Third of Brits confess that they find funerals ‘too sombre’

Co-op Funeralcare’s new report ‘My Wishes, My Way’ has found that over a third (37%) feel that funerals are generally “too sombre” and should be more uplifting. An estimated 35 million adults state they want their funeral to be a celebration, compared to an estimated 20 million who expressed this wish in 2019. The survey conducted by YouGov and commissioned by Co-op Funeralcare conveys a post-pandemic effect on how we view funerals, with three quarters (75%) of those polled stating they now feel comfortable talking about their funeral wishes. Surprisingly, 40% of Generation ‘Z’ers (people aged 18-24 years old) have already thought about the way they want to say goodbye compared to just 37% of those aged between 25-44 years old. Co-op Funeralcare’s MD, Samantha Tyrer, “welcomes” the shift in mind-set and urges the nation to continue to talk to loved ones in order to open up conversations around death. She said: “As we’ve lived through the pandemic and seen such a tragic and unimaginable loss of life, the nation’s attitude towards death and dying has been changing. It’s incredibly poignant that society is gradually becoming more comfortable talking about the inevitable and that more people would like their final farewell to feel more like a unique celebration of their life. “The passing of a loved one is heart-breaking for families and friends but making our wishes known can offer reassurance and comfort when the time comes. At Co-op Funeralcare, we’re encouraging people to talk to their loved ones about their end of life wishes in order to break down the taboos around death and dying and to ensure we give our loved ones the final unique send-off that they would want.” Co-op Funeralcare’s research also shows that greater levels of personalisation is appealing to more British adults who wish to have a unique and meaningful funeral, their way. Almost seven in 10 (69%) state that it is not important to them to have their funeral in a religious setting and over a fifth (22%) are moving away from traditional black attire, preferring mourners to dress in bright colours, this compares to only 13% who now prefer a darker dress code. When thinking about which specific aspects of their final farewell people would like to personalise, over half (54%) would choose specific songs and 20% said they’d like a bespoke coffin. And when it comes to how people would like their life represented at their funeral, almost a third (31%) said through their favourite song, a specific singer or band, 18% said they would like their pet to be represented, and 17% said they’d like their hobby to be reflected in some way. Manny Badyal, funeral director at Co-op Funeralcare, said: “We are seeing a trend in personalisation of funerals which really help to create a unique celebration of someone’s life. Loved ones are moving away from traditional black hearses and black attire. “We now see more colourful and celebratory services, ones which help families remember their loved one’s passions and achievements whilst saying their final farewell. It’s important people understand that they can capture all of their wishes in a personalised funeral plan which can offer families great comfort when the time comes.”