Advice on Arranging a Funeral

• After the death of a loved one, the first step will usually be for a medical practitioner to officially confirm the death. This may be a doctor or a specially trained nurse. (Ring their GP / out of hours doctor if necessary.) If cremation is preferred, mention this to the doctor.
• Once death has been confirmed, you would usually contact a funeral director, (although you can call us for guidance at any time, even before a death).  We will gather some initial details and arrange for your loved one to be brought into our care.
• We will guide you through the process of registering the death with the local Council, (If the death has been referred to the coroner we will follow a different process).
• After you have had some time to consider your wishes, we will arrange for you to visit us to discuss the arrangements for the funeral.

You can contact a funeral director at any time for help and guidance on what to do, or if you have any concerns regarding the passing of a loved one. We operate on a 24/7 service and there will always be someone to take your call.

We cover all of Northern Ireland most commonly within the North Down and Ards areas (Newtownards, Bangor, Groomsport, Holywood, Donaghadee, Millisle, Greyabbey, Comber, Ballygowan, etc), and Greater Belfast areas (Dundonald, etc.)

We take care of all aspects of administration with the registrar, councils, and coroner (if necessary), completing and submitting all paperwork and paying any relevant fees. We transport, take care of, and prepare the deceased for viewing, offering a private viewing room and a funeral venue if required. On the day of the funeral, we make all arrangements and coordinate transportation, vehicles, staff, officiants, cemetery / crematorium staff, the service and interment.

A death is registered with a Council Registrar and has become simpler in recent years. We notify them of the contact details of the next of kin and they will ring and do the registration over the phone. (For further detail, contact your local Council.)

Click below for more details on the registration process / who can register / what you need to know / important documents you receive:

Personal preferences will usually decide Burial or Cremation. Traditionally in Northern Ireland, a burial will usually take place 3-5 days after death in a new grave or an existing family plot.

For cremation, the local crematorium is Roselawn Crematorium, Belfast, although the new crematorium at Dough Road, Newtownabby can also be chosen.  Normally it will be 7-10 days in advance from the time of passing. We will arrange the additional doctor and extra paperwork required if cremation is chosen.

There will be a difference in Council fees depending on whether the deceased was a resident of the city / borough in which the cemetery or crematorium is located. We can provide information on this, with current fees.

Yes, of course. Every funeral service we conduct is very personal and tailored to the deceased and their family. We have a long-established working relationship with many Humanist Celebrants who will officiate a non-religious ceremony. Some families prefer to lead the service themselves with tributes from family members and friends. Our staff will always be on hand to guide you through the best decision for you.

Should you be eligible, Funeral expense payments and Bereavement Support Payments are available from the Government. For further details see below. We are here to help you through this difficult and distressing time, so please do not face affordability concerns alone. We can offer payment plans to work with your financial circumstances.

Funeral costs will vary depending on a Cremation or a Burial and what is included in the funeral. For an accurate funeral cost, please contact one of our offices.

The deceased or a family member should have documentation for the funeral plan. If unsure, please contact us and we will confirm if there was a funeral plan.

Anyone can make funeral arrangements, but it would normally be done in conjunction with the next-of-kin / immediate family and an Executor of the will.

Embalming is the process where a body is treated using preservatives to slow down the effects of natural deterioration. The embalming process helps by making the person appear restful and can even help with the effects of disease or other causes of death. Embalming helps to achieve a natural and comforting lasting image of your loved one when viewed in the coffin (if an open coffin is chosen).

There is no set time period for funeral to take place however, in Northern Ireland it would normally be a minimum of 3 to 5 days, whereas in England it would often be 1-2 weeks. It can often depend on the availability of the Cemetery or Crematorium, or family members returning home from overseas. Crematorium times will usually be up to a week ahead.

If someone has died while on holiday, please contact our offices for further advice and we can arrange repatriation.