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Many people are understandably reluctant to discuss what will happen after they die. Funeral wishes can be difficult to talk about among family and friends, but it’s best to express them to avoid family disputes.
You can detail your funeral wishes in your will to serve as guidance to grieving family members, which we’ll cover in this article.
Why Include Funeral Wishes in Your Will?
Funeral wishes allow you to express your preferences for your funeral arrangements, including the type of service, music, readings, and burial or cremation. Your will is a useful place to note your wishes, as it will be easily accessible to your executor and family.
However, funeral wishes are not legally binding in a will. They are considered guidance, and it is possible that they will not be read until after the funeral arrangements have been completed. To ensure your wishes prove helpful in allowing family members to make informed decisions at a challenging time, you should talk about them with your executor and closest relatives.
Best Practices for Writing Funeral Wishes
It’s best to keep your funeral wishes in your will brief, with an expression of whether you would like to be buried or cremated. You can detail your other preferences in a separate letter of wishes, which you can easily rewrite should your wishes change, unlike expressing wishes in a will. Keep the letter with your will and hand out a copy to family members you expect will deal with your funeral arrangements.
Only telling one of your children about the funeral wishes or neglecting to inform some of them while keeping others in the loop could cause arguments after your death. Involve everyone likely to be involved in making funeral arrangements, and revisit the topic to ensure everyone remains informed and aligned.
Legal Considerations Around Funeral Wishes
As mentioned above, funeral wishes are not legally enforceable even when they are included in a will. In recent years, the Law Commission has recommended that expressed funeral wishes be legally binding. It could prevent funerals from becoming stages to settle old scores between families and give people the peace of mind that their funeral will go as planned.
Under the current law, your executor should consider your family’s wishes. Still, they have the primary legal right to arrange the funeral and make decisions if disputes arise surrounding your funeral wishes.
Alternatives to Including Detailed Funeral Wishes in Your Will
Pre-paid funerals facilitate planning and paying for your funeral in advance, guaranteeing that your wishes are followed. They also come with the benefit of alleviating the financial burden of funeral expenses from your family, which averaged £4,285 for a simple attended funeral in 2024.
Direct cremations are a simple alternative to funerals, with lower costs and less fuss. Regardless of your choice, involve your family members well ahead of time for better alignment.
David Prior
David Prior is the editor of Today News, responsible for the overall editorial strategy. He is an NCTJ-qualified journalist with over 20 years’ experience, and is also editor of the award-winning hyperlocal news title Altrincham Today. His LinkedIn profile is here.
