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Arranging a funeral

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You should start planning the funeral as soon as possible. A funeral can only take place after the death has been registered.

Before contacting a funeral director or making any arrangements, check if there is a will which might include the person's wishes (such as whether they wanted to be buried or cremated).

Who do I get in touch with first?

Contact your local minister

Anyone can call on the services of a Church of Scotland minister, regardless of membership or relationship with the Church.

If you would like a minister to do the funeral service, you can use our Church Finder to locate your nearest church or minister.

Find your nearest minister

Choose a funeral director

Funeral directors have experience organising different types of funeral and can suggest ideas for you to consider. They will deal with the cemetery or crematorium for you.

You may want to talk to more than one funeral director so you can compare prices.

Find a funeral director

Arranging a funeral yourself

If you decide to arrange the funeral without a funeral director then you will need to make a lot of arrangements yourself. You can contact your local council for advice on arranging a funeral, buying burial plots, crematorium services and dealing with funeral costs.

Funeral costs

There is a small fee for the use of a church, the services of the organist and the church officer (the funeral director will look after this for you). There is no fee for the services of the minister.

For information about funeral costs, pre-paid funeral plans, and eligibility for government Funeral Payments, visit www.mygov.scot/arrange-funeral/funeral-costs

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