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Funeral Services: Arranging a Funeral
As a Family Funeral Director, our mission is to supply a variety of different types of Funeral Services that meet your needs.
We don’t just provide products and services, we also support you through the whole process.
Our family standing by you every step of the way
We help you celebrate their life with a ceremony as unique as the life they lived.
What To Expect When Arranging A Funeral
Experiencing the loss of a loved one is one of the most difficult challenges we will ever face in life; we understand this, and as family funeral directors, we are fully supportive of you every step of the way.
We know you won’t be feeling at your best as you try to process the shock and grief; with over 100 years of collective experience, our team, Keith, Dave and Sue know exactly how to look after you, like one of our family.
Our team are here to help you, and working together we will create a day to honour and cherish the memories of your dearly departed.
We understand the sensitivity needed to help you find comfort, relief, and proud, fond memories at a time of distress.
Let us walk with you on this sad journey. Together we can give your loved one a proper send-off that your family and friends will be proud of.
Make Us Your First Choice For A Personalised Family Funeral.
Your Appointment With Us
- Step By Step
- After contacting us, we invite you to a face-to-face, phone or Zoom appointment.
- During the appointment, we will listen to you talk about your loved one and get a picture of the type of funeral which would suit them. We carefully explain the process and the options available.
- With the full support of your Thomas Furber advisor, you will be able to choose the best options to celebrate your loved one’s departure.
Planning The Day Of The Funeral
There are a number of choices to be made for the day of the funeral. Keith, Dave, or Sue will take you through them gradually step by step. Everything from choosing the coffin, the vehicles, the flowers, the music, the dress code, and so forth, as part of our Funeral Services.
Our job is to help you to create a beautiful celebration that will honour the departed loved one and create a sense of comfort for all those attending. With over a 100 years of experience between us, we are a well-drilled team who know how to make your day run hitch-free.
Let’s be honest, a funeral is never going to be easy. Sadness, loss and grief are powerful emotions, but with our highly experienced staff, your family are in the best hands. We will help with all your decisions. There is no need to worry as we will support you.
Then on the day, we will stand by you and help you create memories to cherish for a lifetime. This is our pledge of service to you.
After A Century And A Half, We Are Specialists In Personalised Family Funerals.
Funeral Services
- Cremation or Burial.
- Just Direct Cremation.
- Social Fund Funerals.
- Traditional Church Service.
- Non-religious funerals e.g. humanist.
- Coffins and caskets.
- Funeral Vehicles and Hearses.
- Floral tributes.
- Headstones and Memorials advice.
- Funeral Order of Service.
- Bereavement Support.
- Music advice.
- Wake: Catering and Venues advice.
- Repatriation.
- SAIF Care Bereavement Support.
- A free online Obituary Memorial page.
- Golden Charter Funeral Plans.
Cremation Or Burial
Whether you choose cremation or burial will very much depend on the preference of your loved one. Whatever you decide we will talk you through the various options. Thomas Furber caters for every style of a funeral from traditional to humanist to eco-friendly.
Just Direct Cremation
No Mourners, direct and simple. A low key ceremony which some people prefer. This was what Yoko Ono chose for John Lennon’s funeral.
Only £995.00 for our 'Just Direct Cremation' service; this does not include the cremation fee or the doctors' fees.
Social Fund Funeral
To make a claim for a Funeral Payment from the Social Fund to help pay towards the funeral, you must be receiving at least one of the following benefits:
- Universal Credit.
- Income-based Job Seekers Allowance.
- Income Support.
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance.
- Pension Credit.
- Housing Benefit.
- Working Tax Credit which includes a disability or severe disability element.
- Child Tax Credit at a rate higher than the family element. From April 2014 to April 2015 this means a Child Tax Credit rate of £548 a year or more. These figures are for a whole year and will be less for part-years.
There are also other criteria that must be met for you to make a valid claim, including:
- Meeting the rules on your relationship with the deceased.
For more up-to-date information on the qualifying benefits or entitlements please go to the government website www.gov.uk/funeral-payments.
We can help you to complete the form to make your claim. Claims must be made within three months of the date of death. You can also download the form yourself from the government website here; Form SF200 Funeral Payment from the Social Fund
You can get up to:
- £700 if the person died before 8 April 2020.
- £1,000 if the person died on or after 8 April 2020.
from the Social Fund, to cover some of the Funeral Directors expenses, including a fee for the clergy. The cost of basic disbursements, including cremation fees and associated medical fees, and basic burial fees will still be met by the Social Fund.
Any extra charges or a shortfall in the Social Fund payment will have to be met by you. We are able to advise you of the approximate amount payable by you and the Social Fund. The Social Fund will pay directly into our bank account any money you will qualify for.
Please note;
- if you do not qualify for help from the Social Fund, you will have to meet the responsibility for the full payment of the funeral account.
- Your Funeral Expenses Payment will be deducted from any money you get from the deceased’s estate.
- The estate includes any money or property they had but not a house or personal things left to a widow, widower or surviving civil partner.
- If the deceased had a pre-paid funeral plan, you can only get up to £120 to help pay for items not covered by their plan.
Traditional Service
Familiar to most people, the traditional service is led by a Celebrant, or a member of the clergy or a minister from your faith. Hymns, religious readings and all the elements of a traditional ceremony.
Non-Religious Funerals e.g. Humanist
Perfect if your loved one was a humanist, atheist or just wasn’t interested in religion. Choose poems and music to create a fitting ceremony to honour their life and say goodbye.
Coffins And Caskets
One of the choices is to either have a coffin or a casket. The difference is:
- Coffins are wider at the shoulders but narrower at the feet.
- Caskets are rectangular. The width at the top is the same as the bottom.
Also, there is a choice of colour, material and style. You can select one which is traditional, personalised or eco-friendly. Keith, Dave or Sue will talk you through the options and help you choose the best option for your family.
Funeral Vehicles And Hearses
Choose from our range of options for vehicles and hearses. The cost of the funeral includes a hearse and one limousine. Options include e.g.
- A horse-drawn hearse.
- A motorcycle hearse.
- A vintage lorry.
- A Morris Minor hearse.
- Land Rover hearse.
- VW hearse and limousines.
Floral Tributes
The team will help you choose a local florist. You can select from a range of styles and colours.
Headstones And Memorials
After the funeral, you may wish to have a stone or memorial to mark your loved one’s final place of rest. We can help you choose a local stonemason for your memorial.
Funeral Order Of Service
We can help you create a beautiful order of service with photos, songs or hymns, readings etc. A memento to keep and remember your special goodbye.
Bereavement Support
We provide you with a comprehensive list of bereavement support organisations for the region. Keith, Dave and Sue are trained to help you through your difficult time.
Music
Whether you choose traditional church music or something more contemporary, we will provide the music of your choice.
Wake: Catering And Venues
Here is a list of local venues. Contact the venue directly for their availability, costs, number of people catered for and the services offered. These are some of the places our clients have used. The appearance of a company/venue in the list in no way signifies the endorsement of the products and services by Thomas Furber and Co.
Repatriation
We have considerable experience and are able to carry out repatriation of the deceased either to or from Birmingham, UK.
Funeral Plans With Golden Charter
The passing of a loved one often prompts people to consider the provisions they have made for the future. We offer advice on funeral planning, tailored to your needs in association with Golden Charter - smart planning for later life.
Costs & Charges - Step By Step
- We provide you with a free no-obligation quote. This is in person, on the phone or by email. We will advise you of the costs and any additional services needed. A copy of the quote can be emailed or posted to you too.
- After you have made the funeral arrangements, we will inform you about all the costs. We will send you a full written estimate. This must be signed by the person responsible for paying the account.
- We advise you about any extra costs incurred for changes made by yourself or other third parties. The final account shows all these costs.
- The written estimate is in two parts:
- Our charges.
- The disbursements paid on your behalf.
Thomas Furber & Co. offer a diverse range of funeral options, each tailored for your personal needs. For a Personal Funeral Quote, please contact us via phone on 0121 427 2233 or email info@thomasfurber.co.uk
Funeral Plans
Talking about death and funerals isn’t easy. And yet there are several very good reasons why having a funeral plan in place makes perfect sense – from an emotional, practical and financial point of view. From a traditional funeral, to something simpler, with a plan in place you can make sure you get the send-off you really want.
A plan allows you to specify your wishes and pay for the funeral director’s services included in your plan. As customers often tell us, that can bring peace of mind to you and your family. A plan from Golden Charter also includes an allowance towards third party costs. These are essential, non-funeral director services such as the cremation or burial fees, plus the minister or officiant’s fee to perform the service. The value of the allowance included in your plan may grow over time. There will only be more to pay at the time of the funeral if the third party costs exceed the allowance when you buy your plan, or if the costs increase by more than the growth of your plan.
At Thos. Furber & Co. Ltd., we’re proud to partner with Golden Charter, one of the UK’s leading funeral plan providers.* With a Golden Charter funeral plan you can choose us as your preferred funeral director. When the time comes, we’ll take care of your wishes locally with the utmost care and respect.
It means your Golden Charter funeral plan offers the best of both worlds – the reassurance of a leading plan provider and our personal care and service when it matters most. Rest assured a plan from Golden Charter is available to all UK residents regardless of age or state of health.
Ready to take the next step? Get in touch today
Would you like to know more information about how a Golden Charter funeral plan could work for you? Golden Charter can provide you with all of the information you need to make an informed decision for you and your family, so get in touch today!
Call Golden Charter on
0800 090 2495
and quote Thomas Furber & Co.
As well as the comfort of having a plan in place, you’ll have the peace of mind that comes with being able to help save your family from worry and expense in the future. So why not take the next step?
* Based on a Golden Charter analysis and independent research of the funeral plan market size as at January 2023.
Thos. Furber & Co. Ltd. is an introducer appointed representative of Golden Charter Limited trading as Golden Charter Funeral Plans which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN:965279).
Payment
The funeral account is sent to you two days after the funeral. If you are paying, we allow 4-weeks for settlement. We accept payment by bank transfer, cheque and debit/credit cards. Mastercard, Maestro, Visa, Discover, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay.
Our family standing by you every step of the way
INDEPENDENT FUNERAL DIRECTORS
Est. 1868
Company Number 00863787, Limited Company, registered in England & Wales, registered office as above.