Managing Funeral Costs – Who is Responsible?

Planning a funeral is a daunting and emotional task, especially when finances are added into the mix. The cost of a funeral has risen over recent years, with the average setting you back roughly £4000. Generally, these costs will be covered by the deceased’s finances and assets which can be legally claimed back by whoever pays, but if the deceased does not have enough money to cover this cost, then who is responsible for paying?

If the deceased has not arranged payment for their own funeral or they have no money left or money from an estate to cover their funeral cost it will quite often fall to family and friends to take care of. It’s also worth being aware that when a bank is notified of a death, they will temporarily freeze the customer’s account, however, many banks are willing to release funds if needed to help pay for a funeral.

If the deceased’s relatives are on a low income and therefore unable to afford the cost of a funeral, and there is no one else willing to cover the finances, then the government have what is commonly known as ‘The Social Fund’. This fund provides money towards funeral costs but you have to pass certain eligibility requirements and submit a formal application.

Funerals have lots of associated costs that many of us are simply not aware of until the time comes to actually organise one. Burial or cremation fees, travel costs, flowers and death certificates all need to be paid for by someone. Legally, no one can be forced to pay for a funeral, although up until April 2018 parents had a duty to bury or cremate a child in the UK but this has been scrapped. There is now no obligation to 1) Hold a funeral and 2) Pay for it.

If you’re in the position where you’re organising a funeral with low funds these tips might help…

Compare different quotes

If money is tight then you may need to shop around to find a quote that suits your budget. Speak to the experts at Beyond who can help you with everything from comparing funeral director fees to getting a loan to cover costs.

Seek out grants

There are various different grants out there which can help to finance some of the funeral costs. Organisations such as Turn2Us can help you to find a suitable charity, which may be able to assist you. Use their online search facility to begin the process.

Consider crowdfunding

Crowdfunding has skyrocketed in popularity over the past few years and can be an effective way to generate funds from family, friends, and even generous strangers. You can share the page via social media, and encourage others to donate what they can to cover all the necessary costs. Do bear in mind however that in some cases the platform which you host your fundraiser on may take a small cut, factor this in when stating the amount of money that you’re hoping to raise.

Bear these points in mind when considering who is responsible for managing funeral costs

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or management of EconoTimes.