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Arranging a funeral

Most funerals are arranged by the nearest relatives. However, if there are no relatives, anyone close to the person can arrange the funeral instead.

The person may have left instructions about the type of funeral they wanted, and whether they wanted to be buried or cremated. However, there is no legal obligation for you to follow these instructions.

Funeral directors

Many funerals are arranged through a professional funeral director (undertaker). We recommend that you find a funeral director who belongs to a professional association such as the National Association of Funeral Directors or the Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors. Further advice can be found on Help on funeral costs.

Simple cremations

We've designed a Simple Funerals package to provide a more cost-effective service for those who want or need it and cater to those who wish to celebrate the lives of their loved ones in a non-traditional way. Find out more about Simple cremations

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