Tag: Caledonia Funeral Aid

New report finds cost of dying has reached a record high in Scotland

Following the release of the latest funeral cost figures, a Scottish charitable organisation is calling on the Scottish Government to re-visit their financial support.

The latest Sunlife Cost of Dying Report 2024 has found that the average cost of a basic funeral in Scotland – which doesn’t even include a wake or other send-off costs like funeral cars or flowers – has risen to £4,030*.

As a result, Caledonia Funeral Aid – a charity-run social enterprise which supports those facing funeral poverty – has urged the Scottish Government to reconsider the average payout to those who are eligible.

Co-founder and chair John Halliday, explained: “The Scottish Government has made real gains in increasing the take-up of the Funeral Support Payment – which contributes somewhat towards the main basic funeral costs.

“However, the average payout to eligible residents in Scotland is £1,949,**. If someone is organising even a basic funeral, they are over £2,000 short. But then if you want flowers, sandwiches, a venue for a wake, transport, orders of service or a headstone that would all be additional costs.

“The report also finds that the average cost of dying (a funeral plus professional fees and send-off costs) has reached a record high of £9,658*. So, the Funeral Support Payment has become a drop in the ocean for people when presented with the final bill.

“We would ask the Government to consider that those who qualify for the payment are in receipt of benefits like Child Tax Credit, Universal Credit, Income Support or Jobseekers’ Allowance.

“These people are also experiencing additional financial pressure due to the cost-of-living crisis. Indeed, nearly half of those surveyed in the report people say the cost-of-living crisis impacted on how they organised or paid for the funeral and worryingly 1 in 6 bereaved people said they had to cut back on essential items like food, bills or rent.

“Many of those in receipt of the Funeral Support Payment will still struggle to pay the final bill and may resort to desperate measures, like using a credit card, taking out a loan or even selling belongings.

“Our not-for-profit funeral director, Caledonia Cremation, does provide a direct cremation option which is fully covered by the benefit, with money left over for a follow-up event. However, that type of funeral isn’t what some people want, and we do our best to support everyone to make the choice that is right for them. It is becoming increasingly hard to do so when the cost keeps rising.”

One person who struggled despite receiving the payment is James, who lost his partner Rachelle in 2022. 

James was in receipt of Universal Credit, so was eligible for the Funeral Support Payment. However, he was still left with a massive bill, as he explains:

“Rochelle had contributed to a plan, so as a result I only received 99p from Social Security Scotland. The plan and that payment didn’t come close to covering the full cost of the funeral, and as a result I had to find £2,500.

“The payment doesn’t consider the true cost of a typical funeral, which is high by anyone’s standards.

“I also feel that the Government should consider the situation of those who are in receipt of the benefit. When you are on Universal Credit, £2,500 is a huge amount of money.”

As part of their campaign, Caledonia Funeral Aid are hosting a free online summit at the end of the month. 

John explained: “We are inviting those who work with recently bereaved people, or those who support people experiencing hardship, to an online discussion around the financial support available and what the long-term plan should be.

“We are hosting this event in partnership with The Poverty Alliance and Down to Earth. Those interested can sign up online at the funerals.scot website.”

*Sunlife Cost of Dying Report 2024 https://www.sunlife.co.uk/funeral-costs/

** Funeral Support Payment: high level statistics to 30 September 2023 https://www.socialsecurity.gov.scot/asset-storage/production/downloads/Funeral-Support-Payment-publication-to-September-2023-867995435674.pdf

Dying to Talk? Bereavement afternoon tea event at LifeCare

A charity set up to empower people to make informed decisions around funerals and end of life planning, is hosting a free afternoon tea event at 2pm next Wednesday at Life Care in Stockbridge.

Dying to Talk? is an informal and friendly chat about death, dying and loss over afternoon tea.

Caledonia Funeral Aid Funeral and Bereavement Advisor Emma Kelso explains: “Death is a subject that’s never been easy to talk about, and yet it affects people every day.

“Life is finite and death is inevitable, so our aim is to encourage people to bring it out into the open, break the taboo and reduce the fear.

“We will invite people to share experiences, talk about things that they’ve discovered during their own journeys and maybe discuss their own personal end-of-life plans, all over a cuppa.

“By empowering people to talk in a friendly, safe space, we hope to move towards a Scotland where everyone is empowered to make the right choices for themselves and their loved ones. As a result, they will become aware that there are choices and consequently we can realise a Scotland without funeral poverty.”

Although the event is free, people are encouraged to pre-book at Caledonia Funeral Aid’s website www.funerals.scot

Funeral charity issues callout for kind-hearted volunteers to help recently bereaved people in the Lothians

As most Scots feel the full force of the cold weather and cost of living crisis, one charity is making a pledge to support even more bereaved Scots facing funeral poverty in 2023 – but they need the help of the public to achieve their goal.

Caledonia Funeral Aid was set up to provide free practical and emotional support to bereaved Scots or those thinking about end-of-life planning, with a particular focus on those worried about how they are going to afford to pay for a funeral.

With many people having to choose between heating and eating, a bereavement could cause extra financial worry on top of the pain of a loss and that is why Caledonia Funeral Aid was set up.

Co-founder John Halliday explains: “A lot of people we support haven’t had to arrange a funeral before – thankfully. However, they are grieving, and they don’t know where to start or what to do. 

“The distress is only made worse if finances are an issue. When the average cost of a basic funeral is nearly £4k, the amount of people who are struggling is more than you would think.

“Caledonia Funeral Aid operate a helpline, which provides free, impartial advice on organising a funeral, paying for a funeral and how to cope. 

We are keen to spread the word that help is available, you don’t have to face this alone, support is there. That is why we have issued a callout for volunteers.

The recruits will receive full training and will staff events and workshops, as well as man the advice line.

It may sound like a difficult role, but it is truly a rewarding one, as you are helping someone as they navigate one of the most difficult periods of their life. People who we speak with are always so grateful to have us guiding them through.”

One such person is Donna, whose friend Adam died earlier this year: “I approached several funeral directors who turned me away when they heard money was an issue. I was so worried as I wanted to honour Adam’s wishes.

“Luckily, I called Caledonia Funeral Aid, and they advised me of more affordable options and financial assistance that was available. As a result, I managed to organise a dignified and caring funeral for my dear friend.”

In terms of the type of person they are looking for, John explains more: “We are looking for sympathetic and organised people who are passionate about helping others. As we work Scotland-wide, location is flexible, but we are focusing on Edinburgh in terms of delivering events and workshops.”

Anyone who is interested is encouraged to give our team a call on 03000 113 301

Charity urges bereaved Scots to seek help before paying high funeral costs

  • SunLife Cost of Dying annual report finds rises in professional fees and send-off costs has pushed the overall cost of dying to £9,200
  • The cost of a basic funeral remains historically high, but has fallen by 0.6% to £3,953 in Scotland.

The recent news that the overall cost of dying has increased to well over £9,000 will be making a lot of people worry how they will pay, should a loved one pass away without any financial plans in place.

However, the Sunlife Cost of Dying Report 2023 https://www.sunlife.co.uk/funeral-costs/ has found the cost of a basic funeral has dropped. This appears to be partly the result of the growing acceptability of simpler funerals and direct cremations.

Despite this, the funeral poverty charity Caledonia Funeral Aid is still advising bereaved people to contact them for support, before resorting to drastic measures such as using loan sharks, fundraising, or selling possessions.

Co-founder and chair John Halliday explains why: “Despite the glimmer of good news here, our relentless fight to try to push down funeral prices will need to continue. It is harder than ever for people facing a cost-of-living crisis to find even the money for a basic funeral.

“We are particularly concerned about the growing problem of funeral directors requiring deposits – we have heard time and time again people turned away from every funeral directors because they don’t have the hundreds or thousands of pounds of cash required for the initial deposit.

“Others take on a huge debt they can’t afford because they feel like there is no alternative. Indeed, the report has found that there has been a rise in the number of people taking out a debt to pay for the funeral.

“At Caledonia Funeral Aid, we provide free advice on how to organise and pay for a funeral, what financial help is available and how to cope with a recent bereavement.

“We offer simple, dignified and cremations through our not-for-profit funeral directors Caledonia Cremation, which we set up in 2018 to support those facing funeral poverty.”

Donna turned to Caledonia Funeral Aid after her friend Adam died earlier this year:

“I approached several funeral directors who turned me away when they heard money was an issue. I was so worried as I wanted to honour Adam’s wishes and give him a decent send-off.

Luckily, I called Caledonia Funeral Aid, and they advised me of more affordable options and the financial assistance that was available. As a result, I managed to organise a dignified and caring funeral for my dear friend. I don’t know what I would have done if I hadn’t had that help.”

With demand for their services anticipated to continue in the current financial climate, John has issued an urgent callout to the public for help:

“We are charity-owned, and only have finite resources, so we are looking for kind-hearted Scots to join our team as volunteer funeral and bereavement guides.

“It may sound daunting, but the work we do is both important and rewarding. Dealing with a bereavement can be an overwhelming and distressing experience, especially when finances are an issue, so the clients we support really do appreciate having us to turn to, during these tough times.

“So, if you are bereaved or looking to make a real difference to people’s lives, please do call our advice line now 03000 113301. Our team are compassionate, friendly and will be there for you for as long as it takes.”

https://www.sunlife.co.uk/funeral-costs/

Sunlife-2023-reportDownload

New bereavement support service launches in Edinburgh

Times are extremely hard for many now, especially those who have lost someone during the last two years. 

The mental health of the bereaved has particularly suffered during these uncertain times, so a not-for-profit funeral director has launched Caledonia Funeral Aid which aims to provide an extra support system for recently bereaved people in Edinburgh. 

Caledonia Funeral Aid is an extension of the work of Caledonia Cremation – a social enterprise funeral directors set up to fight funeral poverty by offering not-for-profit cremations.

Since their inception in 2018, they have been supporting Scots facing the additional stress of not being able to afford a funeral. During that time, the social enterprise found the support required wasn’t just financial, but practical and emotional too.  So, they have extended their offer by launching Caledonia Funeral Aid.  

Co-founder John Halliday explained: “We have learnt that just providing a not-for-profit funeral wasn’t enough – people needed more. By setting up Caledonia Funeral Aid– we will provide full emotional and practical support to the recently bereaved. 

“We will provide a trained coach and funeral support worker to help Edinburgh residents who have experienced a bereavement in the past 6 months. This support will focus on their emotional needs. We will deeply listen to their needs and give them a safe and trusted place in which to discuss their loss and the impact on their lives. 

“We are delighted to launch this initially in Edinburgh, thanks to funding from Edinburgh Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund. However, our aim is to launch this nationwide very shortly. 

“With the average cost of a basic funeral sitting at £4,000, we receive calls from many people, especially those experiencing in-work poverty or students, who just can’t afford that amount. They don’t qualify for financial help and have nowhere to turn.  We never turn anyone away and through the fundraising efforts of Caledonia Funeral Aid we hope to extend our help to even more bereaved Scots nationwide. 

“We accept donations through our website and our team are also doing all the Kiltwalk this year so anyone wo wants to help us support more bereaved Scots can find a way to do so online.” 

Those wishing to access the support can call 03000 11 33 01.