East Midlands funeral director warns of illegal money lenders

M.A. Mills in the East Midlands is warning grieving families against using illegal money lenders to cover the costs of funeral services during this Funeral Poverty Awareness Week (3 to 9 February). 

The funeral provider, which operates in Nottingham and Derbyshire, revealed that many residents remain unaware of existing financial support systems available. 

The warning follows reports of an increase in the number of people turning to unlicensed lenders to fund health and funeral-related expenses, as average funeral costs now exceed £4k.

However, M.A. Mills provides a City Funerals scheme for residents in Nottingham and Derby, offering subsidised services at £1,200.

Government assistance is also available via the Department for Work and Pensions. This includes the Bereavement Support Payment and the means-tested Funeral Expenses Payment.

Families who lose a child under 18 may also access the Children’s Funeral Fund. The firm publishes all costs on its website to ensure financial transparency.

Julia Carty, general manager of M.A. Mills, said: “It’s incredibly saddening that the bereaved are targeted by unlicensed money lenders at what is already such a difficult and vulnerable time. We’d highly advise any family to avoid this route.

“We appreciate that discussions around finances can be difficult for some families, but we want to emphasise that we see numerous families come in with the same worries and we hope that by the time they leave, we have alleviated some of that stress.”

She added: “It’s about making the last journey for the deceased that little bit easier for the bereaved. We hope our transparency encourages the communities we serve to feel confident in coming to our funeral arrangers to discuss how best we can help them.”

The business was established in 1995 and was acquired by A.W. Lymn in October 2023. It currently operates sites in Allenton, Aspley, and Cotmanhay.