People often don’t want to think about planning for their own funeral, however, making provision early in terms of planning your funeral and having a Will prepared, can help to ensure that your wishes are followed and that there are fewer costs left for your loved ones to deal with.
A report from Sunlife has revealed that the average cost of dying in the UK is £9,263, the highest it’s ever been, and that since 2010 the average cost of a basic funeral has increased by 54% and will now cost a hefty £4,184.
The report also highlighted that last year only 43% of the people who had died had made full financial provision for their funeral before their death.
It is common for funeral costs to be paid from your estate but this is only a possibility when there are enough funds in the estate to cover the expenses.
Where no provision has been made financial difficulties can often arise with people routinely overspending in certain areas, those most commonly identified by funeral directors are the flowers and the catering. Planning in advance and shopping around for quotes will reduce the risk of overspending.
In terms of planning ahead for your funeral, many people are unaware that the Scottish Government introduced legislation in 2016 to cover circumstances where you have not set out your wishes (either in writing or verbally).
In the absence of those wishes being recorded, or if you die without a Will (intestate), the legislation lists a hierarchy of family members who are responsible for arranging a funeral. If you die when you are an adult the people responsible are ranked, beginning with the nearest relative, as follows: spouse/civil partner/cohabitee, child, parent, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, and so on down to your closest friends.
Jordan Hay, Senior Solicitor in our Private Client services team, says: "So that your wishes are absolutely clear, and to avoid a lot of unnecessary upset, if you are putting a Will in place, which we strongly recommend, it is the ideal place to set out specific instructions for how your loved ones are to carry out your wishes when you die.”
“We recommend inserting a funeral instructions clause into your Will to set out your funeral arrangements. It can be written to clearly set out your preferences in relation to cremation, burial, or any other process which aligns with your beliefs and wishes.”
“In addition, you can prepare a letter of wishes to go alongside your Will which, although not legally binding, can help to guide your loved ones in planning your funeral e.g. choice of music, flowers, or the wine at your wake.”
Clearly expressing your wishes in advance will prevent uncertainties and can help your loved ones to avoid further worry about what you might have chosen at what is already a stressful and upsetting time for them.
