# Arranging a funeral without a funeral director

> Yes, you can legally arrange a funeral in the UK without a funeral director. You'll need to register the death, get the certificate for burial or cremation, complete any cremation application yourself, provide a suitable coffin, arrange dignified transport and book the crematorium or cemetery directly. Council bereavement services and the Natural Death Centre can guide you.

Source: https://funeralfinder.org/uk/guides/arranging-a-funeral-without-a-funeral-director/ — updated 2026-09-25 — FuneralFinder

Most families use a funeral director, but you don't have to. Arranging a funeral yourself, sometimes called a family-led, independent or DIY funeral, is legal throughout the UK. Some families choose it to keep costs down, and others because caring for someone themselves feels right. This guide explains what's involved, the paperwork in each nation, and where to find support.

**Key points**

- There is **no legal requirement** to use a funeral director in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.
- You must still **register the death** and give the right **certificate** to the crematorium or burial authority.
- For a cremation, **you complete and sign the application** yourself.
- You'll need a **suitable coffin** (check the crematorium's rules), **dignified transport** and enough **people to carry** the coffin.
- You can use a funeral director for **just part** of it, such as collection or care.
- **Council bereavement services** and the **Natural Death Centre** can guide you.

## The legal position

Nothing in UK law says a funeral director must be involved. nidirect states this directly for Northern Ireland, and council bereavement services generally work with families who arrange a funeral themselves. For example, City of York Council notes that a funeral can be handled entirely by the bereaved family.

What the law does require is that:

- the death is **registered** (or, where relevant, dealt with by the coroner or procurator fiscal)
- the burial or cremation authority receives the **correct certificates** before the funeral
- a cremation is **authorised** under the cremation regulations for your nation
- the burial or cremation is carried out **lawfully and decently**.

## Paperwork by nation

| | England and Wales | Scotland | Northern Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registration | Within 5 days of the medical examiner's office confirming the death can be registered | Within 8 days of the death, at any registration office | Within 5 days. Can often be done by phone. |
| Certificate for the burial or cremation authority | Certificate for burial or cremation ("green form"), or the coroner's paperwork if a coroner was involved | Certificate of registration of death (Form 14) | Certificate from the registrar (GRO21) |
| Cremation application | Form **Cremation 1**, signed by you (normally a near relative or executor aged 16 or over). No doctors' cremation certificates since September 2024. | The crematorium's application form | The crematorium's application form, plus doctors' cremation certificates (usually with fees) |
| Coroner or fiscal involvement | Cremation 6 from the coroner if they investigated | Procurator fiscal must release the person | Coroner must release the person |

After a **burial** in England and Wales, a slip on the green form must be returned to the registrar confirming the date and place. Where a burial authority carries out the burial, it usually does this. For a private burial, you must do it yourself **within 96 hours**.

## Caring for the person who has died

If the person died in hospital or a hospice, ask how long they can stay in the mortuary and whether there is a charge. You can collect them when you are ready.

Some families bring the person home, or care for them at home if they died there. The room needs to be kept as cool as possible. The Natural Death Centre and your council's bereavement services can advise you on this. If you'd rather not do this part, a funeral director can provide collection and care only.

**Implants:** for a cremation, pacemakers and some other battery-powered or radioactive implants must be removed first, because they can explode or cause harm. Tell the crematorium about any implant on the application form. A doctor or funeral director can arrange removal.

## The coffin

You can buy a coffin direct from a coffin maker or supplier. Choices range from cardboard and wicker to wood. Before buying:

- **Check the crematorium's or cemetery's rules.** Crematoria need coffins made of suitable combustible materials, of a size their equipment can take, with no prohibited plastics or metals.
- **Label it clearly.** Under the FBCA Code of Cremation Practice, crematoria must not accept a coffin unless it clearly shows who is inside.
- **Think about handles and weight.** Make sure it can be carried safely.

Natural burial grounds usually ask for biodegradable coffins or shrouds. See [natural and woodland burial](/uk/guides/natural-woodland-burial/).

## Transport and carrying

No law requires a hearse. Families have used an estate car or a van, as long as the coffin is flat, secure and treated with respect. Plan the route and the timings, and make sure you have **enough bearers** (often six) to lift the coffin safely. Some crematoria can supply a trolley or staff to help. Ask when you book.

## Booking the crematorium or cemetery

Contact the **bereavement services** team at your council, or the private operator, directly. Explain that you are arranging the funeral without a funeral director. They will tell you:

- what paperwork they need, and by when
- their coffin requirements and chapel times
- the fees, and when they must be paid (often in advance)
- whether they can provide an organist, music system, livestream or staff to help.

Find options near you in our [crematoria](/uk/crematoria/), [cemeteries](/uk/cemeteries/) and [natural burial grounds](/uk/natural-burial-grounds/) listings.

## The ceremony

You can lead the ceremony yourselves, ask a friend, or book a celebrant, minister or faith leader. The ceremony can be held at the crematorium or cemetery, a place of worship, at home or somewhere else. Our guides to [writing a eulogy](/uk/guides/how-to-write-a-eulogy/), [music and readings](/uk/guides/funeral-music-hymns-and-readings/) and the [order of service](/uk/guides/order-of-service/) can help.

## Burial on private land

In England and Wales it is possible to bury someone on private land, including a garden, but think carefully first. Council guidance (for example Telford & Wrekin Council) and the Environment Agency advise:

- getting the **landowner's consent**, and checking the property deeds for any restrictive covenants
- keeping the grave at least **30 metres** from any spring or running or standing water, at least **10 metres** from any dry ditch or field drain, and at least **50 metres** from any well, borehole or spring that supplies water
- making sure there is no standing water when the grave is dug, and at least a metre of soil above and below the body
- **returning the slip** on the green form to the registrar within 96 hours, and keeping a **burial record** with a plan of where the grave is
- checking with the planning authority if there will be more than one or two burials
- considering the effect on the property's **value** and future **access** for visitors.

In **Scotland** and **Northern Ireland**, speak to the council and the environment regulator (SEPA or the Northern Ireland Environment Agency) before planning a burial on private land.

## Where to get help

- **Your council's bereavement services**, for practical advice on booking, paperwork and coffins.
- **The Natural Death Centre**, a charity that supports family-led and natural funerals.
- **The Good Funeral Guide**, independent consumer advice about funerals.
- **Quaker Social Action's Down to Earth** service, for people on low incomes worried about funeral costs.
- A **funeral director for part of the work**, such as collection, care or supplying a coffin. Compare [independent funeral directors](/uk/independent-funeral-directors/).

## Next steps

- Start with [what to do when someone dies](/uk/what-to-do-when-someone-dies/) and our [death registration deadline tool](/uk/tools/death-registration-deadline/).
- Understand the costs you'll still pay in [funeral costs in the UK](/uk/funeral-costs/).
- Check whether you can get [help paying for a funeral](/uk/guides/help-paying-for-a-funeral/).

## Frequently asked questions

### Is it legal to arrange a funeral without a funeral director in the UK?

Yes. There is no legal requirement to use a funeral director anywhere in the UK. nidirect confirms this for Northern Ireland, and council bereavement services generally deal with families directly. You must still register the death and complete the legal paperwork for burial or cremation.

### Can I transport a body in my own car?

There is no legal requirement to use a hearse. Families have used an estate car or van big enough to carry the coffin flat and secure. Plan how you will lift and carry the coffin safely, and treat the journey with care and dignity.

### Where can I buy a coffin?

Coffins can be bought direct from coffin makers and suppliers, including cardboard, wicker and wooden designs. If the funeral is a cremation, check the crematorium's rules first, as coffins must be made of suitable materials and clearly labelled with the person's name.

### Can I bury someone in my garden?

In England and Wales it is possible, with the landowner's consent and by following Environment Agency guidance on distances from water. You must also record the burial and tell the registrar. It can affect a property's value and future use. Speak to your council first, and in Scotland or Northern Ireland check with the council and environment agency.

### Can a funeral director help with just part of it?

Yes. Many funeral directors will provide only what you ask for, such as collecting and caring for the person, or supplying a coffin. Their price list shows individual services, and the CMA price list itself reminds families they can take care of some arrangements themselves.

## Sources

- [nidirect – Arranging a funeral](https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/arranging-funeral)
- [City of York Council – Arranging a funeral](https://www.york.gov.uk/ArrangeAFuneral)
- [GOV.UK – Cremation forms and guidance (England and Wales)](https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/cremation-forms-and-guidance)
- [GOV.UK – Cremation guidance for applicants (England and Wales)](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66eadf53ba4b4b3f945016a5/Cremation_guidance_to_applicants__web_.pdf)
- [GOV.UK – Register a death](https://www.gov.uk/after-a-death/register-the-death)
- [mygov.scot – Register a death](https://www.mygov.scot/register-death)
- [nidirect – Registering a death](https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/registering-death)
- [Telford & Wrekin Council – Private burials](https://www.telford.gov.uk/health-protection/private-burials/)
- [FBCA – Code of Cremation Practice](https://www.fbca.org.uk/code-of-cremation-practice/)
- [CMA – Funerals Market Investigation Order 2021](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/funerals-market-investigation-order-2021)