Funerals are a service that combines the practical disposal of the deceased and a celebration of their life, which is commonly held on the same day.
But no two funerals are the same.
They’re unique and tailored to the person who’s died whose life is being celebrated. They also don’t come as packages, and there are varying levels of service people can choose – the basic removal and disposal of someone who’s died, to a funeral that features a service or celebration.
In the absence of specific instructions or funds, families will be responsible to make choices and arrange a send off they feel is appropriate and affordable.
At its simplest, a funeral is essentially:
- Removal of a deceased person into the care of a professional funeral director with appropriate facilities to care for many days
- Provision of a coffin
- Transport to a final place of rest
We offer a non-attended cremation, also known as a direct cremation, for clients who want just the basic removal, care and onward transport for their funeral. It’s no-fuss, low-cost and because it is unattended, can be arranged at any time. This cost ranges regionally, dependent on the costs charged by crematoria. In Scotland the range is £ to £ and in England £ .
For those wanting a funeral that includes a service, the overall cost rises to £ to £. Pricing can be complex when you factor in all the elements that make up a funeral.
William Purves includes many service elements as standard which other providers define as add-ons. We ensure our prices are transparent and inclusive and our service includes:
- 24/7, 365 day in-person response
- Out of hours attendance
- Coming to your home to make arrangements, or meeting you in your local branch
- Collecting clothing locally
- Family viewing
- Saturday services, where possible
- Use of our service room
- Streaming and recording of services
- Additional staff as required on the day
- Delivery of ashes locally
- Online and Facebook obituaries
- Access to specialist bereavement support
The cost of a funeral should also include the quality of support and service anticipated from the professional team you appoint.
The experience of staff, quality of reputation, standard of facilities, quality of fleet and professional accreditation should also play a part in establishing if costs represent value for money.
Having supported bereaved families for many generations, we recommend you speak to us about any plans you may have for your or someone else. It costs nothing to have a conversation but it’s priceless to get it right.
Finally, since 2021, the CMA (Competition and Markets Authority) set strict guidelines to ensure transparency in funeral costs and how they are shared or made available to buyers of funeral services. This comprised of a standardised price list (link) for services in local areas. This will vary region to region so we have set out the main elements that contribute to the overall cost of funerals.