How long does it take to organise a funeral?

If someone close to you has died, you might be wondering about funeral timings. How long does it take to organise a funeral? What are the factors that can influence this? Funeral planning can be a challenging process – especially given that there’s normally lots of emotion involved. It’s good to get a better understanding of timescales before you start. Find out the average time to arrange a funeral and more helpful information, below.

How long does it take to arrange a funeral?

While each situation is unique, the general time it takes to plan a funeral is one to two weeks. Funeral directors can help you to plan the funeral, with their depth of knowledge and experience this can take away a lot of emotional strain. However, additional circumstances can affect how long it takes to plan – we’ll cover this in more detail later in this guide.

How long do funerals take to plan and what affects them?

Although the average time to plan a funeral is typically one to two weeks, many factors can influence this timeframe. Every case is unique, so it’s important to be aware of the following key elements:

Registering a death and coroner involvement

Standard death registration

For most natural deaths, the doctor who attended your loved one will issue a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD). It’s important to note that the funeral can’t take place until the death has been registered.

• In England and Wales: The certificate is then reviewed by an independent medical examiner or their officer. This review process provides you and your family with an opportunity to ask questions – particularly around the circumstances of your loved one’s death, such as underlying health conditions. Once confirmed, the MCCD is sent to the registrar.

• In Scotland: The doctor will issue the MCCD. You can discuss any medical questions directly with them or contact the procurator fiscal's office if you have concerns.

Registering the death usually takes five days in England and Wales, and eight days in Scotland. Once this is done, you’ll receive a certificate for burial or cremation to give to your funeral director. This is also known as ‘the green form’. Most registry offices will require you to book an appointment to register a death. These appointments usually last between 30 and 40 minutes. There are no fees involved in registering a death, however, you will have to pay for any copies of the death certificate.

When a coroner or procurator fiscal is involved

If the cause of death is unclear, or the death was sudden, violent or unnatural, the case will be referred to a coroner (or procurator fiscal if you’re in Scotland). They will investigate to determine the cause of death.

Post-mortems

During their investigation, the coroner or procurator fiscal may decide a post-mortem (or autopsy) is needed.

Post-mortems are usually carried out as soon as possible – often within two to three working days after death. The examination itself usually only takes a few hours, unless further investigations are needed.

After the post-mortem, the coroner or procurator fiscal will release your loved one’s body. This means you can proceed with funeral arrangements even if the full investigation into the cause of death is still ongoing. The coroner’s office will keep you informed about when your loved one’s body can be released.

Once the body has been released, then you can proceed with arranging the funeral.

Inquests and Fatal Accident Inquiries (FAIs)

If the coroner's investigation cannot definitively determine the cause of death or it was violent, unnatural or occurred in state detention, they will likely open an inquest (or a Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) in Scotland).

An inquest is a formal, public legal inquiry to establish:

• who the deceased was
• when they died
• where they died
• how their death came about

The full inquest process can vary significantly in length. Some simple inquests might conclude with just a few weeks or months. However, more complex investigations can span six to nine months, sometimes even longer.

It’s important to note that even if an inquest is ongoing, provided your loved one’s body has been released by the coroner or procurator fiscal, the funeral can proceed.

Receiving the official death certificate

The issuing of the official death certificate can only happen once the cause of death has been confirmed.

• For standard deaths: This typically occurs shortly after your registration appointment, usually within one to two weeks of the MCCD being issued.

• If a coroner or procurator fiscal is involved: If an inquest or FAI is opened, the full official death certificate can only be issued after the inquest/FAI has concluded.

This means there can be a significant delay in receiving the final certificate, which can impact probate and the administration of the deceased's estate.

However, in these cases, the coroner will issue an interim death certificate that is usually sufficient for arranging the funeral.

Availability

Availability can have a significant impact on funeral planning timeframes. For example, if your loved one has outlined a crematorium or graveyard with limited facilities, or the funeral falls within public holidays, the availability of services can be affected.

Travel arrangements

If family members and friends have to travel to attend the funeral, this can have a knock-on effect on how long until the funeral takes place. It’s important to factor this in if this is the case for the funeral you’re planning. This way, attendees can arrange their accommodation and travel with as much notice as possible.

Financial constraints

The cost of a funeral can be a strain on some families. In some instances, the family may need more time to save money to pay for the funeral. However, if the person who died paid for a funeral plan in advance this won’t be the case.

Event clashes

When planning a funeral, there’s a chance that you could be faced with a clash of events. Things like graduations, weddings and christenings that have been in the diary for a while could impact the dates available for the funeral to take place.

Overseas death

If the person died overseas, you’ll have to repatriate their body once the local authorities have completed the processes.

For example, they may need to do a post-mortem or inquest in the country that they died in. This can be a time-consuming process, adding to the pre-existing timeframe. Additionally, it’s recommended that you plan the funeral at least 48 hours after the flight is due to arrive, in case of any delays.

There is no single ‘right’ answer to the question of how long it takes to plan a funeral. However, there are two key things to remember:

• the average time to arrange a funeral is one to two weeks
• there are a whole host of factors that can affect this

If you’re looking to ease the burden of funeral planning, explore our funeral plans page to learn more.