It is often assumed that funerals can be completed only with the involvement of a funeral director.

 

Although a funeral director will be invited to organise the majority of funerals, some people prefer to organise themselves. The details in the individual sections of the Charter for the Bereaved provide good information on this. More detailed leaflets giving you local information on arranging a funeral are available from the Council.

 

The entire funeral can be handled by the bereaved family and Charter members are able to assist in facilitating this. This is referred to as Personalised or Independent. It will be different because traditional elements may be unobtainable. At the present time, many funeral directors will not sell coffins separately, neither will they offer a hearse for use, unless the entire funeral package is purchased. Consequently, a personalised funeral may make use of a normal car and homemade coffin or biodegradable type.

 

These actions often attract comments that such funerals lack dignity but any individual has the right to make arrangements without commercial involvement and funerals arranged by the bereaved contain a far higher personal input, which evokes more emotion and often celebrates the life of the deceased in a more moving and individual way.

 

New approaches to the traditional forms of managing funerals are now being sought. A new type of 'green' funeral director is emerging, promoting bio-degradable coffins and a more personal approach. Funeral facilitators assist the bereaved in organising a funeral for a fee and nurses may offer laying-out or body preparation services, to avoid people having to do this themselves.