Arranging a Funeral

At N & K Harvey Funeral we offer complete funeral services and funeral home for customers throughout Leyland and surrounding areas.

During your initial call, you will need to provide basic details, such as whether the deceased has died at their home or in a private nursing home. Once we have this information, we will then make arrangements for the deceased to be taken to our private chapel of rest.

We will also arrange a convenient time and place for our funeral director to call and visit you to discuss and arrange a funeral that meets your requirements. We will also advise you on all the relevant procedures and legal requirements. At Neil and Kath Harvey Funerals, we pride ourselves on offering a transparent service. We will discuss all costs and charges to be incurred and provide you with a full written estimate. We will only proceed once you fully agree to the services offered. Our services will be available to you 24 hours a day throughout every stage of the process.

When a Death Occurs

When the unfortunate event of a death occurs, there are a number of tasks, which must be completed in order for the legal responsibilities to be fulfilled and also to enable the funeral arrangements to take place. All of which are difficult to comprehend at a time when grief affects the emotions and actions of an individual, relatives or friends. This is when the experience and knowledge of professionals is vital and the role of the funeral director becomes essential.

At Home

If the death has occurred at home, immediately contact your GP or the doctor on call to report the death to them. The doctor will then come to your home and if he or she is able, they will issue a medical cause of death certificate. If he or she is able to issue a death certificate then you are free to contact a funeral director. The funeral director will take some initial details and then convey your loved one to their private chapel of rest. If the doctor is unable to issue a death certificate, they will contact the local coroner who will make the necessary arrangements for the deceased to be taken into their care.

In a Nursing Home or Residential Home:

If the death occurs within a nursing or residential home, the same applies as if the person has passed away at home.

In a Hospital or Hospice

If the death occurs in a hospital or hospice, the nursing staff or appropriate officer will advise you when and where to collect the death certificate. You will then need to contact the funeral director; they will ask you for information such as which hospital or hospice your loved one has passed away in, the date and time they passed away and the next of kin’s contact details.

If the death occurred in a public place or as in the above, a GP or hospital are unable to issue a death certificate; the coroner is automatically involved and, in this instance, there will be no certificate for the cause of death. The coroner will advise you of the procedures involved and when you can register the death.

How to Register a Death:

Who can Register?

  • A close relative of the deceased
  • A relative in attendance during the last illness
  • A relative living in the district where the death occurred
  • A person present at death
  • The person causing the disposal

Documents Required

  • Medical Certificate of Death
  • Medical card if available or:
  • Birth Certificate & information regarding date of birth

Information Required to Register

  • Date and place of death
  • Full name of deceased (maiden name if applicable)
  • Date and place of birth
  • Occupation and home address
  • If married, full name and occupation of surviving spouse

Certificates

  • Disposal Certificate for the funeral director
  • Social Security Certificate to be handed in at the D.S.S. Offices with any pension books
  • Copies of Entry of Death for bank, insurance, solicitors (we advise our families to get a minimum of 2 copies of the death certificate)

Funeral Directors' Charges

Your funeral account is divided into two parts i.e. the funeral director's charges and disbursements. The funeral director's charges cover our professional fees, along with any overhead costs. Our team will be responsible for making funeral arrangements, documentation and transferring the deceased to our private chapel of rest. Once your loved one is resting within our chapel, friends may visit prior to the service if agreed by the family.

Disbursement costs are the fees that we pay out on behalf of families. These may be paid to a doctor, crematorium or cemetery and parochial fees may also be payable. Please be advised that we do not have control over these charges and, as such, the charges may differ slightly from our written estimates.

Covering the Cost

We appreciate that covering the cost of a funeral can be difficult for many families. Under certain circumstances assistance may be provided. Low income families may be eligible for a funeral payment to help with the cost. Further information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/funeral-payments/overview

The social fund may contribute towards simple funeral costs within the UK. This contribution will go towards the following costs:

  • Repatriation of the deceased if they were a UK resident and died abroad
  • Funeral director's fees
  • Cemetery/Crematorium fees
  • Doctors' fees

Home visits can be arranged for clients in the following areas (and within a 20 mile radius of our home in Leyland, Preston):

Leyland, Eccleston, Chorley, Buckshaw, Euxton, Lostock Hall, Penwortham, Croston, Longton, Whitestake, Bretherton, Bamber Bridge

If you need to arrange a funeral, please get in touch with us at either of our offices in Leyland (01772 622203) and Eccleston, Chorley (01257 451508).