Help and guidance to limit the hardship of losing a loved one

If you intend to include details of your funeral wishes in your will, advanced directive or Lasting Power of Attorney documents, it may be appropriate to consider the cost of the ceremony and the impact this will have on your relatives.  There are affordable ways to have a funeral. It is important to discuss these matters with family and friends.

Financial support

• Funeral Express Payment – you could be entitled to this if you receive certain benefits (https://www.gov.uk/funeral-payments/eligibility) and need help to pay for a funeral you’re arranging. Your funeral payment will be deducted from any money you get from the deceased’s estate (money or property, but not a house or personal things left to a widow/widower or surviving civil partner). The payment is for burial or cremation fees, travel to go to a funeral, cost of moving the deceased person within the UK if more than 50 miles and death certificates. You could also receive up to £700 for items such as flowers, funeral director’s fees. Please check out the TURN2US website for eligibility and how to apply. (Search ‘Funeral Payment’)
• Bereavement Support Payments – This benefit is for people under State pensionable age, and provides a one-off payment of £2500 for a married person and £3500 for someone married and with children. It also provides financial support for 18 months following the death of £100 p.m. for someone who was married and £350 p.m. for someone married and with children.
  But note the amount of these benefits can vary depending on National Insurance Contributions paid by the person who died. Our Welfare Rights Officer can offer further advice.
• Guardian’s Allowance – You could get this if you’re bringing up a child whose parents have died. You may be eligible if there’s one surviving parent. £17.20 per week on top of Child Benefit, tax-free. https://www.gov.uk/guardians-allowance/eligibility

You can arrange a funeral yourself or make some of the arrangements yourself. This can reduce the cost of the ceremony. Organisations like Quaker Social Action ‘Down to Earth’ www.quakersocialaction.com/downtoearth, click on ‘Fair Funerals’ or Tel: 020 8983 5055 or The Natural Death Centre www.naturaldeath.org.uk or Tel: 01962 712690 are very helpful and give advice on all aspects of the funeral including the coffin and burial fees

‘The Good Funeral Guide’ www.goodfuneralguide.co.uk states that it is a ‘consumer group that stands clear of the funeral industry’ and is ‘here to help you arrange the funeral you want’. It has a good section on ‘Your legal rights and responsibilities’.

You can also contact your local crematorium for other help and advice:

Cardiff Crematorium 02920 544820

Glyntaff (Pontypridd) Crematorium 01443 402810

Vale of Glamorgan Crematorium 01446 724040

Here are some of the most popular sites if you Google ‘funeral comparison’.

• About the Funeral (aboutthefuneral.com) This is an independent and impartial comparison site for funerals and pre-paid funeral plans. It helps you to find an affordable service from a funeral director and funeral plan provider that is right for you. It enables you to compare not just on price, but for the quality of service. ‘Since January 2018 our site has been completely free for funeral directors and consumers. The service is free. About the Funeral will shop around on people’s behalf if they don’t find any pricing on our site in their area.’ Note: About the Funeral has a free Funeral Wishes document for people to download – www.aboutthefuneral.com/funeral-wishes.html
• Your Funeral Choice (yourfuneralchoice.com) (01983 754387) This shows you a list of funeral directors in your area with details of how much they each charge for their services for a simple funeral. Note: only Simple Funeral costs are shown. Also they charge funeral directors on a commission model 10% of the cost of the funeral. All information is regularly updated.

Direct Cremation – 0800 862 0150 (Wendy or Becky).

They will then contact a local director to collect the deceased from home, hospital, hospice etc.  The coffin will be taken to Vale of Glamorgan Crematorium, Barry and the cremation will take place around 9 am in a dignified manner, but without any ceremony. Later the family can collect the ashes or the ashes can be spread around the Crematorium garden. Available to residents of Cardiff and the Vale.

Please note that if the death took place at home, in a hospice or nursing home, and therefore not in a hospital, there will be an extra charge.

White Rose Funeral Directors provide Direct Cremation for £999 when the deceased is collected from hospital, £1200 from home, nursing home or hospice. http://www.whiterosefunerals.com

There is a special arrangement between Cardiff Council and White Rose Funeral Directors to provide an affordable dignified funeral service for the residents of Cardiff. It is available to anyone regardless of their financial situation.

We are able to apply for a variety of grants to further offset the cost.

All funeral directors, including White Rose, have different costing levels. To find out the current prices please contact Cardiff Bereavement Service 02920 544820.

What is provided in a standard service?

• The collection of the your loved one from within the Cardiff area
• Light oak or dark oak veneered coffin, furnishings and fittings OR an environmentally friendly alternative coffin
• Preparation and dressing of the deceased
• Viewing in Chapel of Rest between the hours of 9 am – 5 pm Monday to Friday

An appointment needs to be made for viewing after 5 pm.

• Hearse and one limousine
• Dignified funeral service

The following charges will be added to the cost of the standard funeral arrangements:

• Cremation fees £640
• Floral tributes
• Clergy/Minister/Celebrant fee (Clergy £80, Humanist celebrant £160, organist from £40)
• Doctors’ fee (for cremation £164)
• Obituary notices
• Extra limousines

Please note a deposit is usually required payable before the funeral

To arrange a Cardiff Council Funeral Service contact:

White Rose Funerals: 27-29 Splott Road, Cardiff, CF24 4BU – Tel: 02920 00 2818 (24 Hours), www.whiterosefuneral.com or cardiffbereavement.co.uk

Fair Funerals: www.fairfuneralscampaign.org.uk or 0208 9835051

This is a campaign run by Quaker Social Action. It asks funeral directors in their initial conversations, within their price lists, and on their websites to pledge their commitment to:

• Recognising that funerals can be expensive and many people struggle with the cost
• Helping people to find funerals that are within their means
• Being open about their most affordable options, including third party costs

Local funeral companies who have signed up to the pledge are:  James Summers, Green Willow, Roy J Larcombe, Co-operative Funeralcare, Rosemount and White Rose Funerals and Memorials.

The Woodland Glade burial area at Thornhill Cemetery. The Natural Burial Sites at St Nicholas, Culverhouse Cross, Cardiff and Usk, Monmouthshire

These sites are quiet meadows surrounded by nature. No headstones are permitted but all burial locations can be accessed using GPS technology. For more information telephone 01600 716438 or go to www.cardiffnaturalburials.co.uk. The Usk site is not covered by the Cardiff Council plan.

Most people use a funeral director to arrange a funeral. It can take away much of the administration that comes with planning a funeral and can give the bereaved time to deal with their grief.

If you choose not to use the Council service, try to compare quotes from several funeral directors, caterers or florists.

When looking for a funeral director, choose one from either:

The National Association of Funeral Directors  (www.nafd.org.uk)

OR        The Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors (www.saif.org.uk)

Funeral directors from these associations operate under a code of practice and have an established complaints procedure. They should respect your choices, give you a full range of options and not put you under pressure to spend more than you can afford.