What happens if you can't afford to pay for a funeral?

[Luckystar777]

Just that, really. Say you have a small amount of money (or none) but it's not enough to cover the cost of even the cheapest funeral? What happens? I'm wondering this about a relative's and also my own funeral/s. We're both ok right now but I've been thinking about the future. And worrying.

I live in Scotland.

I believe they’re paid for by the local government when no relative or funds can pay.
But I’m UK (sort of work in the funeral industry so have a little knowledge but not 100% positive)

I believe the local authority has to provide a basic funeral - a public health funeral.

Can you take out a life insurance policy?

Local authority pays.

You can take o

I've got a funeral plan - for the cheapest funeral. It's with the Coop. If you survive more than a year after taking it out they guarantee to pay up in full.

If there are funds in the estate the funeral director can apply directly to get the basic funeral paid for. Otherwise the person signing for the funeral pays the cost if they sign the contract.

There may be some grants available, charities or friends and family.
Some directors allow you to pay for a funeral over a longer period.
A discussion is needed about the best way forward.

Thanks everyone. I should have said, there's no one else to rely on for money - not for me or the relative. I'm an only (adult) child and both of us are single and it may stay that way - especially for my relative. We're not really close to any other family members either.

I'm doubtful there would be a time in my life I'd even be in a position to pay for a funeral over a longer period, tbh. My abusive ex left me in a load of debt (was financially abusive to me for many years as well as other forms of abuse) which is going to take a very long time to pay off :(

It’s called a paupers burial where I live. 70 dollars to be put in a cardboard coffin and cremated. That’s it.

Read this, OP, and skip to the “if I can’t afford a funeral” section.

The local authority will pay for a basic cremation but you have very little say over when/where it happens (although you are given the opportunity to attend). I think you’d probably be made to feel quite shit going this route and stand firm that you’d be “refusing” to pay.

Alternatively there are grants you can apply for which would cover some (not all) of the costs, but for this one you are expected to find some of the costs yourself.

Personally my family goes in for the most basic of basic funerals - no over the top flower arrangements, simple cremation, cheapest coffin etc - they are always lovely and it means no one has to worry about going into debt.

Sigh, forgot the actual bloody link: www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/articles/help-paying-for-a-funeral/amp

Donate yourself to medical science, no funeral no costs.

As you are in Scotland, you can get a funeral support payment.

www.mygov.scot/funeral-support-payment/

I know in England the local authority will pay, two of my friends had LA funerals a few years ago. It was like any other funeral at the crematorium, people were also allowed to send flowers to be used during the service.

I had this situation recently when my ex's sister died and nobody had the money for a funeral. Google "direct cremation" , this means that the company picks up the deceased person and does the cremation with no service or any of the "trimmings". The family receives the ashes and they can then have a get-together to scatter the ashes. I thought this was a good alternative and it's very cheap.

Stella I think I'd prefer that even though I could afford to pay for a fancier do! A direct cremation is simple and quiet. Lots of people might prefer that.

When my DM died in hospital, there was no money for a funeral. We met the hospital almoner and they agreed to pay for one. It was basic, and we had to wait for a vacant slot at the crematorium (she died in December, funeral was in March), but it was so sensitively handled that I have no complaints.

However it did make me think about my own situation and my partner and I both took out life insurance so our dc aren't ever in the same position. My Ddad and Stepmum have funeral plans with the co-op if that is an option?

There is a Funeral expenses payment grant from the government:

www.gov.uk/funeral-payments/how-to-claim

Re donating bodies to science/ medicine.
You have to have contacted the medical school before death and filled out forms/ permission . Even then some will only take bodies under certain conditions.

So much pressure to be seen to have fancy funerals with lots of flowers and attendees and the nicer wood coffin with the fancy handles.

A direct cremation sounds much kinder on the family as they can grieve in peace and scatter their loved ones ashes how they want.

That should become the automatic go to with no care of what they might think.

I live fairly close to a village crematorium and the hearses full of so many flowers and the fancy cars must cost a fortune. We also get a lot of funerals where the mourners are so large in number we can have four or more full sized coaches bringing them. That I understand though and more affordable I suspect.

You can either just get cremated and the government pays for it and the family receive the ashes , but there’s no service . Had it recently with someone we know . It’s sad but at least you get the ashes at the end x

Take out a funeral insurance plan just now

Direct cremation.
There should loads of them bloody adverts saying that you can pay a few quid a week towards a funeral, not necessary and there are other options that don’t end up costing thousands.

I like the sound of direct cremation.

I'm having a direct cremation. No service, no fuss, no one there. If dh wants a knees up afterwards, he can sort it himself

Direct cremations are still costly if you have no money- we had one for my mum through the co op and it was £1300. They picked her up from the nursing home she passed away in and then when there was a slot free at the crematorium they cremated her and then we went to collect her ashes. She had no funeral / service and no flowers etc.

The money could have been put on hold and paid out of her estate (she owned a small house outright) to be paid when the house was sold but we paid for it ourselves on a credit card so we didn’t have another thing to worry about paying afterwards.