Sue Dearman Celebrant

Sue Dearman Celebrant Civil Celebrant covering Suffolk, London, UK. Writing and delivering Bespoke Funeral and Naming Ceremonies

Your ceremony your way.

09/06/2026

This Thursday - our Bereavement, Friendship & Support Group - Free entry

If you’ve experienced loss and would value a little company and a listening ear, you’re warmly invited to join our monthly support group.

Second Thursday of each month, 7:15 pm – 8:45 pm, Morrisons Community Room, Victoria Road, Diss
Open to all in need
Free refreshments

Safe • Confidential • Non-Denominational •

A friendly co-ordinator will be there to greet you!

12/05/2026

For one family, saying goodbye meant reflecting a life shaped by passion, personality and love of football. This story explores how local funeral directors h...

SAVE MONEY ON FUNERALS Last week I posted information about how to get help with Funeral costs. This week I would like t...
24/04/2026

SAVE MONEY ON FUNERALS

Last week I posted information about how to get help with Funeral costs. This week I would like to share with you some ideas for keeping costs as low as possible when arranging a funeral.

There are lots of ways that costs can be saved, but these are my top eight tips.

1. FLOWERS - funeral flowers are a significant costs adding to a funeral and are generally discarded soon afterwards. A simple spray or a wreath usually costs around £95, a cushion £145, personalised flowers in the shape of a requested item £200 and words around £60 per letter. WHY NOT consider buying supermarket flowers and placing them on the coffin, they are less expensive and an extravagant bunch for around £18 can look beautiful and understated. OR place something else on the coffin such as a pair of walking boots, football shirt, a pile of favourite books or something very personal to the deceased.

2. THE COFFIN - Coffins are a matter of personal taste and one can spend a lot of money if you feel the need - think £2000. However, I don’t personally see the point, especially if someone is to be cremated. Don’t be afraid to choose the cheapest coffin available! Who cares? The person inside certainly doesn’t and there are ways to personal coffins if you move away from the traditional wood. WHY NOT consider a cardboard coffin that costs approximately £390 from the funeral director. This can then be decorated by you and your friends. Why not have a party where everyone draws/paints on the coffin? Personalise as you wish.

3. SERVICE SHEETS - I personally think this is a little outdated. I know that older generations like a sheet that they can take away, but with modern crematoria that display photographs and words there really isn’t any need. If it is a small funeral you can save money by printing you own sheet with the order of service. The average order of service booklets cost approximately £25 for 40

4. LIMOUSINE - You may be offered the option of a car to take you to and from the funeral on average this costs £250. Why not take your own car, ask a friend to drive you, or even consider a private hire car.

5. TAKING NAMES AT THE FUNERAL SERVICE - Again this may well be a generational thing, but if you are asked whether you would like this service, please be aware it comes at a cost - the Funeral Director has to pay someone to provide this service. This will be approximately £90

6. COLLECTION OF ASHES - Once the cremation has taken place the ashes will be ready for collection so the family can scatter as they wish. If you ask the Funeral Director to collect these for you it will cost approximately £30. You are perfectly able to collect them yourself if you wish. You must designate someone to do this and tell the Funeral Director who will pass this information to the Crematorium. (Confirmation of identity will be required on collection).

7. CREMATORIUM FEES - The fee the Crematorium charges for a service in the chapel varies a lot. For example, locally to us - West Suffolk (Risby)charges £1400 and Seven Hills Ipswich £1065 with others charging somewhere in between. If location is not important to you then you can consider taking a cheaper location. You may also save money by choosing a time that is not popular, for example early mornings are always cheaper as indeed are later afternoons. It is important to check what each crematorium offers within this amount as some offer a longer time slot than others. You can save money by not using the chapel at all (please see below).

8. UNATTENDED/DIRECT CREMATION - If you choose this option, there are still charges associated with using a funeral professional, however you do not need to pay the charges at 7 above. When choosing an attended cremation I always recommend considering having a get together of some sort to celebrate the person’s life, or to commemorate them and allow people the chance to say goodbye. For example, you can consider the village hall which is always a very cheap option, or a pub, or your own home and then have a memorial after the ashes are collected. Or, you can have a get together beforehand with the coffin in situ and allow people to participate in that goodbye. Charges for this type of cremation vary but on average your local Funeral Director will charge £2000 (While direct cremation operatives may appear cheaper but they have a lot of add on pieces. For example, did you know that Direct Cremation charges to collect a person from their home?)

All reputable Funeral Service Providers publish their prices on their websites. Whatever your budget please do not be reluctant to discuss this with your Funeral Director. They will understand your situation and be more than happy to help you tailor the funeral to your budget.

If you need help or recommendations for a sympathetic Funeral Director I can point you to one that I feel will be ideal for you and your family, please do reach out to me, my details are in my biography section or comment below.

20/04/2026

Have You Been Bereaved by Su***de?

If you have lost a loved one to su***de, you are warmly invited to join our monthly support group. This is a safe, understanding space where you can connect with others who have experienced similar loss.

Palgrave Community Centre, 10 Upper Rose Lane, Palgrave, IP22 1AP

4th Wednesday of each month, 7:15 pm – 8:45 pm

For more details:
[email protected]
📞 01379 871168

HELP WITH FUNERAL COSTS.Last week I posted information of Direct cremations and the need to look carefully at what is be...
17/04/2026

HELP WITH FUNERAL COSTS.

Last week I posted information of Direct cremations and the need to look carefully at what is being offered by some of the companies that advertise on TV, social media and through your letterbox.

Many people who choose direct cremations do so because they want to save on funeral costs. I received a lot of engagement on the post and the subject clearly landed with a lot of people - both positively and negatively.

Today, I thought it might be helpful to highlight the financial help that is available for people who have no funds for a funeral.

FIRSTLY, WHO PAYS FOR THE FUNERAL OF A LOVED ONE?

Well, put simply, the person who has died. The Government expects funeral costs to be paid from the deceased’s estate. This will be any money in their bank/building society account, insurance payouts and any property they own - but not a house or personal things left to a widow, widower or surviving civil partner.

If the costs cannot be covered in this way, then it is expected that the family of the deceased with cover the costs. If the family do not have enough funds for this, then the Government will assist with the cost of a funeral, but only if the family are on certain benefits. HOWEVER, no one is legally obliged to pay for a funeral! If you cannot pay and you are not eligible for Government help, then the deceased will have a Public Health Funeral - more of which later.

At this point, I must underline that no one should ever arrange a funeral with a funeral director if they are unable to meet the costs. The person who engages the funeral director will be liable for the costs. So please, if you are unsure about the finances, speak to the Funeral Director straight away and let them point you in the right direction for help.

SO WHAT HELP IS AVAILABLE?

If the deceased’s estate will not cover the funeral and you are the partner, close friend or relative of the person who died and if you are on Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Housing benefits (and some other benefits), you can apply to the Government for help with the costs of the funeral. You may also be able to get help with funeral expenses if the deceased did not have a partner.

In addition to this, you can also get up to £1,000 for any other funeral expenses, such as funeral director’s fees, flowers or the coffin by way of an additional payment called the Funeral Expenses Payment. Any payments will not usually cover all of the costs of the funeral.

WHAT IF I JUST CAN’T MEET THE PAYMENTS?

There are other funds available that people often don’t know about about. For example, the civil service (prison officers, job centre, border control) and military have Benevolent funds for their past members and workers. So if your family member has been in this type of role at some point in their life, it is worth reaching out to their benevolent funds.

Again, if you really can’t afford, or indeed don’t want to pay for someone’s funeral then you can apply for a Public Heath Funeral.

I will post links in the comments, to websites that give more information for those that would like to explore further.

Please don’t feel alone if you are worried, feel free to reach out or ask questions.

Let's talk about Direct Cremations/Unattended Cremations. I am a Funeral Celebrant and how people are honoured at the en...
10/04/2026

Let's talk about Direct Cremations/Unattended Cremations. I am a Funeral Celebrant and how people are honoured at the end of their life matters to me and I hope it matters to you.

Everywhere we look now there seem to be advertisements for direct cremations, sometimes called unattended cremation. They come with the promise of a cheap or inexpensive funeral. Great, who doesn't like to save money? In fact, some people don't want a funeral at all and a direct cremation might feel like the answer for that person. But do you really understand what a direct cremation is, or what that company will offer? If you want to know more about this please read on.

A direct cremation means there is no service, no words are spoken and no one can attend that funeral. This can be hard for family and friends who would like an opportunity to honour and celebrate the life of the person they have lost. But there are other ways to fulfil that desire in the form of a memorial or ash scattering. What is more concerning is that people often don't realise that a direct cremation company does not offer the same service as the local funeral director, despite the fact that your friendly funeral home can also offer a direct cremation with those
lower costs.

Your local funeral director will talk through all the options available to you with a direct or unattended cremation. They will get to know you personally. They will keep you informed of what is happening with your loved one and they will take care of that person as though they are their own family. Respect, dignity and caring are vital at a time of loss.

Direct cremation companies are large corporations who collect your loved one and take them to a storage facility. They are then cremated at a crematorium that is likely a long way from you and usually you will not know where or when they will be cremated. The person who has died is just a name and number on a sheet of paper.

If you want to know more about direct cremation and my recommendations of the best local funeral directors don't hesitate to reach out - I am passionate about people, I don't charge for advice.

www.suedearmancelebrant.com
[email protected]
07824 637174

04/02/2026

You may already know us — from the town, the school gates, or the local community.
We believe funeral care should feel personal, not corporate.

A local team, offering genuine support.

❤️

04/02/2026

For the 11th year running, our all you can eat pancakes event will take place at Eye Bowls Club on 17th February. Booking advised to make sure we have enough to go round. Donations of raffle prizes would be gratefully accepted.

29/01/2026

This Saturday - 🌈 The Rainbow Tree Bereavement Support Group for Children

The Rainbow Tree offers a free, informal monthly group for children who have been affected by a death. Through activities, children are given a gentle space to explore and process their grief in a safe and supportive environment, guided by funeral professionals and a psychotherapist.

Roydon Village Hall, High Road, Roydon, IP22 5RB

Last Saturday of each month, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon

For more information, please contact:
Lucy – 07956 167374
Susan – 07879 776175
Louise – [email protected]

28/01/2026

Have You Been Bereaved by Su***de?

If you have lost a loved one to su***de, you are warmly invited to join our monthly support group. This is a safe, understanding space where you can connect with others who have experienced similar loss.

Palgrave Community Centre, 10 Upper Rose Lane, Palgrave, IP22 1AP

Tonight - 4th Wednesday of each month, 7:15 pm – 8:45 pm

For more details:
[email protected]
📞 01379 871168

Address

Lilac Cottage
Rickinghall
IP221EA

Telephone

+447824637174

Website

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