Planning a Funeral Service

Traditional, faith-based funerals, or committal services are usually held in a place of worship or crematorium and led by an authorised person. This type of service can be reassuring in its familiarity, drawing on tradition.

Anyone can perform the rites in a non-religious funeral, or you can choose a celebrant to help structure and deliver the service.

There is an increasing place for where the family want more involvement in caring for their loved one after death. It can closely resemble a more traditional funeral or be very bespoke to what the family want and need. You are able to arrange a funeral by yourself and can give your loved one the most personal send off.

With the increasing diversity in our communities many people are wanting a service which reflects and embraces religion and spirituality, where all faiths are acknowledged.

People planning this type of service often have their family and friends in mind. Celebratory services highlight the life of the person who has died and give opportunities to share stories and experiences. It could be held in the local pub or park, or somewhere important to the person, people may be encouraged to wear bright colours and is less formal than a more traditional service.

Direct cremation or direct burials cost a lot less than a full funeral service and is often chosen by people who don’t want a fuss. They are also called unattended cremations or burials, as usually no one is present. It allows for a separate celebration for loved ones in their own time.

Eco-friendly or green funerals use more environmentally friendly approaches, like biodegradable coffins or shrouds with burial plots that have no visible impact on the environment, and in fact some practices proactively promote regrowth using the body’s natural decomposition.

This is distinct from a funeral service as there is no burial or cremation. This may have happened earlier as a direct burial or cremation. It is a ceremony to honour the life of the person who has died, it can also be used as a celebration of that person.

There are strict rules around this, and a licence is required, but anyone can be buried at sea if the correct steps are followed. This type of service is more traditionally for former navy personnel or someone with a connection to maritime life. You do not need a licence or permission to scatter ashes at sea after a cremation.