Although there is no set length of time between when a person passes away and a funeral in the UK, it is common that the funeral Will usually take place within one to three weeks. This however could be extended to more than four weeks depending on the individual circumstances.
There is a range of factors that Will determine when a funeral Will be held, these include but are not limited to:
- Availability of funeral directors
- Availability of the crematorium or chapel
- Religious beliefs of the person that has passed away
- Family member's availability to attend the funeral
- Availability of transport for the coffin (if there is one) and family
- The time it takes to plan the funeral based on all of the above
How long does it take to arrange a funeral?
Arranging a funeral can usually take anywhere from a couple of days to two weeks. This time can be greatly affected by:
- Funeral requests of the person that has passed away are usually documented with the funeral provider in advance or found as instructions which form part of their Will
- Special requests from the family
- Type of funeral to be planned - traditional religious, cremation, direct cremation, burial, non-religious, humanist, or any alternative type of funeral service
You Will also need to obtain the medical certificate and register the death before planning the funeral which can take some time.
There are no set time frames or restrictions in the UK around how long you have to plan and hold a funeral, but by using a funeral director you Will be able to speed up the process.
How long can you delay a cremation or burial?
Usually, the cremation or burial of a person that has passed away should ideally take place within 6 weeks of their passing. Unlike the funeral service, there is more urgency in laying your loved one to rest as the body Will begin to decompose.
How long can a funeral be delayed?
Should you need to delay the funeral for any foreseen reason or unexpected, you could ask the funeral director to embalm the body to preserve it whilst at the chapel of rest.
There is no set amount of time that the effects of embalming last as this can be dependent on the condition of the body, so the sooner you can hold the funeral and cremation or burial the better.
Why might you need to delay a funeral?
Every funeral is different and so can the reasons for needing to delay one.
Some of the most common reasons for delaying a funeral include:
- More time is needed to make the arrangements or raise funds to cover the cost of the funeral
- There is an inquest into the death as it has been reported to a coroner which delays the ability to get the required death certificate
- Close family and friends need to plan and arrange travel to the funeral service
- Family disagreements about the funeral arrangements
- Other prescheduled events such as holidays or weddings that cannot be moved
If you are planning a cremation and still want to hold a memorial service, a possible option would be to arrange a direct cremation that can be undertaken immediately after your loved one has passed away. You could then collect the urn or have it delivered to you in readiness for a memorial service which can be held at a time that suits you and the family.
You might also like to read our guide about compassionate and bereavement leave in the UK.
How much does it cost to delay a funeral?
If you need to or have chosen to delay a funeral, you Will need to discuss this with the funeral director as they Will need to keep the deceased in their care for longer. Some funeral packages Will allow for delays so you may not incur additional costs, but we always recommend that you check this with your provider.
