Our funeral guidance covers all aspects of funeral arrangements, whether you're organising a funeral for a loved one who has died or pre-planning and paying for a funeral ahead of time.
Use our articles below to answer your questions or help you with your research to inform your decisions.
A funeral plan lets you decide what type of funeral you want and pay for it ahead of time. Find out more about funeral plans below to see if taking out a plan is the right choice for you.
Read more about planning a funeral >>
Whether you're preparing for a loved one's death or thinking about your own, there are a number of aspects you can arrange beforehand.
Read more about anticipating a death >>
Understanding what you need to do when someone dies, and when to do it, can help ease the stress and confusion you may be experiencing at the most difficult of times.
Here are our guides, articles and helpful information to make the process of arranging a funeral that bit easier.
Read more about arranging a funeral >>
There are many different types of funeral available, from direct cremations to traditional funerals. Take a look below at the types of funeral services available in the UK today, and the funeral types we offer at Distinct Cremations.
Read more about the different types of funerals >>
Learn more about the costs you can expect to pay for different funeral types and how to minimise the money you spend.
Read more about funeral costs >>
What to do once the funeral is over can be a difficult period. Find information and contacts that can help and support you and your family.
There are a number of charities and helplines doing great work for those recently bereaved:
Samaritans (Call: 116 123) - Free 24/7 support for anyone needing any kind of emotional support
Cruse (Call: 0808 808 1677) - Free helpline supporting those suffering with bereavement or loss
Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide (Call: 0300 111 5065) - UK support line meeting the needs and overcoming the isolation experienced by people over 18 who have been bereaved by suicide
Veterans UK (Call: 0808 191 4218) - Government-ran support organisation providing free support for veterans and their families
Age UK (Call: 0800 678 1602) - The UK's leading charity helping millions of older people with support, companionship and advice
The Silver Line (Call: 0800 470 8090) - Free 24/7 helpline for older people struggling with loneliness, sadness or lowness
Yes - you can take out a funeral plan on behalf of your parents or a partner.
A wake is a social gathering that takes place either before or after a funeral.
An oversized coffin is for individuals who are too big for the average coffin width of 24 inches, 76 inches in length and 14 inches in depth. If the deceased is over 22 stone or 6 ft 5 or over, then an oversized coffin will be needed.
With Distinct Cremations, it will take approximately 2-4 weeks to arrange the funeral. We will take care of all the arrangements, from the paperwork right through to the hand-delivering you the ashes.
You’re free to visit any of our crematoria, within their opening hours, to view the grounds and facilities ahead of time.
Yes, you can pay for your funeral plan in 12 monthly instalments or over 5 or 10 years. Terms & conditions apply.
If you’ve lost your plan documents, all you need to do is get back in touch with us and we can arrange for replacements to be sent out to you.
We have 40 crematoria spread across England, Scotland and Wales. You can see our full list of crematoria to find your nearest one.
Funeral plans are prepaid service agreements where the money required is typically invested in a secure Trust Fund until the time it’s needed. A funeral plan guarantees to cover the services that were listed at the time the plan was taken out. With a funeral plan there’s no need for any medicals assessments or health and lifestyle questionnaires.
Life insurance is a type of insurance that pays out an agreed cash sum should you pass away while the policy is in force. A life policy will pay an agreed amount which could be used to help pay for a funeral or clear outstanding debts but does not guarantee to cover any specific costs.
Learn more about Funeral Plans and Life Insurance in our detailed guide.
A direct cremation is a simple fuss-free cremation without the costs, and stress, associated with arranging a traditional funeral. For many, a direct cremation allows them to separate the cremation from the celebration of the deceased’s life, allowing them a dignified opportunity to say goodbye in a way that better suits them.
To make things even easier, all of the arrangements are made directly with us.
If you’re on certain benefits, you may be eligible to receive help from the government towards funeral costs.
You can choose a nominated representative when taking out a funeral plan. This person will put your wishes in motion when the cremation is required. This could be a family member, friend or someone else.
You can also include your plan's information in your will, however, the will is not typically read until after the funeral.
On average it takes around two hours to cremate a body, but it can sometimes be longer or shorter in certain circumstances.
The average cost of a funeral in the UK is now £3,953^[1]^. Our funeral plans start from as little as £1,595 or from just £995 if you need to arrange a funeral today or in the very near future.
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Whether you're wanting to arrange a funeral today, plan for the future, or looking for something else, our customer service advisors are here for you 24/7 to answer any questions you may have.
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