mark the grave.Your funeral director will be able to provide furtherinformation on woodland burials and the rangeof eco-coffins available.Asian funeralsWe can arrange funerals for all cultures andreligions at any of our funeral locations acrossthe UK. Additionally, our Asian Funeral Directorsin Birmingham, London and Leicester offer aspecialist service for the needs of Asian families.Additional limousinesFor your convenience and comfort, additionallimousines can be arranged should you wish.Our modern fleet of vehicles is regularly updatedand specifically designed for use by the funeralprofession.9

Arranging a funeral for your loved oneThe day of the funeralThere is no set procedure for a funeral buttraditionally the funeral procession starts at thehouse of the person who has died – or sometimesthe hospital or funeral home – with the coffinand cars travelling to the place where the funeralservice will take place. The hearse sometimesgoes straight to the service and mournersmeet there.The coffin is taken into where the funeral serviceis to be held and close family members usuallyfollow and sit at the front. For a burial, the coffinwill be taken to the grave and lowered into thegrave while a short service is held.For a cremation, the coffin will be taken to thecrematorium and placed on a stand. Towardsthe end of the service music is played andtraditionally the coffin disappears from view.If you want the coffin to remain on view untilafter the mourners have left, please tell thefuneral director.Remember that there will be a time limit forthe service. You can book more time at thecrematorium if you like, although this may costextra. Your funeral director can advise on timesand costs.After the funeral, friends and family usuallyget together for some refreshments, whichoften takes place at the deceased’s house, thehouse of a close family member or at a localpub or hotel.10

“We provide you withsupport afterthe funeral.”After the funeralOnce the funeral is over there may still be somethings you will need to organise. Your Dignityfuneral director will call you a few days after thefuneral to see if there is anything else we canhelp you with.We have a range of helpful leaflets on comingto terms with a death and we can put you intouch with local counselling services andsupport groups.Stopping junk mailMany people find it distressing when junk mailaddressed to the person who has died continuesto arrive. As part of our service we passinformation to a company which specialises inpreventing junk mail from being sent to someonewho has died.Paying for the funeralHelp with the cost of the funeralIf you receive benefits you may be eligible forfinancial help towards the cost of the funeral.For more information, contact the local benefitsagency in the phone book or visit the websiteat www.dwp.gov.ukProviding the highest standards of serviceWe want to make sure that families continue toreceive the highest standards of service from us.About three weeks after the funeral we would liketo send you a survey asking for your opinionsabout the service we provided. When we makethe funeral arrangements with you, we will askyou if you are happy to receive this survey.Once we have made the funeral arrangementsand agreed a date for the service, we will giveyou written confirmation of the arrangements.We will itemise our costs and an estimate of thepayments we will make to others (such as theminister, florist, newspaper, crematorium orcemetery) on your behalf.You can pay the bill in full when you make thearrangements and we do ask for a minimumpayment to cover at least the payments we maketo others for you. Any payments you make willbe taken off the final bill, which we will send youseven days after the funeral. You must pay thefinal bill as soon as you receive it.11

Arranging a funeral for your loved oneMemorials ~ Creating a lasting memoryMemorials are a way to remember ourloved ones and can range from headstonesat a grave to a simple flower in a garden ofremembrance. Memorials provide comfortfor many people, giving them a place to visitto remember the person who has died. Whenchoosing a memorial it is important that youhave time to reflect on your decision andunderstand the different regulations thatmay affect your choice.If the person who has died has been buried,you may want to think of a memorial gravestone.If it is a family grave, you may want to have anew inscription, or replace the memorial if itis damaged.Different cemeteries have different rules aboutwhen a gravestone may be put up and may insiston waiting at least six months for the ground tosettle before the stone can be put in place. Wecan help you and we have a range of memorialswe can show you.If you do not own the place where you want theashes to be scattered, you will need permissionfrom the landowner or relevant authority.We have a brochure with a range of ashescontainers and urns and we can show you anumber of different options available to keepthe ashes in at home. Please ask us if this issomething you would like to consider.There is no need to make a decision straightaway about the memorial. We are alwaysavailable after the funeral for you to talk toand provide any advice or information to helpyou decide.If you would like further help and advice aboutmemorials, please contact your local Dignityfuneral director.If the person has been cremated, there areoften a range of memorials available at the localcrematorium’s garden of remembrance. You maychoose to have the ashes buried in a churchyardor cemetery. Some people scatter or bury theirloved one’s ashes in a particular spot in thegarden or a place they loved, or even on footballpitches or at sea.12

“Helping youevery step of the way.”The Dignity promiseEvery Dignity funeral director is rigorouslymonitored to ensure that its client service,premises and vehicles are of the higheststandard. By choosing a Dignity funeraldirector you can be confident that:We are compassionate and caring:• We never forget that this is one of the worsttimes in someone’s life. We always treat peoplewith compassion, respect and care.We are open, honest and straightforward:• We help our clients by providing clear andstraightforward information that enables themto make informed choices. We are transparentabout our fees and there are no hidden extras.We spend as much time as the client needs:• We spend as much time with our clients as theyneed, whether it’s when they first contact us,during the arrangements for the service, orchoosing a memorial or funeral plan.We pay attention to detail:• We know that for our clients every detail isimportant. We take care and time to make surewe get every detail right.We keep in contact:• We keep in regular contact with our clients.They always understand what is happening;who is looking after them and they areconfident that we understand their wishes.Dignity ~ The ultimate funeral professionalsDignity is a British company that has funeralhomes in towns and cities across the UK.We strive to set the highest standards for thefuneral profession in terms of client serviceand care for the deceased.At Dignity we are funeral people – it’s all we do.Dignity funeral directors have a rich heritage. Ouroldest funeral home was established in 1812 andthe majority of our businesses have been servingtheir local community for generations.Our funeral directors and arrangers come fromthe cities and towns they serve or families thathave been in the funeral profession for generations.This means they understand local traditions andcan help our clients every step of the way fromregistering the death to explaining all the optionsso that families can have the service they wantfor their loved one.A Dignity funeral director provides a completeservice and there are no hidden extras. We arecompletely transparent about our pricing, providinga price list and written quotation for each clientat the time the funeral is arranged, so you knowexactly how much the funeral will cost.By choosing a Dignity funeral director you can besure that you are choosing the ultimate funeralprofessionals.13

Dignity contact informationIf you would like to find out more about Dignityor to find your local Dignity branch please visit;www.dignityfunerals.co.uk.Or write to:Dignity Funerals Ltd4 King Edwards CourtKing Edwards SquareSutton ColdfieldWest Midlands B73 6APTel: 0121 354 1557A Company registered in England No. 41598.Part of Dignity plc – A British CompanyDFS65/0512