Who Has to Pay for a Funeral?

After losing your loved one, the questions that inevitably arise are; what are, how to cover, and who should cover the funeral costs? In the moment of sadness, a sense of duty starts to appear.

The person named in the deceased’s will as the executor is primarily responsible for all funeral arrangements.

In the absence of a Will, the probate court will appoint an appropriate person, usually the nearest relative. The costs, however, should come from the deceased person’s estate (savings, property, and other assets). But, if the person who passed away didn’t have any assets, the ‘executor’ is expected to plan and arrange funeral payments. 

1. If the deceased had taken a pre-paid funeral plan. If so, you are obliged to follow the pre-arranged funeral ‘package’;
2. If the deceased has a funeral or life insurance policy (that will cover the costs of the funeral);
3. If the deceased has a personal pension scheme that gives a lump sum payment for funeral arrangements and costs. 

A problem might occur when the estate, in the moment of passing, becomes temporarily frozen (until probate is granted), meaning nothing can be sold to release funds. An executor therefore arranges and covers the financial obligations of the funeral and then seeks to recover the cost from the estate. (Note it might take many weeks and months for the bank to release funds!)

However, some banks will release funds straight to the funeral director from the deceased’s account (make sure to have all the paperwork well worked out), but they are not obligated to do so.

If the executor and the nearest relatives are on a low income, the government (local authority) could provide some money to cover the costs. Still, many qualifying criteria are expected to be met.

To be precise, the only person legally obligated to pay for the funeral costs is the person signing the contract with the funeral home. Hence, knowing the terms and expenses of the chosen service in advance is crucial before signing the contract.  

At Newrest Funerals, you will have the budget, banks and bills estimated upfront to ensure you don’t experience additional stress and costs!

As a part of our professional offers, you will find a pre-payment plan for all types of funerals – a chance to be the organiser of your own funeral. Those you leave behind will face no financial burden, trouble, and unclear legal issues.

Also read about burial services in the UK

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