How Long After Death Is A Funeral?

[shivvy]

I live in Northern Ireland and a funeral takes place here within 3 days of a death but I have noticed that it can often be much longer for funerals in England.
I'm interested to know the reason for the difference.
Thanks.

[MargoTester]

I think it takes longer if it's a cremation. Burials are usually much quicker.

[ubasses]

Post mortem may be required
Inquest may be required
Local Crematorium usually fully booked for a couple of weeks.
Often slots too early for travelling relations so further delay to get suitable time.
Probably many others reasons.

[Jackdaw33]

many reaons; availability of cemeteries/crematoria, the need for post-mortems or inquests, to name but two.

[paddywak]

It depends on a lot of things shivvy such as the cause of deah, if an autopsy is required or not.Many years ago my mother died two days before Christmas and by rushing around we managed to get all the paerwork done and held the funeral before the New Year.The undertaker commented that we'd done well as funerals of people who die over Christmas can often take weeks because death doesn't take a break just because everybody else does.

[shivvy]

Yes, it would be delayed here too if a post mortem was required, so it sounds like under normal circumstances it is the access to a cremetorium that is most likely to cause the delay.
Thanks for your answers.

[EDDIE51]

It's just the waiting time for a crematorium slot, at least 90% of people here are cremated. The 2 crems near me start at 9 am and each has 8 cremations an hour until 5pm in strict 15 mins slots, 396 cremations a day and there is still a 6 week waiting list.

[bednobs]

is that 15 min slot supposed to get everyone in, everyone out AND have a service?

[EDDIE51]

Yes it is, the hearses are often queued up waiting their turn to get in.
There are 2 'Chapels' at a crematorium each does a cremation every 15 mins. 3 cremations are in progress at each chapel at any one time.
One lot is assembling outside in the waiting area, one lot is in the chapel for the service and one lot are outside in the 'garden area looking at the floral tributes, before leaving. The staff have just a couple of minutes to clear away one set of flowers and put out the next lot. That is why I will never take flowers to a cremation, they are only on show for 15 minutes then they get dumped unless the family take them home.
That is why I always have a laugh to myself when the cremation staff insist that every body is cremated separately. A cremation takes 8 hours in the furnace , then 2 hours for cooling and bone crushing. There are 2 furnaces per chapel so 4 furnaces for 396 bodies, you do the maths!

[-SharonA-]

My mother in law buried her husband 3 weeks and 4 days after he died.

[bednobs]

in general, burials are much quicker.

[-SharonA-]

Bednobs went to a service at a crematorium and was out in 10 minutes!!
Just the kind of service I want. I hate those that drag on with speeches and hymns!!
And I have told everyone I want to be buried within 1 day.

[EDDIE51]

^^ Of course each furnace operates 24 hours a day, in 3 cycles of 8 hours , so some bodies are stored ready for the next 'cremation cycle'.
Each furnace has a series of 'trays' each of which takes 1 body (think of loaf tins in a bakers oven) so in that way the bodies are cremated separately.
But people have a view of one furnace to one body which is logistically impossible.

[EDDIE51]

Sharon A. As I have said on here many times it is 100% legal just to have a body delivered direct to the back door of the crematorium and put straight into the furnace with no ceremony at all. There is no need for a coffin, a shroud or body bag ( £5 on eBay) will do. No need for a Hearse either a van or estate car will do. This is by far the cheapest way to have a 'funeral' less than £400, which leaves plenty of money for a memorial pi** up at your local boozer! The funeral directors do not like people knowing this ! I wonder why?

[-SharonA-]

A paper bag will do me!!

[shivvy]

That's really interesting Eddie. People are mostly buried over here and we only have 1 crematorium for all of NI!! It is getting more and more popular now though and a funeral wouldn't happen within the 3 days if it was a cremation. They still manage to have a 30 minute service though. It is busy though - in one door and out another.

[EDDIE51]

Demand for cremation is so high here, that in my area a third crematorium has just opened. This one is run by a commercial company where the other 2 are run by local councils.
A business opportunity for NI ?

[shivvy]

I'm just off to write my business plan . . . . .

[mikey4444]

There is sometimes a waiting list for funerals here in my part of South Wales.

[retrocop]

Depends how thirsty your mates are after you die. I will try not to prolong their agony. :-)

[Peter Pedant]

That is like lightning here in England

about three weeks from house to grave seems to be par
lots more post mortems are done for fear of allowing another Shipman to get away with it - altho there is no evidence that there is one out there and quite good evidence that there isnt ( but there MAY be .... so just to be sure )

The coroner has various ploys under new legislation to allow you to get on with it whilst his staff shufle papers around the various departments - such as an exciting new Certificate of the Fact of Death 001
which acts as a temporary death certificate whilst he has a think

a long think in the case of a friend when the Death Certificate was issued 6 months to the day of the date of death