Accepting charity donations at a loved one’s funeral has become a common way for families to let others pay their respects and support cherished charities.
Traditionally, friends and family would send flowers as a funeral tribute. While flowers still play a huge part in modern funerals, they are often kept to the arrangements made as part of the funeral service.
Many families now suggest that rather than sending flowers, mourners should make charitable donations. This can be arranged by your funeral director at the funeral or online through a digital tribute page.
Choosing a charity
Families that would like to accept charity donations at their loved one’s funeral first need to choose the charity they would like to benefit. Their loved one may have already specified a preferred charity, either verbally or in their funeral plan. The charities selected usually have some special significance to the family, either through the deceased’s past charity work or perhaps in relation to an illness they or someone close has suffered.
Occasionally families will leave the choice of charity open, simply encouraging people to make a donation to their own favourite cause.
Charity collections
Once the charity has been selected, your funeral director can include donation instructions in the funeral announcement or obituary. A common message simply says 'No flowers, please. Donations can be made to XYZ charity', but it may be possible to say more.
Your funeral director may also be able to collect donations on your behalf, forwarding contributions directly to the nominated charity in the name of the deceased. This can be done before the funeral, with donations received at the funeral home.
A charity collection can also be taken at your loved one’s funeral service. Your funeral director can assist with collection envelopes or a collection box or plate. Some charities will send collection envelopes on request.
Details of where to send donations can also be printed on the back of the order of service.
Online giving
As less of us carry cash now, charity donations are often made online. Setting up a page to accept charity donations in memory of a loved one is relatively straightforward though services like JustGiving.
Online payments make it easier for charities to capture Gift Aid instructions automatically. That means that charities get 25% extra on eligible donations, thanks to government tax relief on donations.
Many funeral directors are also able to take charitable donations through their own online service, but it is important to check if they can provide this.
Giving through digital tributes
The MuchLoved Charitable Trust is a bereavement charity, founded in 1998, that has hosted memorial websites for over 300,000 people and raised over £80 million for good causes. Families can use the MuchLoved website to create tribute pages for free and link to over 150 leading UK charities.
Some charities make it easy to set up memorial giving pages on their own websites. These typically include the name of the deceased with a short tribute and a picture if desired. Details of the charity benefiting and why it has been chosen are also common. Mourners visiting the page can make donations online and leave messages of condolence or support. Of course, donations can be made anonymously.
Asking for donations at a funeral doesn't mean that there won't be any flowers at the service; friends and family usually arrange their own floral tributes for the coffin and the funeral venue. Asking for charity donations in lieu of flowers does mean that, through the generosity of friends, family and acquaintances, positive work in areas like medical research or community care can be funded in the memory of a loved one.
