DIY funerals Sam Weller The idea of arranging a funeral for a loved one can be daunting and even distressing, but once you know what you need to do it can be an incredibly rewarding option. This guide outlines the legal issues, administrative essentials, practical tips and ways to personalise the ceremony.

In this article

Why do it yourself? Legal issues The essentials

Looking after the body The coffin

The ceremony Transporting the body

DIY funerals can be less expensive (by up to £800, according to a Which report) and can also help you come to terms with your loss. Some people feel this is one final thing they can do for their loved one; others value the chance to create a highly personal ceremony.

Doing it yourself can involve smaller elements, such as using relatives as pall-bearers - or doing everything from laying out the body to delivering it to the crematorium and backfilling the grave.

Most of us are happy to hand funeral arrangements over to a professional, as there are so many other tasks to be performed after a death. However, there's no legal reason to do so - and while those who do it themselves generally start out with little or no knowledge of what has to be done, it can turn out to be a really rewarding experience.

But if you're thinking of doing it all yourself you should start with a thorough understanding of how complex a funeral is. Although you'll probably attend several funerals during your lifetime, actually putting one together is quite a responsibility.

You'll find all your legal obligations in a booklet published by the Department for Work & Pensions. It guides you through the essential steps of getting a medical certificate, registering the death and sorting out property and possessions. To get a free copy, visit your local benefits office or go online:

• D49 What to do After a Death in England and Wales
• D49S What to do After a Death in Scotland: Social Security Supplement

There are very few regulations covering the disposal of a body in the UK. You must undertake either to bury or cremate it, and you must have a death certificate signed by a doctor and a Certificate for Burial or Cremation from the Registrar of Deaths. This last document is very important, and most hospitals and mortuaries will not release the body until they've seen it.

If you're doing it yourself, you'll have to hunt for information that's obvious to professionals. Some undertakers offer advice, for which they charge - but if the burial or cremation is at a local authority cemetery or crematorium, their management can advise you on how to proceed.

Either way, there are certain things you'll need to sort out for yourself, such as deciding whether the service is to be at a cemetery, crematorium chapel or other religious building; booking the slot and appointing and briefing an officiant to deliver the service; arranging music and transport for the coffin, mourners and floral tributes; and grave-digging, if necessary. The logistics are like those of a military operation.

You can save some money by providing your own transport, coffin and pall-bearers but you still have to pay for the cremation or burial,. the grave and memorial rights.

Laying out a loved one and putting them into a coffin isn't something many would enjoy. The human body is 90 per cent water, and intervention to keep it from dispersing after death is prudent if not essential.

Some undertakers will look after the body until the funeral - or, if your loved one died in hospital, you might be able to store the body in the hospital mortuary. However, if you're keeping it at home, perhaps for viewing, you'll need to keep it in the coolest room in the house so that it remains in good condition. In summer, you may need to have it embalmed by a professional.

You can make or obtain a coffin (although not all funeral directors sell them without also providing the undertaking service), and ask staff at the hospital or municipal mortuary to put the body into it.

Environmentally-friendly coffins are available. The Natural Death Centre can advise on these. See more about choosing a coffin and things on/in coffins.

Some crematoriums and cemeteries accept bodies without coffins - you might prefer to use a shroud, for example - but do check with them first. The container should be clearly labelled with the person's name and date of death.

To book a date and time for a burial or cremation, you'll need to fill in an application form as soon as possible. Funeral directors, in particular, tend to book well in advance and you need to ensure there's a suitable slot available.

If you'd like a priest of a particular religion to take the service, or to hold it in a religious building, you need to book these as soon as you can, too.

A simple but effective way to personalise the funeral is to ask someone who knew your loved one well to conduct the ceremony.

A simple but effective way to personalise the funeral is to ask someone who knew your loved one well to conduct the ceremony. They don't need special qualifications, just the confidence to hold the ceremony together.

Many people take comfort from traditional religious services and familiar hymns and prayers. It's common to play tapes or CDs and to ask musicians to perform, too. You can also make small adjustments to the conventional service or even devise your own ritual.

If the burial is to take place in a churchyard rather than a cemetery you may have to find a grave digger, although some places employ their own. He or she must be notified of the measurements of your coffin.

You'll need to arrange to replace any existing memorials that have been removed for the purpose of the burial (for example, stones for relatives already buried in the plot), and you might even need to bring some rope for the coffin to be lowered into the grave (check this with the venue).

You can transport the coffin in any dignified vehicle, such as a hearse, estate car or horse and carriage, as long as it's big enough. If you're considering a particularly unusual mode of transport, check with the cemetery or crematorium first.

The journey time between the starting point and the crematorium or cemetery is critical, and can vary with traffic conditions at different times of day. Professional drivers will know the best routes and times, but if you're doing it yourself it's a good idea to check the route in advance.

Four pall-bearers are normally enough. However, if the coffin is large or of an unconventional shape, six may be necessary. If your coffin has plastic handles, make sure they're not used to lift it as they probably won't support the weight. Hands should be placed beneath the coffin to lift and carry it.