Help with funeral costs after my brother died suddenly

[Missm68]

my brother passed away today suddenly , he had really bad COPD only 55 he's got no savings for a funeral nor have I or my siblings. so can we get a grant from somewhere to help. with his funeral. never had to do that before ,I'm so heartbroken.

https://www.gov.uk/funeral-payments

You don't have to pay for a funeral, the council are obliged to provide a public health funeral (previous paupers funeral). Another cheap option is direct cremation.

Which is not as bad as it sounds, it's a perfectly normal respectful funeral.

Yea my dad was laid to rest this way as it's what he wanted, they were v dignified despite it being the very start of COVID. I was the only permitted attendant and had to watch from over the road outside the crem

Did he have a partner? If so:

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/family/bereavement-support-payment/

Agree. I attended one of these some years ago and it was a standard service. The vicar was very kind.

no he was single

we don't want direct funeral as he was well know around our town.

Have a wake? If you want a big fancy well attended do it will cost unfortunately.

Im sorry op. Where is his body. If he is in the hospital speak to their berevement team.

Sorry for your loss. What a shock. 💐

Could you let everyone who knew him know to meet for drinks at his favourite local pub - ideally mid afternoon when people will not be expecting a buffet - then there is plenty of room for everyone and attendees can buy their own drinks, and order their own food later if they want it. The main thing is that you’re creating a space for people who knew him to reminisce and grieve together.

we are not loaded , but he's getting a good send off.

he passed at his own flat neighbour couldn't get in touch with him and had to climb through a window they tried CPR but they stopped thing is his dog was laid on his shoulders I wanted to see him but the ambulance advised me not to and wait till he's in chapel of rest only lost my may.

Have you chosen a funeral director? I’d go straight to them and be honest that the cost is a major issue - they will know what the options are.

’A good send off’ means different things to different people.

We’ve had a direct cremation in our family, folllowed by a family get together and spreading the ashes. Although this was by preference rather than due to lack of funds.

mum*

It sounds so tough, I’m so sorry you are going through this. 💐

Did he own the flat?

Sorry I don’t mean to sound harsh but I’m a little confused. You are saying can you get help with funeral costs because you have no money but you are also saying you are having a good send off.

I went to a funeral of someone who died young and they didn’t have the money to provide a big send off - it was literally some tea and coffee and half a sandwich per person. The important thing is coming together to remember the person not to provide everyone with a big piss up at your expense. And a direct funeral doesn’t mean you cannot have a wake it just means you cut down the costs of a full cremation with hearse and attendants etc and you could just have a memorial service instead.

Speak to a local independent funeral director not one that belongs to a chain, explain the circumstances and ask how you can have an attended funeral as cheaply as possible. A church funeral is about £450, less with recorded music, so if they have a basic funeral package and you have the committal at the gate it works out cheaper typically because you aren’t using the crematorium chapel facilities. Big savings by not using limos, do your own flowers (from garden or supermarket) too

Church hall is usually the cheapest wake option if you are picking up the bill, do your own food, though many pubs are quite reasonable

Did he have absolutely no assets or money at all? What was he living off? How was he paying rent etc?

Lots of people don’t have assets - if he was living off benefits with rent paid by housing benefit he won’t have much. My dad did die with £1000 in his bank account but that was because he had a pension that continued to pay while he was in hospital for 5 weeks. Otherwise his possessions fitted into a single cardboard box. He lived with a girlfriend who owned the house.

How does this help

If your brother was working his employers may make a death in service payment to the next of kin. This is often up to 3x annual salary which would be enough for a ‘good send off’