Funerals are never a subject we want to discuss or think about, but they are inevitable.
Many of us try to be organised and establish a plan, others can’t even bear to think about the costs.
Funeral specialists, Distinct Cremations, has quizzed Brits to find out their thoughts and opinions on death and burials.
It found that 75 per cent of us don’t have a funeral plan in place yet, with the most popular funeral type being an ‘upbeat celebration of life.’
Perhaps the most staggering statistic is the fact that Gen-Z may be more funeral prepared as opposed to the older generation.
The figures show that those aged 16 to 24 are the ones who are most likely to have a plan in place for their funeral.
30.2 per cent of 16-24-year-olds say they have a plan, which is almost double the amount of people within the age bracket of 45-52 at 17.7 per cent.
In fact, those between the ages 45 and 52 were the least likely to have considered funeral arrangements.
Ages 55+ were less likely to plan their own funerals at 27.7 per cent, as opposed to 16 to 24 year olds at over 30 per cent.
The figures also showed that less than half of us have savings for emergencies, and would not be able to pay for the funeral of a loved one.
75 per cent of those who said they couldn’t afford to pay for the funeral of a loved one would need to resort to borrowing the money either from a friend or family member or by taking out a loan.
Some even suggested resorting to a crowdfunding site, with 15 per cent believing this would be the only option. Others considered selling items to raise money.
Steve Wallis, managing director of Distinct Cremations, said: “It’s staggering to think that so many do not have savings in place for an emergency.
“The death of a loved one is hard enough, without financial pressure adding to the grief. The fact that so many believe it is their responsibility, yet four in ten said they have no savings in place for such emergencies, really highlights the disparity between the present and future.”
Figures show that 10 per cent of us would have to get an emergency payday loan to pay for the funeral, while 22 per cent believe the deceased person’s estate would cover the cost.
But why is Gen-Z so prepared? Well, it could be because over a third of UK adults said that the Covid-19 pandemic has made them think differently about funerals.
16–34-year-olds are the most likely to have had their perceptions of funerals changed as a result of the pandemic and over a fifth (22.5%) of those aged 55+ also agreed.
Wallis concluded: “There’s no doubt that the last 18 months brought funerals to the forefront of our minds, with many of us unable to have the big funerals that were planned, or indeed faced with planning a funeral out of the blue.
“As such, no longer are many people wanting to follow traditions and have big funerals with services afterwards. Instead, people are realising they can have a simple funeral for a fraction of the cost, minimising the impact this has on their friends and family.”