Question 1

How many seats are available in a limousine?

Accepted Answer

There are 6 seats available in each limousine, we may be able to accommodate a 7th person next to the driver, however, please discuss this with us as we may have reserved that seat for a member of our staff or a minister.

Question 2

How much does a funeral cost?

Accepted Answer

There are many factors that can determine the total cost of a funeral, for guidance on our own fees, please take a look at our costs (javascript:void(0))page, however there will usually be other costs to take into account.
 
As a very rough guideline, most of the funerals we conduct cost in the region of £4,200 - £4,750, which includes all third party costs.
 
Please contact us (javascript:void(0))to discuss your needs and we will be happy to provide a customised quote.

Question 3

Is there any financial assistance available to help pay for a funeral?

Accepted Answer

If the person arranging the funeral is on benefits, they may be eligible to receive financial assistance.
The main assistance claimed is a Funeral Payment from the Social Fund, if eligible, it is calculated as follows:
 • The cost of the cremation OR the cost of burial fees and exclusive right to burial in a plot.
 • Plus up to £1000 towards any other costs, including funeral director's fees, coffin, flowers etc, this amount will be reduced by any money the deceased left or any money that someone has given you to help with the costs. If someone makes a payment directly to us, this does not need to be declared, but if they give you the money, it must be declared.
 • Cost of travel to make funeral arrangements or attend the funeral.
 • Cost of transporting the deceased over 50 miles if they die away from home.
Please note that a Funeral Payment will not cover the entire cost of a funeral and you must apply within 3 months of the date of the funeral.
A full breakdown of the assistance available from the government and whether you qualify can be found here.(https://www.gov.uk/browse/benefits/bereavement) Funeral Payment Application Form.(https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/961875_411327fff671452ea4b8ac4c0194d3c3.pdf)
You may also apply to various charities or benevolent institutions for assistance depending upon what the person died of and any previous associations. e.g. The Child Funeral Charity,(http://www.childfuneralcharity.org.uk/apply-for-help.html) The British Gas Energy Trust,(https://bget.app.charisgrants.com/home/index) SSAFA,(https://bget.app.charisgrants.com/home/index) Masonic Charitable Foundation,(https://mcf.org.uk/support/?charity-merge#) Turn2Us,(https://grants-search.turn2us.org.uk/) your local Church. (This list is not exhaustive).
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In addition to the Funeral Payment, there are a number of other benefits that you may be eligible for, please see the Bereavement Benefits Advice Leaflet (https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/961875_5a6d1816f41a48c8a59bb3603cbc36e2.pdf)for more information.
A more recent addition to the methods of gaining financial assistance is Crowdfunding, which is essentially asking family and friends to make a donation to the funeral costs, usually through social media. We are happy to accept payment from these sources, but please let us know this is what you are doing.

Question 4

Do you require a deposit to allow the funeral to take place?

Accepted Answer

Generally, No. We judge each situation on its own merits, however, we do reserve the right to ask for a deposit. The amount of the deposit requested will depend on what you would like to happen, and we will discuss this with you.
If one has been requested, we must receive it at least 72 hours before the funeral, otherwise we may have to postpone the funeral.

Question 5

I want to leave my body to medical science, what do I do?

Accepted Answer

This must be arranged before you die and you must tell your loved ones of this wish. Discuss this request with your GP, they will make contact with the relevant laboratories, depending on what you would permit to happen. Alternatively, see The Human Tissue Authority site.(https://www.hta.gov.uk/donating-your-body)
Once you die, your loved ones must make contact with the laboratories discussed with your GP as soon as possible, time is critical, they may ask you to arrange removal of the deceased with us, or they may have specialist teams themselves, normally they will cover any costs. Once the laboratory have completed the research, the deceased is usually cremated, which could be years down the line.
Please note that the majority of people who want to leave their body to science are unable to do so for one reason or another, so it is a good idea to discuss alternative funeral arrangements with your family, just in case.

Question 6

Is embalming required so I can see my loved one?

Accepted Answer

No, embalming is never required (excluding international transport).

It may be recommended, as it can improve the appearance of the deceased or in certain situations, such as a long delay in the funeral. It is always optional, and even if declined, we will not stop you seeing your loved one.

Question 7

Will you, or can the family carry the coffin?

Accepted Answer

We will always shoulder the coffin if it safe to do so, if we feel it is not safe, we will discuss this with you prior to the funeral.
If family or friends wish to carry the coffin, please let us know at the earliest opportunity. Assuming it is safe to do so, we will gather those wanting to carry at the rear of the hearse to give them instruction. If there is a Church service, we will need to know if you want to carry both in and out of Church. If you only want to carry for one part, we would recommend doing this into church.

Question 8

What payment methods do you accept?

Accepted Answer

Our preferred payment method is BACS transfer, however we also accept cash, cheque, most major credit/debit cards. Card payments can be taken also be taken over the phone.
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Question 9

How do I know the ashes I get back are the right person?

Accepted Answer

A cremator can only accept one coffin at a time and all the remains are removed from the cremator before the next cremation.
 
An identity card stays with the remains thoughout the entire process.
 
If you want to know more about the cremation (javascript:void(0))process and procedure, most crematoria hold a public open day every once in a while, aiming to demystifying the process.

Question 10

Can I supply a coffin?

Accepted Answer

Yes, please see our coffins page (javascript:void(0))for details.

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