Organising the Funeral
Children’s Funeral Fund for England
when you ask and will not increase any costs quoted to you without your permission.
National Association of Funeral Directors Tel: 0121 711 1343 www.nafd.org.uk National Society of Allied & Independent Funeral Directors Tel: 0345 230 6777 www.saif.org.uk Arranging the funeral yourself If it is preferred, the entire funeral can be handled by the bereaved family. Such a funeral is sometimes called a ‘personalised’, ‘independent’ or ‘family only’ funeral. There are various steps to take after you lose a loved one, see what to do after someone dies on gov.uk for guidance. Council cemeteries and crematoriums in Surrey are run by the district and borough councils. They may also be able to give you advice on alternative funeral arrangements or you may also find the Good Funeral Guide website useful when planning a funeral. Paying for a funeral If you are on a low income and need help to pay for a funeral you are arranging, you may be able to get a funeral payment. How much you get depends on your circumstances and if you qualify. Please visit the gov.uk website.
Funerals can be expensive so remember to check where the money to pay for the costs will come from before making any arrangements.The deceased may have a pre- paid funeral plan. However, if the deceased does not have enough money in their estate to cover the cost of the arrangements, the person who organises the funeral will have to pay. If you are the one paying for the funeral and already getting certain social security benefits, you may also be able to get a payment from the Social Fund to help with the costs (please telephone the Jobcentre Plus Helpline on 0800 055 6688 for advice, visit the death and bereavement section of www.gov.uk). Friends, family, clergy or your doctor may be able to suggest local funeral directors with a good reputation for you to use. If not, most local firms are listed online. Remember, their charges can vary considerably, and you may want to contact or visit more than one firm. Most funeral directors choose to join one of two trade associations, but funeral directors do not have to be regulated to provide a service, so you may wish to check this first. Both trade associations have codes of practice and funeral directors who are members must provide you with a price list
The Children’s Funeral Fund for England (CFF) was implemented on 23 rd July 2019. Under the CFF arrangements, the fees charged for the cremation or burial of a child under the age of 18 or a still-born child will be free to parents at the point of need and will be claimed by burial and cremation authorities directly from the CFF. The scheme will also cover the price of a coffin, shroud or casket up to £300 as well as some funeral expenses. These expenses will be claimed by the funeral director but can also be claimed by the bereaved family where they choose not to use the services of a funeral director.
For further information, please go to: www.gov.uk/child-funeral-costs Email: cff@gov.sscl.com Freephone: 0808 196 1759
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Bereavement Guide
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