DeadSocial supports the Fair Funerals pledge asking Funeral Directors to “be fair”
The Fair Funerals Pledge
Last week the Fair Funerals campaign was launched across the UK. 1 in 7 people in the UK now face funeral poverty. Furthermore the cost of dying has recently risen 7 times faster than the cost of living. Some of the largest and smallest funeral directors have accepted the Fair Funeral pledge across the UK.
The pledge asks funeral directors to:
- Recognise funerals can be expensive and many people struggle with the cost.
- Make their most affordable funeral packages visible to the public, including third party costs
- Charge clear prices for goods and services so people know what they’re buying. Communicate prices in initial conversations and prominently display full price lists.
- Funeral directors can sign the Fair Funerals pledge by clicking here
DeadSocial fully supports this open and transparent campaign. There are a number of funeral directors who (for example) do not publish the costs of their services online. This can lead to inappropriate sale techniques and pass on unplanned for debts on the recently bereaved.
Why the Fair Funeral Campain was launched
- The Fair Funeral campaign was launched by Quaker Social Action, to help tackle funeral poverty.
- The average funeral in 2014 cost £3,163, up 80% in 10 years. The average price of a Funeral varies dramatically based on you postcode.
Map highlighting the average cost of funerals in 2014 broken down by geographical region
- State support (social fund payment) has been reduced by the current government. When requested and required it will only cover about 35% of total bill for those not in work.
- People in low paid jobs normally will not qualify for state support. Furthermore the decision will often takes weeks to approve.
The pledge asks Funeral Directors to:
- Recognise funerals can be expensive and many people struggle with the cost.
- Make their most affordable funeral package visible to the public, including third party costs.
- Charge clear prices for goods and services so people know what they’re buying. Communicate prices in initial conversations and prominently display full price lists.
Click on the button below to see if your local Funeral Directors have taken the Fair Funeral Pledge:
Before speaking to a funeral director or taking out a funeral plan make sure that they have signed up to the Fair Funerals pledge. You can find a full list of funeral directors who have signed up to the pledge by clicking on the button below.
What Heather Kennedy, Funeral Poverty Campaigner at Quaker Social Action thinks:
“No one should have to go through the distress of not being able to afford a decent send-off for someone they love. But the fact is because of the price of funerals and the lack of state support, funeral poverty is inevitable for a lot of people.
In the absence of statutory legislation of the funeral industry, we need the kind of consumer scrutiny that already exists for the other big purchases we make in our life like houses and cars. This simply doesn’t exist for funerals. We can’t be expected to behave like shrewd consumers when we’re struggling with grief.
– Heather Kennedy, Funeral Poverty Campaigner at Quaker Social Action
DeadSocial and the Fair Funeral Pledge
DeadSocial provide free and independent tutorials and digital end of life planning resources. These are mostly for the general public (although we do also help and support healthcare professionals).
We are not in anyway affiliated with the Fair Funeral pledge but are very aware of the often devastating cost of dying in the UK. We applaud the QSA on their campaigning and the impact it is having (thus far).
The Quaker Social Action’s Fair Funerals campaign
Quaker Social Action is an 150 year old east end anti-poverty project that delivers practical projects. The Fair Funeral campaign launched in 2014 to tackle the underlying causes of funeral poverty. They address this by:
- Educating people about their choices so they can avoid funeral poverty
- Influencing government to do more for people in funeral poverty
- Working with the funeral industry to do more for people in funeral poverty
More about the Quaker Social Action fair funeral pledge can be viewed by clicking here
Have you put any money aside for your funeral?
Most people of us have not put money aside for our funeral. It is a hard thing to both think about and to save up for.
Data attained from the Digital Death Survey 2014. For further resources addressing the cost of death, funerals and your money, click here
Can you afford to die? 10 ways to avoid financial problems paying for a funeral (by the QSA)
(Downloaded this image as a PDF here)
Funeral-technology tutorials that you may find of interest
Technology is playing an increasingly important role in funerals across the globe. You may find some of DeadSocial’s funeral-tech tutorials below of interest.
Other tutorials that you may find of interest
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Preparing for death on social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc
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Securely storing your Last Will & Testament (and other important documents)