Choosing a funeral home

Choosing a funeral director and where to start is something many may not yet have had to experience. It can happen unexpectedly and making the right choice for your loved one at what is already an incredibly distressing time, is an important decision.



It is essential that you choose a funeral director with whom you feel comfortable. Someone who will listen to you and your story, who will remove some of the burden of the many questions and decisions. Likewise, someone who will caringly guide you through the process of arranging a funeral that is personalised and unique, whether you are helping to organise the funeral of a loved one, or simply planning ahead for your own.

One of the most frequent questions we are asked is whether someone has to use the funeral director who may have already collected their loved one; as they may not initially have been on their choosing. The most important thing to remember is that you have a choice. Even if your loved one has already been taken into the care of a funeral director under the instruction of the hospital or care home they were in, it is ultimately your decision who carries out the funeral arrangements and it is always possible to have them moved to the funeral director of your preference.

Funeral directors can vary in price, services and qualifications. Their policies can also differ (including whether or not you can visit the deceased person in a chapel of rest). We do advise that you ‘shop around’, as you would with any other service or product, to ensure you are retaining the services of a funeral director best suited to your needs and wishes; one who will allow you to create a funeral as unique as the person who is no longer present.

Things to consider:

Their approach:

  1. Did you feel the funeral director or funeral arranger assisting you in making arrangements put you at ease?
  2. Have they asked you how much knowledge you already have of arranging a funeral, or if this is your first arrangement experience?
  3. Are they considerate of yours and your loved ones wishes and needs in their recommendations and guidance?

Funeral type:

  1. What type of funeral do you require? Will the service be a burial or a cremation, religious or non-religious, or perhaps green?

Location & appointments

  1. Where are they based?

  2. How do you work with them?

  3. Do they offer remote arrangements through video calling?

  4. Can you visit your loved one in the funeral home?

The Funeral service

  1. Can your loved one be dressed in clothes of their choice?

  2. What memorials do they offer?

  3. Do they have an online portal for mourners to view funeral details, leave messages of condolence and contribute charity donations?

  4. Who will be your funeral director on the day?

  5. Can the venue or the funeral director stream the service online?

  6. Can they organise a reception after the funeral?

  7. What is their aftercare offering? Can they support with masonry queries, sourcing ashes urns and other keepsake items such as memorial jewellery?

Reputation & qualifications

  1. Do they have good reviews? Check platforms like Google My Business (found in Google Maps) to read reviews from previous clients.

  2. Are they a member of an industry association like the NAFD (National Association of Funeral Directors) and SAIF (Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors)?

Pricing

  1. How much do they cost? NB. If they do not have a full price list online, make sure you request one.

  2. Are there any 3rd party costs (also known as disbursements) not included?

  3. Do they require a deposit?

  4. When do you need to pay the bill?

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