May 18, 2015 9.00 am This story is over 105 months old

Dying matters: Why choose a funeral bond?

#YODO: In Dying Matters Awareness Week, Lincolnshire Co-op’s David Dernley is encouraging people to think ahead and consider funeral bonds.

Each year in May Dying Matters Awareness Week encourages people to consider and discuss a range of issues linked with the ‘end of life’.

Whilst this is a difficult and emotive subject, in reality it’s far better to discuss such matters before the imminence of death when a considered and dispassionate conversation can be held with family and friends.

Set up in 2009 by the National Council for Palliative Care, Dying Matters is a coalition of some 30,000 members including NHS organisations, funeral directors, care providers and faith groups.

This year’s awareness week runs from May 18–24 with the theme ‘Talk, Plan, Live’. You can see what’s going on by following the hashtag #YODO, which stands for You Only Die Once.

During Dying Matters Awareness Week Lincolnshire Co-op Funeral Services will be encouraging people to consider their wishes by holding coffee mornings at its funeral homes. You can drop in for a cuppa and ask any questions you may have in a friendly surrounding.

The awareness week aims to encourage members of the public to take five simple steps to make their end of life experience better, both for them and for their loved ones. These are:

• Write a will
• Record their funeral wishes
• Plan future care and support
• Consider registering as an organ donor
• Tell loved ones their wishes

One effective way of recording funeral wishes and also saving money is through purchasing a funeral bond but many people are unsure what is involved.

What is a funeral bond?

A funeral bond is a way of recording your funeral wishes, planning and paying everything in advance. It can give real peace of mind as all of the details are taken care of, meaning family members won’t have to make decisions at a difficult time in the future.

Why choose a funeral bond?

It is a well-known fact that burial and cremation costs continue to increase at a higher level than inflation, and it’s likely that monies paid into insurance policies may not provide adequate cover for funeral expenses, so it makes perfect sense to provide for the one thing none of us can avoid.

What will happen?

Most people have specific wishes associated with their eventual funeral, whether it be the music they want playing in the service, the type of flowers they would like or even the transport used to convey them to their final resting place.

A funeral director can go through all of the arrangements, providing information and advice to make sure everything can be tailor-made for you.

What if something changes?

Don’t panic, you’re able to change, upgrade, downgrade or cancel your plan at any time.

Why do I need to do it now?

A funeral bond enables you to pay for your funeral at today’s prices. Once paid, your Lincolnshire Co‑op funeral bond will be honoured however much prices have gone up in the future. Plus, members receive double dividend when they purchase a funeral bond and being a co-op business, our profits are recycled into the community.

Find out more about our funeral home coffee mornings and funeral bonds at www.lincolnshire.coop.

David Dernley has been Head of Funeral Services with Lincolnshire Co-op since 1997 and is a qualified funeral director, mortuary technician and embalmer. He holds an Executive Diploma in Strategic Management and a Co-operative Funeral Service Manager’s Diploma. David is also one of the founders and a director of Lincolnshire Centre for Grief & Loss, a charity which provides counselling to adults and children suffering the effects of significant loss events in their lives.