DIY Funerals

A DIY funeral, or ‘do it yourself funeral’, requires a lot of planning and preparation.

Before you choose to arrange a DIY funeral for a loved one, you should be sure that you can handle the responsibilities involved, both practically and emotionally. Typical DIY funeral arrangements include:

• Organising care and transportation of the deceased

•  Booking a cremation or burial date

• Completing the correct paperwork and submitting it on time

• Purchasing a coffin or casket

• Arranging any funeral service you may wish to hold
  
  Whatever your reason may be for arranging a DIY funeral, it should be given considerable thought. Some find it stressful and overwhelming to organise everything themselves, especially at an already difficult time.

Things to consider before arranging a DIY funeral

Most funerals in the UK are organised by a Funeral Director, although there is no legal requirement to do so.

Arranging a funeral yourself can be an effective way of managing your grief, but a 'do it yourself' funeral might not be as simple as you believe. If you're planning on arranging a funeral without a Funeral Director, there are a number of things you need to consider and be aware of upfront.

Before making any arrangements, you will need to assemble a team of family and friends to help you. These people will need to be both physically and emotionally able to meet the demands that will be placed on them.

Firstly, consider where your loved one will rest until the day of the funeral. Warm temperatures can adversely affect the speed at which a body decomposes, so keeping the body in a cool room is of vital importance. A Funeral Home will typically have specialist refrigeration facilities; as it is unlikely you will have these facilities available to you, you may want to consider hiring a portable air-conditioning unit if you are keeping the body at home. It is not recommended to keep the body at home for longer than one week.

If you can arrange for the body to be kept in a mortuary until the day of the funeral, the staff may help you dressing and placing your loved one into the coffin. If your loved one had any cannulas or catheters, they may also be happy to remove these for you.

If the death is referred to the coroner, you will be unable to care for your loved one at home.

How to do I arrange a DIY funeral?

Whether that be a DIY burial or cremation, there are many elements you will need to arrange.

You will need to organise each element of the funeral including the transport, committal and a service if you want one. This will require speaking directly with providers such as crematoria, coffin manufacturers and religious organisations (should you want to contact someone to lead a service). You will also need you have the right paperwork for a cremation or burial to go ahead.

To arrange a DIY funeral, you will need to:

Buy a coffin or shroud

There are suppliers who are willing to sell coffins to the public, although there are a few things you should consider before placing an order. Depending on whether your loved one is to be buried or cremated, a different type of coffin may be required. Please check the requirements with the operator of the crematorium or cemetery prior to ordering.

If your loved one is resting at a mortuary, the staff may be able to measure the body so you can order a coffin that is the right size and can safely accommodate the weight of your loved one. You should allow for a few extra inches all around the body, also considering that the feet should be laid flat as opposed to standing when placed in the coffin.

You will need to order a coffin with load-bearing handles to ensure family and friends can safely carry the coffin. You will also need to ensure you have a team of family and friends to carry the coffin into the crematorium or church, on the day of the funeral.

Book a cremation at your preferred crematorium

If you wish for your loved one to be cremated, you should remember:

• Not all crematoria operators will be comfortable engaging with you without a Funeral Director, please check with the crematorium beforehand.

• Any pacemakers will need to be removed prior to the cremation.

• Check with the crematoria any guidelines on the type of coffin, clothing or footwear.

• Nothing should be placed in the coffin that can melt, stick or cause any kind of explosion.

Most crematoria will offer music and audio-visual (video) facilities. You should speak to the operators to discuss your options before the day of the funeral.

Before the cremation can take place, you will need to provide the following paperwork:

• A cremation certificate – also known as the 'Green Form'. You should get this when you register the death.

• Cremation application – referred to as 'Form 1' in England and Wales and 'Form A' in Scotland. This form should be completed by a relative or close friend of the deceased and sent to the Cremation Authority, authorising the cremation to take place.

•  Medical certificate of cause of death – the Cremation Authority will often require a medical certificate signed by a doctor. If the death was referred to a coroner, you will not be required to provide medical certificates. Instead, you will be given 'Form 6' in England and Wales and 'Form E' in Scotland.

Secure a burial plot

If your loved one wanted to be buried, there are no restrictions on arranging a burial yourself, although some cemeteries may be obstructive as this is not how they are traditionally arranged.

As with cremation, there is specific paperwork that needs to be complete before a burial can take place:

• A burial certificate – also known as the 'Green Form'. This can be obtained when you register the death.

• Burial plot application form – you will need to sign an application form issued by your local council or cemetery if you wish to purchase a new grave or re-open an existing burial plot. A burial plot can normally only be purchased for a certain number of years and will have conditions attached to it.

• An order for burial ('Form 101') – if a coroner holds an inquest, this form will be issued in place of the burial certificate ('Green Form').

Hire a gravedigger if your chosen funeral is a burial

When arranging a DIY funeral, the cemetery may not provide a gravedigger within the costs of the burial. If this is the case, you will need to engage with the services of a professional gravedigger. Each cemetery may have different rules for how the grave should be dug, so it’s best to check with your chosen cemetery beforehand.

Arrange transportation of the deceased

It is important to consider how you will transport your loved one to the crematorium or cemetery on the day of the funeral; an estate car or van will usually be suitable as long as the coffin is carefully secured. Another option is to hire a ‘carriage-master’, a hearse and a driver to transport your loved one.

The crematorium or cemetery will not provide pallbearers, so you must also ensure you have a team of family and friends to carry the coffin into the crematorium or lower the coffin into the grave.

Hire a minister or officiant to conduct a service, if you want one

It is perfectly acceptable for the funeral service to be led by a family member or friend, although you may wish to engage with the services of a minister or officiant. You should not feel pressured into arranging a funeral service as this is not a requirement.

Will a DIY funeral save money?

Arranging a funeral yourself is likely to offer increased control of costs and considerable savings in comparison to a traditional funeral arranged with a Funeral Director. A Funeral Director spends several hours arranging each funeral, which is inevitably reflected in the cost of the funeral. So yes, in comparison to a traditional funeral, a DIY funeral does have the potential to save you money.

Along with lowering funeral costs, choosing a DIY funeral offers you the freedom to arrange a highly personalised ceremony for your loved one. Some people even find that organising the funeral themselves helps with the grieving process; they feel a sense of closure as they are doing one final thing for their loved one.

Whether you choose a DIY funeral to help save on funeral costs or for the increased freedom it offers, it may be sensible to call on the help of professionals for certain services – such as looking after the person’s body in the time between their death and the funeral, for transportation of the deceased or the supply of a coffin.

Arranging a family-led funeral service

Some families choose to take a more hands-on role in arranging a funeral because they want greater flexibility and the opportunity to lead the service themselves.

In these cases, the funeral usually takes place at a local crematorium or venue, on a date and time agreed with the family. Arrangements are typically made to ensure the person who has died is cared for appropriately beforehand and transported to the venue on the day of the service. Depending on the arrangements chosen, there may be no formal procession, hearse or limousines, allowing the focus to remain on the service itself.

Families can personalise the ceremony to reflect their loved one’s life. This may include music, eulogies, poems, readings, or other elements that feel meaningful, particularly if the person had specific interests, values or hobbies.

It’s also important to consider who will lead the service. While many funerals in the UK are led by a celebrant or minister, a funeral can be led by anyone the family chooses, such as a friend or relative. For those who prefer a religious or more formal ceremony, guidance can be sought on finding an appropriate minister or officiant.

For help arranging a funeral for someone who has passed away, please contact us today. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.