Thursday we went to a friend's funeral. We were lucky in that he had been attending the URC church and the minister did a short graveside funeral for free.
Not sure why but the life insurance policy he had to cover funeral expenses was cancelled 3 years ago despite having paid it for many years.
So his plans for cremation and scattering of ashes were his wife's were scattered. And he had the burial although he hated it. It was a public health funeral so the Council will pay and get back what they can from what he left.
Not short of money but too many "friends" who were short of money so he would "loan" them some. Like the one who got £300 from the Govt. and wanted to borrow money to buy a bike the same week as he had spent the £300.
So not a lot of money in the bank and a rented home. If he had not been a church member his friends (he had no relatives) would have been standing at the grave not sure what to say or do. No viewing of the body at the undertakers, no Church Minister/Humanist officiator to lead a short service.
The grave cannot be marked with a cross or a pot to put flowers in is allowed. Just an anonymous plot and flowers can only be placed on the ground if you can find the place.
That is the reality if you cannot afford a funeral for your loved one. Take out an all of life insurance plan if you cannot afford a pre paid funeral, you can get pay for them by instalments. But a pre paid funeral is the cheapest. Our lovely neighbour took her's out when in her 60's. It cost barely a quarter that our's cost. We are lucky to only need one as the sale of the house will cover the other funeral.
If you can only afford to buy one funeral then say you want it to cover which ever of you goes first if you are a couple rather than a named person.
And if you do not make a will then your estate will not go to the person you want it to. I have read how one person died at work and despite a divorce had not updated his details at work. After 20 years of living together his partner was left homeless as everything including the pension went to the ex wife. And the ex was the one informed of his death, the partner had to phone his work to find out why he had not come home.
And someone else on my FB post said someone they knew did not leave a will. The estate went to a relative they had not spoken to for years.
Is this what you want? And you are not too young to die, even the fit and healthy are killed in accidents let alone natural causes.
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