Your questions answered

What options does Guildford Borough Council provide?

The choice is between burial or cremation. However, within these choices there are other options. Those currently available are listed:

Burial.

·      Traditional grave - option to put a memorial or plants over the whole grave.

·      Lawn grave - can look neater - only headstones are allowed, plus a limited space in which to put plants.

Cremation.

·        Placement of Cremated Remains in a vault – in the Crematorium grounds.

·        Burial of Cremated Remains – in the Garden of Remembrance in the Crematorium grounds.

·       Scatter of Cremated Remains - in the Glades in the Crematorium grounds.

·       Cremated Remains plots - available in Stoke Cemetery and in some churchyards (check with local minister for church.)

·       Collection of Cremated Remains for scattering or burial elsewhere.

Registering a death.

This is a legal requirement and must be carried out within five days of the death (this can be extended to up to 14 days, if Registrar of Births, Death and Marriages gives permission.)

Before the death can be registered you must obtain a death certificate from the doctor. If the death has been referred to the Coroner, no registration can take place until he has issued a Pink form, or Certificate after inquest.

The Registrar will need to know the following information:

• Deceased’s Full Name
• Date of Birth
• Date of Death
• Sex
• Martial Status
• Maiden surname of woman who has married.
• Place of Birth
• Place of Death
• The informant (the person registering the death) full name, address, relationship to the deceased.

The register will then issue you with a certificate. To obtain more copies you will have to pay for them. You will probably need 4 or 5 copies of the certificate.

The Registrar will be able to advise you on this.

You should contact your nearest Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages to find out where to go and if an appointment is necessary.

·        Guildford Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Artington House, Portsmouth Road, Guildford, Surrey. Telephone Number: 01483-562841. (appointment necessary)

·        Farnham Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Farnham Hospital, Hale Road, Farnham, Surrey. Telephone Number: 01252-715422.

·        Alton Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages, 4 Queens Road, Alton, Hampshire. Telephone Number: 01420-85410.

·        Basingstoke Registrar Births, Deaths and Marriages, The Goldings, London Road, Basingstoke, Hampshire. Telephone Number: 01256-322188.

·        Aldershot Registrar Births, Deaths and Marriages, 30 Grosvenor Road, Aldershot, Hampshire. Telephone Number: 01252-322066

Where can my love one be left at rest?

If you use a Funeral Director they will deal with this on your behalf and on your instructions.

If you choose not to use a Funeral Director, the hospital may allow you to use their facility (they may charge) if this is where the deceased passed away.

Alternatively, you may be able to arrange for your love one to be left at rest with a Funeral Director (may make a charge). It is possible to have your love one at rest in a private house prior to a funeral.

Who will transport my love one?

Usually a Funeral Director on your behalf can do this. However, it is possible for relatives to collect from a hospital or nursing home, although a coffin may be needed to help with this.

You may wish to note that there is no obligation to use the Funeral Director who moves your love one to a place of rest for the funeral itself. Similarly, there is no obligation for the person who arranges for a Funeral Director to collect your love one to actually pay for a funeral, if the responsibilities legally rest with someone else.

How much will the funeral cost?

This will obviously depend on what you want as part of the funeral. Most are optional but the burial/cremation fees are unavoidable. The chief costs are:

·      Funeral Directors charges, which could include the cost of arranging and conducting the funeral, the hire of vehicles, etc.

·      Coffin - the cost will vary according to the type you select.

·      Flowers

·      Notice in the paper

·      Burial/Cremation fees

·      Minister/Fees

·      Church/Chapel Fees

·      Organist Fee

·      Doctor Fees – if cremation and the coroners not involved.

Do I need to use Funeral Director?

No. However, many people find that the emotion of the occasion, lack of time and suitable vehicles means that they need the services of a Funeral Director.

If you use a Funeral Director their services usually include:

·        24 hour service

·        Private Chapel of Rest

·        Pre-paid and pre arranged funerals

·        Choice of coffins and furnishings for Cremation or Burial

·        Special services such as a horse drawn hearse.

·        Hearse with matching limousines

·        Bearers.

The Funeral Director will:

·        Collect the body

·        Liase with the Crematorium or Cemetery to arrange the Cremation or Burial service

·        Make the necessary payments on your behalf

·        Arrange the attendance of a minister or other qualified person

·        Ensure all necessary official documents are completed and delivered to the Crematorium or Cemetery

·        Transport the coffin and any floral tributes to the Crematorium or Cemetery.

On request they will:

·        Prepare your love one for viewing, a procedure which may included embalming

·        Arrange for the publication of obituaries

·        Organise a collection for a named charity, hospice or other cause

·        Remove the Cremated Remains from the Crematorium, pending your final resting place

·        Arrange a private burial of Cremated Remains at a Cemetery or churchyard of your choice

·        Help you organise headstones

You can:

·        Use your own vehicles to meet the hearse at the Church, Crematorium or Cemetery

·        Use your own bearers

·        Ask for jewellery to be placed on or removed from the deceased

·        Have a religious or non religious service

·        Have a church service followed by a short committal service at the Crematorium or Cemetery

·        Choose the music, hymns and text at the service

·        Specify the final resting place of the Cremated Remains

·        Choose your own florist.

If you do not use a Funeral Director the following you will need to do:

·        Contact the Crematorium or Cemetery Office and make a provisional booking and also arrange a day and time for you to visit the Crematorium or Cemetery office to complete the following paperwork:

Cremation:

·        Notice of Cremation – to confirm all the arrangements in writing.

·        Form “A” Application for Cremation. – Form must be completed by the Nearest Surviving Relative or Executor.

·        Forms B.C&F Medical Forms – You must notify the doctor who treated the deceased during his or her last illness and instructed them you are arranging a cremation. They will obtain these forms and completed them for you. The forms B&C will incur a cost, which is paid to the doctors.

·        If the doctor reports the death to the Coroner they may issue a certificate for cremation, which overrules the need for, forms B&C. and a post-mortem organised and/or an inquest. If the Coroner issues a certificate (free of charge) you will not have to pay the doctors for completing forms B&C. A Coroners Officer or they staff will keep you informed of then progress and instructed you on what you can or cannot do.

Burial:

·        Notice of Interment – to be completed by the Nearest Surviving Relative or Executor to confirm all the arrangements in writing.

·        Application for Grant of Exclusive Right of Burial – is to be completed if the grave is not purchased. This has to be completed by the Nearest Surviving Relative or Executor.

Cremation and Burial:

·        Registrars Certificate – This is required if a Coroners certificate is not issued. You will have to go along to the Registrars of Births and Deaths and register the death. The Registrar will issue you a Certificate for Cremation or Burial (green in colour). You should take this form to the Crematorium or Cemetery Office as soon as possible. This completes all the legal requirements.

Embalming (Hygienic Treatment) - Is it necessary?

Embalming is not necessary but the choice is usually yours, although circumstances may mean that it is essential. Embalming should not be confused with other procedures such as cosmetic treatment.

Must I use a traditional coffin/casket?

There is no legal requirement to use a coffin at all. However, public decency dictates that a body should be covered. Coffins came into use because they are an easy and decent way of transporting the deceased to the final resting place.

Some of the alternatives to a traditional coffin are:

·      Homemade coffin – the coffin must be made of wood or wood by product. No metal furniture or fittings should be used. Crosspieces should not be attached to the bottom of the coffin; wooden strips may be placed lengthways for this purpose. It must not be painted or vanished but may be covered with a suitable cloth. PVC must not be used in the construction of the coffin or its furnishings. The maximum size of the coffin is length 81 inches (206cm), width 28 inches (71cm) and depth 22 inches (56cm). The coffin should have the full name of deceased either on a plate or a piece of card.

·      Shroud or winding sheet - the body is totally wrapped in this underneath will need to be incorporated a wooden board to provide rigidity for handling purposes. An outer ‘shell’ may be needed or the wrapped body may be visible to members of the general public.

·      Cardboard coffin - versions of these are available either through Funeral Directors or Wholesale suppliers.

Where can I get a coffin from?

Some Funeral Directors and coffin manufacturers will sell individual coffins. If you have difficulties, the Crematorium office will be pleased to advise you.

What type of funeral service can I have?

Basically anything that can legally and realistically be accommodated. Guildford Borough Council are happy for you to have the funeral that suits your needs, no matter how different it may be from other funerals. Obviously, legal and practical requirements must be taken into consideration. Many people obtain comfort from a traditional style funeral. However, you do not have to have a minister. The service does not have to be religious. You do not have to have a service at all.

Services prior to burial or cremation can be held in churches that are often more flexible in terms of the time allows and number of people attending for a funeral service. Additionally, using a local church may help reduce the travelling time of those attending the funeral.

Can I pre-pay for a funeral?

Yes; there are many pre-payments plans available through Funeral Directors and other organisations. You will need to check if the plan includes disbursements, part of them or none at all. For security, of what is essentially an investment, it is advisable to choose a plan that holds the money in a recognised trust fund. Some people open a savings account in which they put a sum of money specifically to pay for a funeral. A potential problem with this could be that the interest does not keep up with the increase in funeral cost, leading to a shortfall when the money is needed.

How do I make my wishes known?

There are various ways this can be done, e.g. naming an executor and telling them, leaving a written note with paperwork in your home, telling various members of your family.

Wills

Whilst these are a good idea, they are often not read until after a funeral, and so are not the best place to make known your funeral wishes.