Funeral - who pays? (confused)

[cankles]

Hi, need a little legal advice, Dad recently admitted to hospital with heart problem (he smokes and is an alcoholic). He's 82. Have just found out that he has no funeral policy (if that's the right term?) but the house, when it's sold, will pay for his funeral. This doesn't sound right? Presumably someone has to pay up front first? There is only my brother and I.

If anyone could help with this, I would really appreciate it. TIA.

Hello

You put down a deposit but the rest is paid two months or so later. Some funeral directors will hang fire until property is sold but I think you'd need to have a buyer in place first. Sorry for what you're going through xx

My understanding (not a lawyer) is that it comes out of the deceased's estate. So when he dies, the house is sold/bank accounts are accessed etc, and from whatever money is collected any debts are paid and then the remainder is allocated to the inheritors. Presumably the funeral parlour people are used to this.

thanks, Kate, it's all a bit confusing, he'd led me to believe that he had set aside some money (which I imagine he did at one point but has now spent), i'm not sure if I'm being unreasonable or not to be a bit p.o. with him.

In my experience Funeral directors these days expect payment long before Probate A bank will normally release funds to pay the funeral If all the money is tied up in the house someone will have to pay it and be repaid from thee sale proceeds

thanks, Hassled.

so perhaps a bit of a grey area, thanks Rangirl. So it's possible that my brother and I will have to pay up front and then take out of the proceeds of the house (if this hasn't already been sold). Many thanks.

Hi if you contact this link
www.gov.uk/funeral-payments/overview
Social security will pay the funeral costs (up to a certain amount) if your father does not have enough to cover it in immediate bank funds. As he has assets (house) they will require it to be paid back once private has completed...don't panic this happens a lot, just tell the funeral director you are applying for the social funeral payment fund xx

Probate not private sorry x

thanks Littlegoat, that's very helpful too.

You will not be expected to pay it personally even if you are executer

that's great, I'll have a good look at the link x

Op does your dad have any money at all in the bank? My mum passed away earlier this year, she had enough in bank to pay the main funeral bill, and the bank released the funds even before probate.

I had paid the original deposit and reclaimed that from the estate once we had probate and all monies were released.

Hi Kath, no he has no money in the bank, in fact, only post office account but there is no savings or anything.

I dont think the govenment just step in and pay it like that. Im pretty sure they look at the family paying it first. If family say they cant afford it then they want proof etc.

My friend died 18 months ago and had no savings, was a council tenant and had a load of debt. She had £40 in her bank when she died and that was it.

Her mother and daughter had to foot the bill.

The family have to pay it. Funeral companies will wait if there is proof of the money but you have to pay all of their outgoings up front. The rest can be settled later.

The social funeral payment applies to the family not the deceased.

www.mariecurie.org.uk/help/bereaved-family-friends/organising-funeral/funeral-payments

Seems i was right. Look at the very bottom of the page

Well I got it for my mum, I had savings but they based it on my mums savings/money not mine. I was not on any benefits, but I am in Scotland so may be different? Looks like Scotland is shining today people be moving here for eu membership and subsidised funerals xx

I think the funeral directors will wait for payment but will charge interest.

thanks everyone.

Imperial your comment is unhelpful. I'm looking for advice so that I can plan for the future.

I cared for a friend and had to organise his funeral a few years ago, he had a funeral policy but it didn't cover much.
IIRC there was a government grant of about £2k because of the benefits either he or his family were in receipt of. The funeral could only go ahead once the disbursements were paid, the funeral directors costs could wait and they will accept instalments.

I know many of the funeral directors offer policies where you pay in advance for a funeral at today's prices plus a few hundred pounds admin charges on top. When you die hopefully many years later, what you paid for will have increased in cost massively but the policy will cover it.
Having seen the fallout around the loss of my friend, I have told my adult DD that I will be buying such a policy. There is no financial convenience in death and to suddenly have to stump up many thousands is not something everyone can do.

Thanks savesome and married. I have no savings so a policy sounds sensible.

Cankles

Whether you will have to pay for the funeral depends on if you or your brother claim any state benefits.

Im not sure what happens if for example you claimed state benefits but your brother didnt. Would you brother be expected to pay for the funeral?

I ve no idea

I dont really know but when my mil passed we were advised by someone we would likely get the grant. Mil and her dp both on benefits. It was refused. Luckily family clubbed in and covered the costs. I cant believe they make everything so expensive.