The cost of dying
Heather Kennedy writes about Down to Earth, a progressive initiative by the east London charity Quaker Social Action
As over 100,000 people struggle to pay for a funeral this year, an important message for everyone should be to do something to prepare, however small… As funeral poverty has increased fifty per cent in just three years, something must be done as a matter of urgency before more families are unable to give their loved ones the send-off they deserve.
(Melanie Rees, Sun Life Direct, commenting on the 2013 Cost of Dying Report, produced by Sun Life Direct in conjunction with Bath University)
Melanie Rees, quoted above, is unequivocal – something must be done to address the cost of funerals. But what?
We at Quaker Social Action (QSA) first began to grapple with this problem five years ago through the first-hand experiences of people in east London who were struggling to pay for a funeral. A practical and compassionate project eventually grew from this concern and in 2010 QSA set up Down to Earth to support bereaved people to navigate the maze of funeral costs. We support people on a low income to organise funerals that are both meaningful and affordable. It’s the affordable part that’s difficult.
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