Forrest & Family are an Independent Funeral Director in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent. We are always happy to answer any questions you may have about the process of arranging a funeral. Please call us on 01782 756518 if we can be of assistance.
Frequently Asked Questions
– What will happen when I first contact a Funeral Director?
Making the first telephone call to your chosen Funeral Director can be one of the most daunting tasks in the whole of the bereavement process. Rest assured that we are here to help and guide you from the very first moment. Every member of staff who answers the telephone will be well-trained and experienced at supporting you through this difficult call.
We will request some basic information about your loved one. This will include their full name, date of birth, date of death, and home address. We will also take contact details for yourself. If your loved one is at home, we will make arrangements to attend to bring them into our care. We will advise you briefly on the next steps with regards to registering the death. However, do not worry if this information is too much to take in at this point. We can go over this information again when you feel ready. Our staff will answer any questions you have, and advise you of how to contact us. We operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and you can speak to us at any time.
– My loved one has passed away in hospital. What do I need to do?
Bereavement Services at the hospital will provide the necessary paperwork for the Registrar and for your chosen Funeral Director. Once you have appointed them, your Funeral Director will liaise directly with the hospital with regard to bringing your loved one into their care at the earliest opportunity.
– My loved one has passed away in a Residential Care Home or a Hospice. What do I need to do?
Once you have appointed a Funeral Director, the nursing staff will also notify them to bring your loved one into their care. The nursing staff will also liaise with your loved one’s usual GP to produce the necessary paperwork for the Registrar.
– My loved one has passed away at home. What do I need to do?
Medical staff must attend to verify that your loved one has passed away. This could be your GP, a nurse, or Paramedics if they are present. You or one of the medical staff present will contact your chosen Funeral Director to attend to bring your loved one into their care. There is no rush for this to happen, and you may feel you want to spend some time with your loved one before you are ready for this call to be made. The medical staff present will then liaise with your loved one’s GP to produce the necessary paperwork for the Registrar and for their own requirements.
– How do I choose a Funeral Director?
If the death is sudden and unexpected and you have not currently chosen someone to handle the funeral arrangements, the medical staff present will help to arrange interim care for your loved one until such time as you have had the opportunity to make a fully informed choice. There is no immediate rush to make this decision.
Due to close regulation by the CMA (Competition and Markets Authority) since 2021, all Funeral Directors must provide a completely transparent pricing structure to enable like-for-like pricing comparison for families. Please click to see our Standardised Price List to enable you to compare based upon price. This should be readily available from all Funeral Directors on their website and in their branch. Other factors include the location of the Funeral Home, and the standard of care offered to both the bereaved and family and to the loved one who has passed away.
– Registering the Death
You must register your loved one’s death with the local Registrar’s Office within 5 days of them passing away (unless the Coroner is involved). You must register the death in the district where it happened by a relative or someone present at the death. If the death happened in Stoke-on-Trent, you can make an appointment online for the Stoke-on-Trent Registration Service. This is located at the Civic Centre, Glebe Street, Stoke-on-Trent.
– What to expect in the Funeral Home
Walking into a Funeral Home for the first time can be very daunting. We have chosen to provide a light and airy atmosphere with comfortable seating in warming colours. Our staff are smart and professional – however, we will not be dressed in formal wear in the Funeral Home environment. We have a variety of different spaces for you to sit. The Willow Room of Rest lets you spend time with your loved one in a peaceful and quiet environment to say your final goodbyes.
– Things to think about before the Arrangement Meeting
There are many elements and options when it comes to arranging a funeral. Sometimes families can feel overwhelmed by the amount of choice. We have created an Arrangement Pack which consists of downloadable documents and links to help you begin to think about the way you would like to personalise the funeral to reflect your loved one’s personality.
Some of the basic questions you will need to consider include:
- Burial or cremation
- Venue for the service and for the committal
- Whether you would like a religious or non-religious service
- Who you would like to lead the service
- Choice of coffin, and what you would like your loved one to wear
- Whether you would like to visit your loved one in our Willow Room of Rest
- Anything that you would like to tell us about your loved one’s personality. We love to hear stories and see photographs to help us shape their personality in our minds.
We are a forward thinking and creative Funeral Director in Burslem with a family-run independent Funeral Home. Forrest & Family combine traditional core values with a modern holistic approach.
Please call us on 01782 756518 if we can be of assistance.
