Paying for a funeral
The estate normally pays, and most banks will release the money before probate. Nobody should have to fund a funeral personally to find that out.
What this covers
A funeral bill is the first debt of the estate and ranks ahead of almost everything else. Most banks will pay the invoice directly from the deceased's account before a grant is issued, so an executor should ask before paying it themselves.
Where the estate cannot cover it, the Funeral Expenses Payment is claimed from the government by people on certain benefits who are responsible for the funeral. Where nobody can arrange one at all, the local authority has a duty to.
Whoever signs the funeral director's contract is personally liable for the bill, whether or not the estate later reimburses them.
Common questions
- Do I have to pay for the funeral myself and claim it back?
- Usually not. Ask the bank to settle the invoice directly from the deceased's account. Most will do so before probate is granted, because the funeral is treated as a first charge on the estate.
- What happens if there is no money and no family able to pay?
- The local authority has a duty to arrange a funeral where nobody else does. It is a simple service without a choice of time or arrangements, and the council may recover its costs from the estate if there is anything in it.
Related
Part of funeral costs. Every figure on this site comes from the published fee dataset.