Thinking about and planning your funeral can feel very difficult, and some people prefer not to talk about it. Letting people know about any wishes can relieve your friends and family of some of the stress of organising your funeral, and can provide reassurance to those close to you that they are celebrating your life in the way you wanted.

DO I NEED TO PLAN A FUNERAL?

You can think about it in as much or as little detail as you like, from planning every aspect to just letting people know a favourite song or hymn you would like. Some people choose to leave funeral instructions in their Will (although this is the only part of a Will that is not legally binding). Even if you don’t talk to anyone about it, make sure you write down anything that is important to you, and tell someone close to you where you have put it, so that your friends and family will be able to follow your wishes when the time comes.

IS THERE ANYTHING A FUNERAL MUST INCLUDE?

A funeral is an opportunity for your family and friends to express their grief and celebrate your life. There are no rules about what it needs to look like or include – it is entirely personal to you and those who are close to you.

People often worry about their funeral being ‘a fuss’. But your funeral can be as simple and as low-key as you want – it doesn’t need to be large or grand. In fact, you don’t have to have a formal funeral service at all if you don’t want one – although friends and family normally value the chance to come together and celebrate the life of the person they love.

People also think that they have to choose between a very religious service in a church or something with no spiritual element at all. A service at a church or other place of worship service will generally be religious, but at other places (crematorium or local venue) you can chose a celebrant who will include some religious content, or none, depending on your preference. There is no wrong or right way to do any of these things, it is about having the funeral that is right for you and the people who are important to you.