Family Led Funeral: Step by Step Guide
Our Family Led Funeral provides a simple cremation with a family-led service or ceremony in the chapel. With the ceremony organised carefully by you, we will take care of the essential elements required for the cremation to take place.
Visit our Family Led Funeral page for information on what’s included in this funeral package or read on for a step by step guide of how this type of funeral works.
STEP ONE: CONTACT US
You can call us on 0800 484 0260 or complete a contact form, and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
We will take the key information that we need to start the arrangements and answer any questions you may have. We will ask you during the initial call where your loved one is resting.
If your loved one is resting at a hospital, we will always bring them into care a few days before cremation to prepare them in our quality mortuary facilities. We will liaise directly with the hospital to arrange this.
If your loved one is resting outside of a hospital or coroners and you’d like them brought into care sooner there is an additional charge of £250. This covers care in our quality mortuary facilities until the day of the cremation. We will telephone you to arrange for your loved one’s collection.
Please note, full payment will be required over the phone by debit or credit card before we can undertake any services.
We will confirm everything with you by email.
STEP TWO: COMPLETION OF PAPERWORK
A Simplicity representative will meet you to help complete all of the necessary forms and paperwork to allow the cremation to take place.
STEP THREE: REGISTER THE DEATH
You will also need to register the death, as a copy of the death certificate is required before the cremation can take place. A death needs to be registered within 5 days in England and Wales, and within 8 days in Scotland. Find out more about how to register a death.
STEP FOUR: BOOKING THE CREMATION DATE
Once we have received the relevant paperwork, we will be in touch to arrange the time, date and location of the cremation.
STEP FIVE: ARRANGE A SERVICE
A Simplicity advisor will call you to discuss your arrangements for the service. You will be able to plan a family-led ceremony with music, readings and eulogies as you would with a traditional funeral.
You may also like to engage with the services of a minister or officiant in your area to lead the service.
You will have around 30 minutes in the chapel, along with time to enter and exit.
You may find our how to arrange a funeral service guide helpful.
A Service Arrangement Form will be attached to your original confirmation email for you to complete before this telephone call.
STEP SIX: THE CREMATION
Your loved one will be placed in a simple wood effect coffin* and transported to the crematorium in a specialised funeral vehicle by our funeral personnel and placed in the chapel before the attendees arrive. A crematorium assistant will be present on the day to ensure everything runs smoothly.
There will be no procession beforehand.
*Please advise us if your loved one weighs more than 20 stone or is taller than 6’7”, so we can provide a suitable coffin.
STEP SEVEN: THE ASHES
A Simplicity representative will contact you to arrange for the delivery of ashes to you. We aim to return the ashes within four weeks of the cremation date. The ashes can be scattered in our gardens of remembrance if you would prefer.
Your instructions for the ashes will be confirmed on the paperwork you sign for the crematorium.
Visit our Family Led Funeral page for more information or contact us to begin arrangements for a loved one's funeral.