23rd February to 2nd March 2025 marks National Funeral Planning Awareness Week. The occasion aims to raise awareness to the importance of making your funeral wishes known. It encourages people not only to consider their funeral wishes but to have an open and honest discussion with those closest to them and, ideally, to keep a written record.
From having worked in the Wills and Probate Department, Trainee Solicitor Lauren provides the following advice:
I have seen first-hand how difficult clients find it to think about what they wish to happen at their funeral. However, I have also seen the difficulties caused following a death where no provisions have been made by the deceased.
Why awareness is needed
It is likely of no surprise that many people find making a Will a difficult topic of conversation, and often we meet clients who admit that they have been putting off the task for a long period of time.
However, something I have noticed since working in the Wills and Probate department at GWCA Solicitors is that many clients who take the step to make a Will, whether they find this difficult of not, often find discussing their funeral wishes even more difficult.
Understandably, clients often refer to discussing their funeral wishes as being something that they have not considered or do not want to think about. For these reasons, clients often avoid conversation surrounding funerals all together.
To the contrary, albeit rare, I have spoken to clients who are very comfortable in discussing their funeral and appreciate that planning it themselves is one of the kindest things they can do for those they leave behind.
We also meet clients who have not thought about their funeral due to the fact that they are “not fussed” as to the arrangements. Many joke that they “won’t be here to care” about what occurs at their funeral. However, this relaxed attitude is also of no benefit to yourself or those who will eventually plan your funeral.
Reasons to make your funeral wishes known
Whilst any clause within a Will regarding funeral wishes is not legally binding and viewed as just a wish, we encourage clients to at least make their wishes known to someone they trust for the following reasons:
1. To ensure that your wishes are followed
Letting your wishes known gives the opportunity for you to have your funeral be conducted under your own terms, and having an input into the planning of it allows for the occasion to be personal to you.
I have previously met clients who have gone so far as to specify which food they wish to be eaten by those attending their wake, and I will always remember one client emphasising how important it was to him that they eat sausage rolls.
Considering your funeral wishes need not require any expense. Whilst noting your wishes can be achieved by creating a pre-paid funeral plan with a Funeral Director, making your wishes known to those you trust is just as effective.
2. To make life a little easier for your loved ones
The immediate weeks following a death is an emotionally challenging time for those grieving the loss of someone they love.
With no indication or direction as to funeral wishes, those left behind can spend much time and stress trying to ensure that they are making the ‘correct’ decisions that the deceased would have wanted.
This can lead to unnecessary expenses, accumulated as a result of family and friends not knowing which options to choose and often led by the desire to choose the more expensive options as they believe that the deceased deserves what they deem to be the best.
Making your funeral wishes known can therefore assist in managing costs and avoiding unnecessary expense on elements of a funeral that you may in fact wish not to have.
3. To provide peace of mind
Knowing your funeral wishes are recorded offers both you and those closest to you reassurance that the important decisions have already been made, relieving stress at a time when people often find it difficult to think straight.
Making your wishes known can also prevent disagreement between friends and family. Disagreements as to funeral arrangements do not always arise out of contention and can often occur as a result of friends and family feeling so passionate about particular decisions that they then clash. Having a record of your funeral wishes reduces the risk of any such disagreements, relieving any pressure and making the process much more pleasant for those you leave behind.
How to record your wishes
If you do not feel comfortable discussing your funeral wishes in an open conversation, you may wish to consider making a written note instead.
GWCA Solicitors offer a funeral wishes form which provides prompts as to what to consider when planning your funeral. The form offers an opportunity to record your preferences, from the type of service you want to the music you wish to be played.
GWCA Solicitors recommend that a note of your funeral wishes is kept with your original Will as well as with any photocopies of your Will, so that your wishes can be easily accessed following your death.
Next Steps
If, after reading this blog, you have been inspired to make your funeral wishes known but remain unsure as to your specific wishes then do not worry. You may find it useful to begin by considering simply whether you wish for a burial or cremation.
Further, even if you have not made any decisions as to what you want at your funeral, it is equally as helpful to make it known what you do not want.