Comparing religious and civil funerals

Not too long ago that there was really only one type of funeral in the UK, with the vast majority of funeral services following a very familiar form; a Christian church service with sacred music followed by a burial or cremation. There were of course variations in the order of service depending on the denomination or faith, but funerals were predominantly a religious affair.

As British society has become more diverse, funeral formats have become far less fixed. From dress codes to music, venues to vehicles, the type of funeral you have has become much more a reflection of personal passions rather than an occasion dictated by tradition.

Religious funeral services

Most funeral services in the UK are still traditional, faith-based services, many held in a place of worship and led by a religious official. Religious services provide great comfort to many people, drawing on centuries of tradition and representing a familiarity that many find deeply reassuring at times of loss.

Christianity is still the biggest religion in England and Wales, with 27.5 million Christians counted in the 2021 census. And, whether a burial or a cremation, the comfort of the church buildings, the priest or minister, a recognisable order of service and well-loved hymns can help loved ones say goodbye.

As the religious make-up of the UK changes, with millions of UK citizens now following Islam, Hinduism, Judaism and Sikhism, there are more funerals in these traditions than ever before. The growing diversity in our society has also led to multi-faith funerals, with services acknowledging several faiths at one time.

With most religious funerals, the deceased will likely have had a relationship with a specific church, temple or other place of worship and when organising the funeral, it may be best to contact the religious officials at the place of worship they attended.

Civil funerals

A civil funeral service may be appropriate where the deceased has had no formal relationship with any religion.

The definition of a civil funeral given by the Institute of Civil Funerals is: "A funeral driven by the wishes beliefs and values of the deceased and their family not by the beliefs and ideology of the person conducting the funeral".

Unlike a Humanist funeral service, which has no religious content at all, civil funerals can have as much or as little religious content as desired. Hymns and prayers are often included. Civil funerals can be held in crematoriums or chapels, but also in a range of other locations as best suits friends and family.

With a civil funeral, families can work with celebrants to create their own order of service and focus the ceremony on their loved one with a tone that reflects their personality. Services can include secular music or hymns, poetry or bible readings, reflections or prayers. The format of the service is entirely up to the family.

Choosing between a religious and a civil funeral

The decision of what type of funeral to have should be made according to the beliefs of the deceased and the wishes of the family and friends arranging the service.

The decision will be easiest for people who have expressed a strong faith throughout their lives. With an established relationship, it's likely that representatives of the faith will be in touch very soon after your loved one has died.

Where there is no formal religious relationship, but a religious funeral is wanted, you'll need to contact your local place of worship to see if it's possible for the local priest, minister or other representative to officiate and if it's possible to hold the service there.

Non-religious funeral services can be conducted by anyone, including family and friends, but most people turn to a trained celebrant to help create and deliver the service. The beauty of the civil funeral is the flexibility to include religious and non-religious elements into the service.

Where the deceased has no strong religious faith, or alternatively no anti-religious feelings, the civil funeral service offers a strong mix of old and new.

In relation to both religious and civil funerals, your funeral director will be able to provide information on the availability of venues and celebrants in your area.