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Common Funeral Myths - Know your Facts?

 

Common Misapprehensions and Urban Myths

 

At the Natural Death Centre we often speak with members of the public who have been misled by ill informed professionals.

 

KNOW YOUR FACTS, is the Natural Death Centre’s latest campaign. We want to encourage all professionals in contact with individuals or families experiencing a death or planning ahead to give the right advice on all options. At the NDC, we firmly believe that knowledge is power.

Campaign Poster

Our 30 years of experience tells us that individuals and families who are fully informed are better equipped to confidently make choices that are right for themselves, their family and the person who has died.

 

Below is a list of professions with a link to specific advice that will help you understand options and the law.  We will be adding to this list over the remainder of 2020.

Celebrants KYFs

Hospice Staff and Palliative care providers

 

Here is a list of urban myths, misinformation - and complete rubbish - all of which we have heard from people who have contacted us.


"We thought that you had to use a funeral director to organise a funeral."

"You have to have a coffin, it's against the law if you don't."

"The hospital told us that because my daughter died from HIV we have to cremate her."

"We presumed you have to use a hearse to move a body."

"If you bury someone in your garden in a home burial, you must register the grave at the Land Registry"

"The funeral director has told me that because my husband's ashes cannot have a woodland burial because his body was embalmed."

"I was told a vicar has to say the committal."

"The council say they have a right to demand details of our home burial."

"We have been told there is a charge payable if a body is taken across county borders."

"We had to have her embalmed; we were told if anyone wanted to visit, that was the law."

"The crematorium said they would not be able to cremate Dad unless we used a funeral director."

"The hospice staff said that our daughter had to be cremated because she died from a particularly aggressive cancer."

"Of course everyone knows they re-use coffins."

"The ashes of different people get mixed together at the crematorium."

"The curtains have to be closed at the end of a cremation ceremony."

 

ALL OF THE ABOVE ARE UNTRUE

 

Bookshop

 

The New Natural Death Handbook fifth edition is out now, this book is a must read for everyone. Completely revised and expanded into a boxed set of three books... Read more

Credit to Will Whipple (photographer)

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Links and Resources

 

 

 

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