Planning a funeral
Where to start planning a funeral
After a death has occurred, the first steps on funeral planning will depend on the circumstances of the death. Knowing that most people are new to arranging a funeral or are struck with grief and unsure where to start, we have a few scenarios below to help guide you along.
Death at home
- Contact the doctor- You will need to contact your loved ones own GP to explain a death has occurred at home.
- Wait for the GP to arrive- The GP surgery will arrange for a GP to attend your home. This could take a few hours depending on the time of death.
- Call us- After your Doctor has been, you will need to contact us so that we can assist you further and arrange bringing your loved one into our care.
Death in a care home or hospice
- You will be informed of the passing- If your loved one has passed away in a care home or hospice, the staff will usually ring you to inform you of the news.
- Tell them to call us- You will need to inform the staff that you have chosen In Loving Memories as your funeral directors so that they can contact us.
- We'll take your loved one into our care- After hearing from the care home or hospice staff we will arrange to collect your loved one and bring them into our care.
Death in a hospital
- You will receive a call- If your loved one has passed away in a hospital, the staff will call you and inform you of the passing.
- Call us- When you are ready to make arrangements contact us so that we can collect your loved one and bring them into our care. It is standard procedure that they remain in the hospital's care for a few days before they can come into our care.
- We'll take your loved one into our care- We will then arrange to come and collect your loved one and bring them into our care.
Sudden or unexpected death
- Call 999 or your Doctor- If your loved one has died suddenly or unexpectedly, you should first ring either 999 or your loved one's Doctor.
- Await their arrival- Someone from the emergency services or your GP will come to you. This could take a while so ensure you have company for support if possible and try to take care of yourself.
- Await further instructions- The emergency services or GP will try to determine the cause of death. if it is unclear or suspicious then they might report it to a coroner for further investigations. If a coroner is involved then they will take care of your loved one initially and then advise you on the next steps.
- Call us- Whether or not the coroners are involved, you can contact us as soon as you are ready to start planning your funeral.