Funeral information
Burial
For some people. a burial is the right option.
If you are not sure of someone’s wishes, it’s worth checking a will if there is one. Or, if in doubt, a local churchyard or cemetery office may have a record of a plot being pre-purchased, especially if an earlier family burial plot is already in situ.
Typical costs will include an amount to purchase the right of burial on the land, an interment fee, the cost of a gravedigger and the cost of any headstone or memorial.
There are several burial options
Generally, burials in churches are restricted to those who attend the church or who are residents of the parish as space is often very limited.
Please note that in Scotland there is not usually a church or chapel that can be used for a service at a burial.
Maintained and managed by the local councils and also usually restricted to local residents. To check in your area, go to your nearest local council website. You can find your nearest local council website here
Sometime these are areas set aside and left natural within a council cemetery, but often these are privately owned and managed. Natural burial grounds can be anything from an untouched field to a fully managed area, not unlike a regular cemetery. Prices vary greatly and will reflect the nature of the site and its location.
An excellent place to start your search would be the Natural Death Centre here
Cremation
If you are thinking of arranging a cremation, then it may be worth doing a little research to ensure the crematorium you are considering can offer you the sort of service and facilities you require. Your funeral director, if using one, can give you crematorium advice and talk you through the available options in your area. But a useful list to start your search can be found here
Crematoriums vary, but typically 50 to 100 guests can be accommodated with others sometimes being able to access a service remotely or on a TV screen nearby. A service time of around 20 to 30 minutes is fairly standard, with longer funerals being possible only if a double slot is bought and paid for. Ashes can be collected usually within 48 hours.
There are legal requirements for paperwork to be provided which your funeral director and the Registrar can help you with.
Funeral Services, Memorial Services or Celebration of Life
More often than not, a funeral in Scotland has some kind of formal service for family and friends to attend, which is held at the same time as the burial or cremation.
For cremations, the service is typically 20 – 30 minutes long and held within the crematorium building. In addition some families may choose to hold a second, longer service, often at a local church.
For burials, there is usually a church or chapel that can be used for a service at the cemetery, and this will be followed by an interment at the graveside. Alternatively, you may choose to have the whole thing at the graveside only.
You may wish to engage a minister or religious leader to conduct the service for you However, if you prefer a non-religious event, which typically takes the form of a celebration of life, there are 2 kinds of professional celebrants who you may enlist to help.
Please also see below more information on Fuze Foundation, who provide celebrant services at no cost to those experiencing financial hardship or terminal illness.
Types of celebrants
Will be happy to put together a mixed bag of readings, speeches, poems and songs, as well as prayers and hymns if required.
Similar to Civil Celebrants, but will not usually incorporate any prayers or religious content at all. Your funeral director can help you to find a suitable person to work with over these matters.
Caledonia Funeral Aid was set up to support bereaved people across Scotland, especially those facing funeral poverty.
We are passionate about working with like-minded organisations so we can increase the type of support we offer and are delighted to partner with The Fuze Foundation. They provide celebrant services at no cost to those experiencing financial hardship or terminal illness.
We have already called on their services to support bereaved people who have reached out to us for help, and will continue to do so for anyone who wants that kind of support.
Everyone deserves a dignified and caring goodbye, regardless of their financial circumstances and thanks to our partnership with Fuze Foundation, we are even better able to achieve that for bereaved people across Scotland
More about Fuze Foundation and Ceremonies
The Fuze Foundation also offers not-for-profit Legal Humanist Marriages in Scotland, through Fuze Ceremonies, and campaigns for equality, diversity, and social justice.
Fuze Ceremonies have a team of 60 professionally qualified, disclosure checked and fully insured celebrants operating across the length and breadth of Scotland. Couples who choose a Humanist Wedding Ceremony conducted by Fuze are supporting their ongoing give-back to good causes, as a donation from their fee is gifted to their Fuze Foundation.
These donations, along with their fundraising efforts, help them to provide celebrant services at no cost. They also never charge for children’s celebrant funeral services.
Their team passionately engage and promote 5 key purposes:
Purpose 1: Promoting Humanism
Purpose 2: Embracing Diversity and Inclusivity
Purpose 3: Promoting Religious Harmony
Purpose 4: To Fight Funeral Poverty & Support Families in Need
Purpose 5: Supporting Charities
And finally, you may choose to dispense with a celebrant all together, by organising and conducting the service yourself. However this can be harder than you may think. Funerals can trigger strong emotions and some do break down and can not continue.
Alternatively, you may ask a family member or friend to do it for you.
If you manage to do this, it will not only reduce costs, but also result in a more bespoke service.
Direct Cremation and Direct Burial
Recently, there has been an increase in the popularity of direct or simple cremations and burials. This is where the deceased is taken to a crematorium or a burial ground unaccompanied by any family or friends. There is no memorial service at the burial ground or crematorium and no added extras. As a result, the prices are significantly lower than for a traditional funeral.
Families who choose a direct funeral often still decide to hold a celebration of life or a family gathering of some form which they arrange themselves at a time and location of their choosing and without involving a funeral director.
For some, this type of funeral may be a practical consideration because the deceased has no family or because the costs of a regular funeral is simply too prohibitive. For others however, a direct funeral is a choice in order to minimise the fuss around a funeral and to make way for a more bespoke memorial or gathering separately from the cremation or burial itself.
Other reasons people choose direct cremation include geographical distance between the person who has died and the person who is organising, dislike of formality and broken relationships.
Using a Funeral Director
There is no legal requirement to use a funeral director, but the majority of people find that having someone to guide them through the paperwork and process is really helpful.
Finding a good funeral director who you can work with is key to having a positive funeral. It is worth researching those in your area before committing yourself. Prices vary greatly so it is good to shop around. Do not make the mistake of thinking that choosing a cheaper funeral director is somehow in poor taste– it really isn’t! Funeral directors in Scotland will typically ask for a substantial deposit or payment up front before speaking to you. If you need more information about typical costs and paying for a funeral please see the How To Pay section of this website.
Aside from planning the event and organising the bookings and the paperwork, the primary function of a funeral director is the transportation of the deceased from the place of death, and the care of the deceased. This will include washing and dressing before placement into a coffin, and any viewings
Finally, the funeral director transports the deceased and the family, if required, to the funeral.
There are several large funeral chains operating in the UK which you may wish to use because you trust them to do a good job, or you may prefer an independent, local or family run firm that may be able to offer you a greater degree of flexibility, or a more personal approach. Ultimately, the best funeral director will be the one you feel most able to talk to and work with.
DIY Funerals
It is perfectly possible to plan and arrange a funeral without the use of a funeral director. This will be a cheaper solution and it often results in a more personal experience. There are many things to consider if you choose to go down this route. It is good practice to reach an agreement with all family members before choosing this route.
If you would like more advice on this – please do call or email.
Practical considerations
Emotional considerations
We are no longer used to seeing death up close, or handling a dead person so this is something that will need to be honestly considered and discussed with other family members who may need to be called on to help with lifting, washing, dressing, and carrying.
If appropriate, you can choose to take on some of the work of a funeral director and ask them to provide part of their normal services to support you with the things you are not able to do. A good funeral director for example, may be happy to simply provide mortuary facilities and a coffin, whilst letting you do the rest.
If you choose the DIY option, it is strongly recommended that you plan and research your options well before they are needed. A good source of advice is the Natural Death Centre
Or you can call us on 03000 11 33 01 to discuss your options
©Copyright Caledonia Funeral Aid 2023
*Caledonia Funeral Aid CIC is a social enterprise managed by Community Renewal Trust
Caledonia Cremation is part of Caledonia Funeral Aid CIC – a social enterprise managed by Community Renewal Trust
