Cemeteries: questions to ask a funeral director

Whether planning your own funeral or that of a relative, there are important questions to be asked. Here's what you need to find out from a funeral director...

Cemeteries

Crematoria and cemeteries

What range of services do you provide?

  • A funeral director will organise everything from picking up the body to its burial in a cemetery or commitment at a crematorium.
How much do you charge?

  • The basic fee should include looking after the body, the funeral, plus various fees or disbursements, including the cemetery or crematorium fees and minister's fee. It can also include flowers and newspaper obituaries, if required.
Should I be cremated or buried?

  • Most people know what they want and write their preference in their will.
  • Generally the cost of a burial is higher—it involves buying the plot and paying a gravedigger—although the funeral charges are similar for both services.
How do I buy a plot in a cemetery?

  • Space in cemeteries is becoming limited. For example, it has been estimated that almost all of London's cemeteries will be full by 2030. So, if you are considering a burial for yourself it may be best to act now to reserve a space.
  • Decide if there is a particular place or certain cemetery where you would like to be laid to rest.
  • Most cemeteries are non-denominational and are run by either the local authority or a privately owned company. Contact the local council in the area and they will be able to tell you about your local burial options.
  • A few cemeteries are owned by a particular denomination and restrict burial to members of that denomination.
  • Spaces in Church of England cemeteries may be particularly limited.
Can just ashes be buried in a cemetery?

  • You can have your ashes buried in a cemetery in a casket. In fact, some cemeteries now limit burials to ashes only.
How much does it cost to be buried in a cemetery?

  • Fees vary widely—from a couple of hundred pounds to several thousand—and are set by the owners of the cemetery. You usually have to pay more if you don't live in the area.
  • In most cemeteries you pay a fee to "buy the plot". In practice, you lease the plot and have exclusive right of burial there for a period of years, typically 25 to 100, which may be extended at a price.
Do I have to buy in advance?

  • It's not essential to buy your plot in advance. Your relatives can let the funeral director make the arrangements for you.
Who can be buried in a military cemetery?

  • A member of the armed forces who dies while serving may be buried in a military cemetery.
What if I want to bury or cremate a pet?

  • You can arrange to have your pet buried in a pet cemetery or have them cremated and the ashes returned to you.

All guides on Yell.com are provided for general guidance only, do not constitute legal or professional advice and are not intended to be exhaustive.


Share this:
What are these?
  • Save to favourites Favorites
  • del.icio.us del.icio.us
  • reddit reddit
  • Google Bookmarks Google Bookmarks
  • Facebook Facebook
  • StumbleUpon StumbleUpon
  • digg digg
  • Yahoo ! My Web Yahoo ! My Web

Make the right choice

Get unbiased information and advice from Which? to help you make the right choice when buying products and services—plus unique tips on how to make the most of things you purchase and advice on how to exercise your rights.

Which?

Visit Which.co.uk for further information and find out how to access thousands of product reviews and locate recommended traders in your area.


Don't forget to mention that you found this information on Yell.com. To get more information, visit www.yell.com/find