Use this guide after someone close has died and you are the person organising the funeral, or to plan ahead for your own. It covers England and Wales in general terms; have any wishes the person left, their will if known and details of who will pay ready.
Step by step
Find wishes and decide who will pay
Look for any written wishes, a funeral plan, a will or a letter, and ask close family whether the person ever said what they wanted. Agree early who is organising and who is paying, as the person who signs the contract with a funeral director is usually responsible for the bill. Funeral costs can often be repaid from the person's estate, and some banks release money for the funeral directly, so ask the bank.
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