Pre paid funeral?

[snorri]

Why worry?
You state your wishes and your executor/next of kin follows them.
And, yes, the company could go bust just like any other company. .

You worry, out of consideration for relatives, if you have any, and friends.
If you rely on a solicitor to be your executor you can be sure your estate will be debited the full going rate for handling funeral costs, and the deceased may not have next of kin who are fit or willing to handle the responsibility.
The undertaker could go bust as you say, but unlike other companies, the funds are held by a completely separate company in a trust fund which cannot be raided in order to pay off the debts of the failed company.

 

[oldwheels]

I do have a lair paid for in a local cemetery so that is one less problem. The local undertaker will deal with everything else but will need paid of course. The hassle of registering the death is more onerous and I don't know if the Shipman legacy has gone but a percentage of deaths chosen at random needed an autopsy which can caused weeks of delay in case a doctor had followed in his footsteps.
When I went to register my wife's death the registrar said " You are lucky, you have not been picked" which seemed a bit insensitive but realistic.

 

[Cycleops]

Do what am doing - donate your body to medical science, and ask them to chuck the scraps in the hospital incinerator!

I wonder if that includes being a crash test dummy cadaver? Apparently nothing behaves in a crash like a real body. Does anyone know if they are still using them?

 

[Blue Hills]

Certainly a lot of ads for them on the telly - folks chatting up men/women of a certain age in kitchens with opening lines about funeral expenses.
I wonder what the other halves think of all this body talk?
(or maybe they are down the road having a natter to someone else's other half)
Makes a change from discussing coffee I suppose.

(interesting question though @davidphilips )

 

[gbb]

Mum and dad brought funeral bonds from the Co-op. When dad passed, I cant tell you how it made an awful time just that bit easier.
We contacted them, took the paperwork and they were fabulous, very relaxed and respectful yet informal, sorted everything, right down to putting us in touch with a celebrant , all we had to do was specify what we wanted within the cost of the bond. Of course, you could pay extra for extras.
I'd thoroughly recommend it.
How much should you pay ?....I guess your have to know how much its realistically going to cost for the service you actually want.

 

[Blue Hills]

Do what am doing - donate your body to medical science, and ask them to chuck the scraps in the hospital incinerator!

If friends and family want to arrange a wake, that is up to them.

Have you actually sorted this?
How?
Are they fussy about who/what they accept?
For some reason my dad brought this up as a general matter of fact topic when I was quite young - I seem to remember I said I'd be fine with being put out with the bins.
I'll definitely be cremated - my wishes about where I want scattering have changed though.
On a side topic, are there rules about being scattered?
I seem to remember something about there being certain restrictions, even bans - but that may have been somewhere abroad.

(and all this reminds me of an odd true factoid I must get around to posting)

 

[welsh dragon]

I want one of the ones where they simply pick up your body, cremate it and then send or take the ashes back to your family.

I would rather they have a get together and spend a few pounds on some food and alcohol and have a laugh about things we used to do.

Funerals are so stressful for the families and cost so much money that I would turn in my grave at all that.

 

[Blue Hills]

I want one of the ones where they simply pick up your body, cremate it and then send or take the ashes back to your family.

I would rather they have a get together and spend a few pounds on some food and alcohol and have a laugh about things we used to do.

Funerals are so stressful for the families and cost so much money that I would turn in my grave at all that.

yep, I've seen those ads - the one with the cartoon?
One would think that it should be very cheap indeed - sod all involved.
Agree about the alcohol - perhaps breweries should take this on as a bit of clever marketing/a loss leader - free disposal - cut price (but still profitable for them) beer at the wake.

 

[Archie_tect]

Makes sense not to cremate an ornate and expensive coffin which can then be reused any number of times.

 

[Tail End Charlie]

It is with some surprise that I learn it would be legal for my wife to simply bury me in the garden, next to the dog. Of course, questions might be asked if she doesn't wait until I'm dead.

That was the scenario in the recent TV drama "finding Alice".

 

[welsh dragon]

It is crazy to spend stupid money on a coffin only to throw it into an oven and burn it. Sod that.

 

[ColinJ]

Have you actually sorted this?
How?
Are they fussy about who/what they accept?

When I spent my 9 days in hospital in 2012 I had various forms to fill in. IIRC (I was in a right state, so my memory is fuzzy!) one of them was a detailed organ donor form. I could specify which ones. (I'm not sure why people would be ok giving a heart, but not kidneys (whatever) but there you go...) TBH I don't think there was an entry saying 'burn the scraps' but it would make sense if they did offer the option! I'm fairly sure that there was an entry for medical research/tuition donation.

Ah, I just did a search... Apparently it is an either/or donation - they understandably don't want bodies with all the interesting bits taken out! They WILL cremate the body after body donations. Details HERE. (Body donations currently suspended because of Covid-19.)

 

[oldwheels]

Makes sense not to cremate an ornate and expensive coffin which can then be reused any number of times.

Cremation is not common here due to distance and travel problems. Our local undertaker has one reasonably priced sample coffin. If you want to spend more he will order one.
An undertaker in Aberdeen had a room full of samples from basic to ridiculous. I was rather shocked at the price of the fancy ones which cost more than an ordinary funeral just for that.

 

[Eric Olthwaite]

That was the scenario in the recent TV drama "finding Alice".

I shan't be encouraging her to watch that.

 

[welsh dragon]

Mr WD and I were talking about funerals the other night and he said that he didn't care what happens to him when he dies. He said he wouldn't care if I buried him in the field just as long as I wait until he is dead first.