As funeral costs continue to rise, a growing number of families are experiencing what is known as ‘funeral poverty’. This is when the death of a loved one results in financial hardship. According to our 2023 Funeral Report, the overall average cost for a funeral is now £4,515. Discretionary items like flowers, catering and memorials could push this cost to £13,000 or more depending on the choices made.
Among people questioned in our research, just under half (45%) have had to help pay for a funeral in the past. On average they made a contribution of £2,386. You may be wondering if your family could pull together that much money on short notice if you were to die unexpectedly.
Sadly, in many cases, we’re not financially prepared for the sudden loss of a relative. But what happens if you die, and your family can’t afford to pay for your funeral?
Your money is used to pay for your funeral
According to the UK Government, funeral payments cannot be deducted from a house or any personal items you have left to your surviving partner - they are instead deducted from bank accounts and savings. When we die, our family can request to have our assets released from the bank. Assuming you don’t have any outstanding debts, this money can be used to pay for funeral expenses.
Local authority funeral
If you haven’t left any available funds and your family simply cannot access thousands of pounds at short notice, there is another option. Your family can sign away the responsibility of your body to the council. After providing a written statement disclaiming responsibility of the deceased, the relevant local council will then provide what is known as a public health funeral or local authority funeral. There are no costs associated with a local authority funeral – everything is covered by the council including funeral director and coffin for instance.
How does a public health funeral work?
You see, when someone dies alone, dies in state care, dies in poverty or a deceased individual goes unclaimed by friends or relatives, they’re entitled to a local authority funeral. This kind of funeral is commonly referred to as a ‘pauper’s funeral’. These days fewer people are using this expression since it can be demeaning to those who are laid to rest in such a way.
Once the responsibility of the deceased has been signed over, the council will take over. They will provide a coffin and place the deceased under the care of a funeral director. The funeral director will assist with arranging a simple but dignified burial or more commonly, a cremation.
What happens after signing away the responsibility of the deceased?
Unfortunately, there are restrictions when it comes to this kind of funeral. For instance, you cannot choose the funeral director. The local authority will hold a short service, but they will decide on the time and date. Often months pass before the service takes place which can be distressing for families.
There are no flowers, or memorials and no viewings or any of the standard funeral traditions. The deceased in many cases will be cremated or buried in an unmarked grave that could potentially be shared with others. Unless of course they previously bought a plot, or they have the right to be buried in a family plot.
While some are perfectly content with having a public health funeral, and some are happy to have no funeral at all, many families run themselves into debt trying to avoid this situation.
A meaningful send-off
We would all like to have a say in how we bid farewell to the ones we love most. Unfortunately giving someone the funeral they deserve is sometimes beyond our reach financially. Which is why it could make sense to look into planning your own funeral. After all, we all want to feel proud of doing what we can to make things easier for our families at an already difficult time.
Using life insurance to cover funeral costs
You can feel proud to protect what’s important by securing a life insurance policy. Over 50 Life insurance helps protect your family financially at the time of your death. We all want to give our loved ones the send-off they truly deserve. Life insurance can help to relieve that financial hardship and allow your family to say goodbye on their terms. British Seniors is the UK’s #1 rated provider of Over 50s Life Insurance and we’re proud to help protect thousands of British families across the UK.1
Taking precautions
An unexpected death can be detrimental when there are no financial provisions in place. When we don’t prepare for the worst, we put those we care about at risk of debt. But not to worry, British Seniors can help you prepare. Our Over 50 Life insurance is guaranteed for any UK resident aged 50-80. That means no medical or health checks required.
You might also be interested to know that British Seniors also offer a free Funeral Benefit Option. This is a free £300 contribution towards your funeral on top of your benefit amount. If you choose an unattended cremation, please note that the £300 contribution will not apply.3