Articles
What’s included in a direct cremation funeral plan?
A direct cremation funeral plan typically includes a funeral without a service at the crematorium. It offers a simple and more affordable way to plan ahead, ensuring your loved ones don’t shoulder the burden of last-minute decisions or unexpected costs.
Direct cremation funeral plans: what they are and how they work
A direct cremation funeral plan is a way of planning and paying for a direct cremation in advance. You can set up a plan for yourself, or a loved one. People often choose to set up a funeral plan as a way of locking in today's prices.
How funeral plans can protect against rising funeral costs
Learn how prepaid funeral plans lock in today's prices. They can help protect against rising funeral costs, ease financial stress, and provide peace of mind for you and your family.
How to choose the right direct cremation funeral plan
Find the best prepaid funeral plan for direct cremation with our expert tips. Learn what to look for in a plan, understand the key terms and ensure your loved ones are protected.
What to do when someone receiving end of life care dies
How to get in touch with us and what to do if your loved one dies in end of life care ('palliative care') at home, hospital, care home or hospice.
What you can prepare if someone is receiving end of life care
You can start preparing to plan the funeral, deal with finances and property, and who you need to inform.
Talking about death with someone who is in end of life care
We often help people who sometimes feel unsure whether they are planning a funeral that their loved one would have wanted or they’d like to be remembered. Having conversations with the person now can be a big comfort down the line.
Where to scatter ashes in Coventry
Enjoy a trip to Coventry Canal to scatter your loved one’s ashes in a place that is special to them.
The difference between a standard and direct cremation
A standard cremation includes a traditional funeral service at a crematorium. A direct cremation is a cremation you do not attend. The crematorium will take your loved one into their care, perform the cremation and bring the ashes back to you.
What’s a mausoleum?
A mausoleum is a building that holds people’s coffins above ground. Some UK cemeteries allow you to build a private mausoleum or you can buy a chamber in a community one.
How to plan a memorial service
This article will explain how a memorial service is different to other types of end-of-life events, and how you might plan a memorial service for a loved one.
How to arrange a funeral yourself, without a funeral director
A funeral director is someone who specialises in arranging funerals. Arranging a funeral without one is not impossible, but it is very difficult.
Why do the cost of funerals vary?
Funerals are more expensive in some parts of the UK than others. They can also be more expensive on weekends, and at certain times of the day.
What happens at a Sikh funeral?
Sikh families usually hold funerals 3 days after the person has died. They typically follow a fairly strict format in which guests wear white and gather to pray.
What happens at a Quaker funeral?
Quaker funerals focus on quiet reflection and giving thanks. There is not usually a formal order of service. Guests will spend most of the time silently remembering the person who’s died, but anyone can speak if they wish to.
Can you get a cremation tattoo?
Tattoos with ashes blended into the ink are a new trend in a long tradition of memorial body art. Only a few tattoo studios in the UK offer it at the moment - but it’s growing in popularity.
Memorial ideas in Worthing
Pay tribute to your loved one with a dedicated memorial bench in your favourite area of Worthing, create bespoke jewellery using their ashes, or place a plaque on the wall of remembrance.
Unique wake venues in Worthing
Cheer for their football team at the Crucial Environmental Stadium, enjoy a picnic in the beautiful Highdown Gardens, or take in the views from Worthing Pier while enjoying afternoon tea at the Pavilion Atrium.
Where to scatter ashes in Worthing
Enjoy a boat ride from Brighton Marina, take a peaceful walk through the Glades at the crematorium or visit the natural beauty of Cissbury Ring to scatter your loved one’s ashes in a place that is special to them.
Unique wake venues in Accrington
Enjoy a picnic at Oak Hill Park, cheer for their favourite team at the Crown Ground, or enjoy an afternoon tea at the Gallery Kitchen in Haworth Art Gallery to celebrate the life of your loved one.
Memorial ideas in Telford
Wander through the beautiful Chelsea Gardens in Telford Town Park and see your memorial leaf hanging on the singing ringing tree and pay your respects to your loved one.
Unique wake venues in Telford
Take a private boat cruise on the River Severn, enjoy a picnic in the Town Park, or take some time to reflect in the Quiet Park as you celebrate your loved one’s life in Telford.
Where to scatter ashes in Telford
From areas of outstanding beauty, the River Severn, to picturesque dingles, you can take a peaceful walk and scatter your loved one’s ashes in a place that is special to them in Telford.
Estate valuation: how to value a house and other assets for probate
To value a house for probate, it’s usually best to hire an RICS property surveyor – especially if the estate’s value is close to or above the inheritance tax threshold. For bank accounts and other assets, you can usually contact the organisations directly.
Where to scatter ashes in Liverpool
Take a peaceful boat ride across the River Mersey, walk around the famed heads or shoreline of Crosby Beach and scatter your loved ones ashes in a place that was special to them.
Memorial ideas in Liverpool
There are a few ways to establish a memorial for your loved one in Liverpool, from interring their ashes at Colonnade Wall at Anfield to placing a memorial plaque at a crematorium.
Unique wake venues in Liverpool
Cheer on Liverpool at Anfield Stadium, enjoy a picnic at the lovely Sefton Park or travel back in time at The Beatles Story museum as you celebrate the life of your loved one.
Memorial ideas in Southend-on-Sea
Pay tribute to your loved one with a dedicated rose bush, leaf of remembrance, or message in a book of remembrance in Southend-on-Sea.
Unique wake venues in Cambridge
Celebrate the life of your loved one by cheering for Cambridge United at Abbey Stadium, gathering friends for a picnic under the trees at Cambridge University Botanic Garden, or by enjoying an afternoon tea while cruising down the River Cam.
Memorial ideas in Cambridge
Pay tribute to your loved one with a dedicated memorial bench in Cambridge University Botanic Garden, plant a tree at their favourite Cambridge park in their honour, or support The Wildlife Trust by buying an engraved leaf in their name.
Unique wake venues in Brighton
Cheer for their football team at Amex Stadium, enjoy a picnic in the beautiful grounds of Regency Garden at the Royal Pavilion, or take in the views over Brighton at the British Airways i360 viewing tower as you celebrate the life of your loved one.
Where to scatter ashes in Brighton
Take a boat ride from Brighton Marina to the sea, spend some quiet time on Brighton Pier, or walk through the South Downs to Ditchling Beacon to scatter your loved one’s ashes in a place that meant so much to them.
Memorial ideas in Brighton
There are a few ways to establish a memorial for your loved one in Brighton, from donating a tree to a local park, dedicating a bench in the city, to placing a plaque in the garden of remembrance.
Where to scatter ashes in Cambridge
Enjoy a boat ride out on the River Cam, take a peaceful walk through the city remembrance garden or visit the natural beauty of Milton Country Park to scatter your loved one’s ashes in a place that is special to them.
What happens after the grant of probate is issued?
If you’ve made an application for probate and you’re going to be named on the grant document, you might have some questions about what should happen once probate is granted.
What happens if you don't write a will?
When someone dies without writing a will, their estate is shared out following the rules of intestacy. Here, we’ll cover what this means and who can inherit when there isn’t a valid will in place.
What’s a celebration of life?
A celebration of life is an end-of-life event held to honour someone’s life, rather than remember their death. You could hold one instead of, or combined with, a more traditional funeral.
Everything you need to know about attending a wake
If you’ve been invited to a wake but are not sure what to expect this guide will take you through the details of a wake, how best to show up on the day, and where the word and tradition comes from.
How to be a pallbearer
A pallbearer is someone who escorts the coffin at a funeral and (if there is one) at a burial, too. They’ll either carry the coffin, move it along on a wheeled trolley called a bier, or walk with it as other people move it.
How long are funerals?
This guide will go through all the things that affect a funeral’s length so that you know what to plan for.
Everything you need to know about sea burials
We’ll cover what a sea burial is, how you can organise one, where you can have one and why you might want one. As well as the risks and advantages of the process so you can decide what’s right for you.
Everything you need to know about funeral processions or cortèges
We’ll cover what a funeral procession is, where they come from and why they happen. We’ll also go through how to take part in one and what to do if you come across one.
What is a will trust?
A will trust is any trust that’s included as part of your will. By setting up a trust, you can pass control of your assets to your “trustees”. They can then transfer the funds to beneficiaries following the wishes set out in your will.
How to get a grant of representation
A grant of representation is a document that allows you to deal with someone's estate. To get one, you need to collect up information about their estate, fill out a form and submit an application to the probate registry.



Guides
We’ve put all our expertise into these free guides to help you get to grips with everything to do with death.