The Funeral Planning Checklist – A guide to planning your funeral in advance

Thinking about your own funeral arrangements can be difficult and it’s not something most of us find easy to talk about. Unfortunately, the worst time to plan a funeral is when someone has died, so planning ahead can be an incredibly generous gift to give the person who will have the responsibility of arranging your funeral.

There’s no right or wrong way to hold a funeral, but what is important is that loved ones feel like they’ve had a chance to say their farewells in a way that is right and meaningful.

What is a funeral planning checklist?

Our Funeral Planning Checklist is a tool to help you plan ahead. The checklist provides prompts to pertinent questions and helps you gather all your important information in one place.

Our free funeral planning checklist is designed to help you plan your own funeral in advance and record your wishes in one place. It’s not just about stating whether you want a burial or cremation – it’s so much more. From what music you want played, or who you want to speak at your funeral to whether or not you’d like to donate your body to medical science.

The checklist will also help you get all your important information in one place to make it easier for your loved ones to take care of matters, for example, your mortgage details, your NHS number and where to find your marriage certificate.

We know thinking about your own funeral isn’t easy, but setting out your wishes in advance will be much appreciated by those who will one day be responsible for carrying them out.

Download our free funeral planning checklist

Our free funeral planning checklist helps you record your funeral wishes and important personal information in one place. Download the Funeral Planning Checklist: www.bristolmemorialwoodlandtrust.org/free-funeral-planning-checklist/

Once you’ve completed the checklist, keep it somewhere safe, tell someone you trust where it is and discuss your wishes with your loved ones. Always review your wishes if your circumstances change.

Why it’s important to talk about death and funeral wishes

Planning your funeral in advance is not about anticipating the worst, it’s about doing something meaningful for your loved ones. When we talk openly about death, we remove the fear and taboo that often surround it.