Planning for End of Life: UK Guide to Care & Funeral Wishes

Thinking about the end of life is never easy. It’s natural to put it off. Yet when plans aren’t made, families can be left second‑guessing important choices about care, money and funerals at a time of shock and grief. Planning ahead is about dignity, control and kindness—to yourself, and to the people who will support you.

The good news is that a clear, practical plan doesn’t need to be complicated or expensive. With a few key documents, honest conversations and the right support from the NHS and local services, you can record what matters to you, make legally robust decisions, and ease the burden on loved ones.

This step‑by‑step UK guide walks you through what to do and in what order: from expressing your values, speaking to your GP, and setting up advance statements, Advance Decisions and Lasting Powers of Attorney, to sorting wills and finances, organising documents and your digital legacy, and choosing care and funeral options, including direct cremation. You’ll also find checklists, costs to expect, who to contact, and how rules differ across the UK. Let’s begin.

Step 1. Decide what matters most to you

Before any paperwork, pause and name what “a good end” means for you. This anchors every decision in planning for end of life – from care and symptom control to place of death and funeral tone. Capture your values in plain English on one page; you can turn this into a formal document later.

• Your priorities: comfort, independence, time at home, or life‑length.
• Place of care and death: home, hospice, care home or hospital.
• Treatments you’d refuse: for example ventilation or tube feeding if burdensome.
• Pain and symptom preferences: what “well‑controlled” looks like for you.
• People and communication: who to involve (and any you’d prefer not to).
• Beliefs, culture and routines: spiritual needs, food, music, pets and home.

Step 2. Speak to your GP and access palliative and hospice support early

Contact your GP early—even if you don’t feel you’re “at the end of life” yet. Palliative care focuses on comfort, symptom control and support alongside any treatments, and can start months before death. Your GP can coordinate services and refer you to hospice or community palliative teams. Hospice care is free for everyone in the UK and can be provided at home, in a care home, hospital or a hospice building.

• Ask for referrals: community palliative care and local hospice services.
• Share your priorities: place of care, what good symptom control means to you.
• Create a plan: pain and symptom management, out‑of‑hours contacts and what to do if things worsen at night.
• Home support: equipment, adaptations and daytime/night‑time care options.
• Local register: request inclusion so paramedics and out‑of‑hours teams see your preferences (where available).
• Support for carers: respite options and signposting to financial and emotional help.

Step 3. Record your wishes in an advance statement

An advance statement (also called an ‘advance statement of wishes’) sets out how you’d like to be cared for if you can’t explain it yourself. It’s not legally binding, but professionals should take it into account. It complements, rather than replaces, medical decisions and is a core part of planning for end of life.

• What to include: daily routines, communication needs, faith or cultural practices, dietary requirements/allergies, personal care preferences, what brings comfort (music, scents), and who you want staff to consult.
• Place preferences: where you’d prefer to be cared for and die (home, hospice, care home, hospital).
• How to make it: write it in plain English, date and sign it. Keep it with your records.
• Share it: give copies to your GP, medical team, carers and loved ones; ask for it to be noted in your NHS records and on any local end‑of‑life register.
• Review it: update after major changes in health or circumstances (or at least every few years).

Step 4. Make an advance decision (living will) and consider a DNACPR

If there are treatments you know you would refuse in certain circumstances, an Advance Decision to Refuse Treatment (often called a ‘living will’) lets you say so now, in case you later can’t decide or communicate. In England and Wales, advance decisions are legally binding and must be followed if they apply to the situation. Discuss your views with your GP or specialist team as part of planning for end of life and make sure your wishes are easy for clinicians to find.

• Be specific: set out which treatments you’d refuse and in what circumstances (for example intensive ventilation if recovery is unlikely).
• Share widely: give copies to your GP, hospital team, carers and loved ones; ask for it to be added to your records and any local end‑of‑life register.
• Consider DNACPR: if you would not want cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), ask your GP or hospital team about recording a Do Not Attempt CPR decision so paramedics and out‑of‑hours services can see it.
• Keep it current: review after health changes and replace older versions so staff act on your latest wishes.

Step 5. Set up lasting powers of attorney (health and welfare; property and financial affairs)

Lasting powers of attorney (LPAs) are a cornerstone of planning for end of life. They give someone you trust legal authority to act if you can’t make or communicate decisions. There are two types: Health and Welfare (care and treatment) and Property and Financial Affairs (money, bills and assets). Put them in place early so choices follow your values and any advance statement. The terms and process differ in Scotland and Northern Ireland; see Step 17.

• Choose your attorneys: pick trusted people (and replacements) and brief them on your priorities.
• Set scope and preferences: add instructions on what decisions they can make; sign and date.
• Share copies: give to your GP, care teams and banks; ask for noting on records/local registers.
• Store and review: keep with your will and Advance Decision; review after major changes.

Step 6. Write or update your will and choose executors and guardians

A clear, up‑to‑date will is one of the kindest parts of planning for end of life. It sets out what should happen to your money, property, possessions and online accounts, easing stress and avoiding disputes. Review your will every five years—or sooner after major life events—so it still reflects your wishes.

• Pick trusted executors: 1–2 people (plus a reserve) to carry out your instructions and deal with your estate.
• Name guardians (if needed): choose who should care for children or dependants, and talk to them in advance.
• Set out gifts and legacies: include any charities you wish to remember and any specific items for loved ones.
• Cover your digital legacy: note what should happen to social media, cloud photos and online subscriptions.
• Store and share the details: keep the original safely and tell your executors where to find it; give copies of key pages if helpful.

Step 7. Choose where you want to be cared for and die, and plan support at home

Deciding where you’d prefer to be cared for—home, hospice, care home or hospital—shapes the rest of your planning for end of life. Share your first choice and a backup. Your preference may not always be feasible, but stating it clearly helps doctors and loved ones do their best to follow it. Hospice care is free and can be delivered at home as well as in hospice buildings; most end‑of‑life care can be coordinated in the community.

• Talk to your GP early: ask for assessment and referrals to community palliative and hospice teams.
• Plan day and night support: explore carers, district nursing and respite for family.
• Sort equipment and adaptations: e.g. hospital bed, mobility aids and practical home changes.
• Agree a safety net: who to call out of hours, when to escalate, preferred hospice/care home if home becomes unsafe.
• Document and share: record your choices in your advance statement and ask for them to be noted in your NHS records/local register.

Step 8. Get your finances in order and check what help you can get

Tidy finances make everything else in planning for end of life simpler for you and your executors. Aim for a clear snapshot of money coming in, bills going out, and where key policies and accounts live. Ask your GP, palliative team or a major charity advice line to help you check what financial support you could receive and to signpost carers to support.

• Create a one‑page snapshot: assets, debts, income/outgoings, account details, policy numbers and National Insurance number.
• Activate your Financial LPA: share copies with banks and service providers so attorneys can step in if needed.
• Review regular payments: cancel what’s not needed; flag any priority bills.
• Check pensions and insurance: note providers, beneficiaries and any funeral plans.
• Budget for near‑term costs: travel, heating and care at home; hospice care is free in the UK. Note funeral preferences (e.g. direct cremation) so costs can be planned.

Step 9. Organise key documents and your digital legacy

Good admin spares families hours of stress. Create one master folder (paper and digital) for the essentials and tell your executors where it is. Keep originals safe; place clearly marked copies with people who need them (for example your GP for care wishes). This is practical planning for end of life that pays off when it matters.

• Essential documents: birth certificate, passport, driving licence, valid will, recent bank statements, pension plans, insurance policies, National Insurance number, any pre‑paid funeral plan.
• Care wishes: copies of your advance statement, Advance Decision (living will), any DNACPR form, and both LPAs.
• Digital legacy: make a personal assets log of online accounts and instructions. Do not record passwords or PINs. Say which accounts to close and where photos are stored. Executors can arrange closure of online bank accounts.
• Store and review: note locations and who holds copies; update after health or life changes.

Step 10. Make practical arrangements for property, pets and dependants

Practical planning for end of life isn’t only paperwork. Put clear, written arrangements in place for your home, pets and anyone who relies on you so there’s no scramble if you become unwell or die. A one‑page note naming people and tasks prevents guesswork.

• Property access and contacts: keyholders, alarm codes, spare‑key location, landlord/mortgage and insurance details.
• Pets: name carers and budget; The Cinnamon Trust can help, and Dogs Trust Canine Care Card/Cats Protection Cat Guardians offer lifetime rehoming.
• Dependants: write a care sheet (routines, medicines, school/GP contacts) and name back‑up carers.

Step 11. Understand funeral options and costs (including direct cremation)

Funerals can be simple or elaborate. The main choices are burial, cremation with a service, or direct cremation. Direct cremation is an unattended cremation without a ceremony at the crematorium; families can hold a personal memorial later and choose to have ashes returned or scattered in a garden of remembrance. When planning for end of life, deciding the shape of the funeral early helps control costs and gives loved ones clear direction.

• Type of funeral: burial, attended cremation, or direct cremation (no ceremony at the crematorium).
• Who arranges it: funeral director, hospice/community guidance, or family‑led/humanist options.
• Care and transport: collection, preparation, and where the person rests before cremation/burial.
• Coffin choices: simple or eco‑friendly (e.g. wicker or cardboard).
• Venue and extras: service venue, celebrant, music/readings, flowers, orders of service, live‑stream.
• Ashes arrangements: scatter at a remembrance garden or have them delivered to family.
• Pre‑paid plans: check what’s included and excluded, as services vary between providers.

Step 12. Set your funeral wishes and memorial or ashes plans

Write your funeral wishes so no one has to guess. Say if you want a religious, humanist or family‑led service, a simple memorial at home, or no ceremony. If choosing direct cremation, state whether ashes should be delivered to family or scattered at a remembrance garden.

• Type and tone: burial, attended cremation or direct cremation.
• Venue and invitees: where to hold it; who to tell.
• Personal touches: music, readings, flowers or donations.
• Clothing: what you’ll wear and any guest dress code.
• Coffin and eco options: simple, wicker or cardboard.

Sign, date and share with executors and your GP.

Step 13. Consider organ, tissue or body donation and charitable legacies

If donating is important to you, record it as part of your planning for end of life and tell your family now. Share your decision with your GP or specialist team so it’s visible in your records, and align it with your Advance Decision and Health & Welfare LPA. Clear instructions reduce delays and help care teams and funeral providers coordinate respectfully.

• Organ/tissue donation: document your choice, inform loved ones and your GP so clinicians can act.
• Whole body donation: discuss early; local processes vary and availability isn’t guaranteed—have a fallback plan.
• Charitable legacies: include gifts to charities in your will; state amounts or percentages and brief your executors.

Step 14. Share your plan and store it securely

A plan only helps if the right people can see it. Share clear, dated copies of your advance statement, Advance Decision, DNACPR and both LPAs with your GP, palliative team, carers, attorneys and executors. Keep originals safe, note where they’re stored, and ask to have key preferences recorded on any local end‑of‑life register where available.

• Create an at‑home folder: clearly labelled “grab folder”.
• Use a one‑page summary: place it on top.
• Store digital copies securely: never include passwords or PINs.
• Control versions: date, replace and destroy older copies.
• Tell people: who holds originals and where copies live.

Step 15. Review and update your plan regularly

Keep your plan alive. Review it regularly and whenever things change. Check your advance statement, Advance Decision/DNACPR, both LPAs, will, contacts and your one‑page summary. Replace older versions, tell people what changed, and ask your GP to update your NHS record and any local register. Do this after major health changes, moving home or GP, or significant family/financial events; review wills at least every five years.

Step 16. If death is near or has happened: who to call and what happens next

When someone is very unwell, clarity brings calm. Keep your one‑page summary and key numbers by the phone, and agree who to call at night and weekends. When death happens, you don’t need to rush. Spend time with your loved one, then follow the steps below so care teams can support you and your funeral wishes—including direct cremation—can be carried out smoothly.

• If death is near: call your GP, palliative team or hospice advice line for symptom support and next steps.
• If death is expected at home: contact your GP or the out‑of‑hours GP service; a clinician will confirm death. Call your chosen funeral provider when you’re ready.
• In hospital or a care home: staff will confirm death and guide you on what happens next and collecting belongings.
• If death is sudden or unexpected: call 999. The police and coroner may need to be involved; follow their guidance.
• Paperwork: a doctor issues the medical certificate; you then register the death with the local register office.
• Donation wishes: tell professionals immediately about any organ, tissue or body donation decisions so they can act in time.

Step 17. Be aware of differences across UK nations

Some processes and terms in planning for end of life differ between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Keep your plan nation‑specific by checking local forms and rules with your GP team, hospice, or registrar, and using the official documents for where you live.

• Powers of attorney: names, scope, witnessing and registration processes vary. Use the correct national forms.
• Advance decisions/directives: terminology and legal effect differ. Make them clear, specific and ask clinicians to note them in your records.
• DNACPR forms: formats and recording systems vary. Your GP or hospital team will use the right local documentation.
• Sharing preferences: some areas have local end‑of‑life registers; availability differs—ask to be added where possible.
• Death registration and paperwork: follow your nation’s registrar guidance on timelines, certificates and offices.
• Funding and benefits: eligibility and routes can vary—ask your clinical team to signpost current local support.

Before you go

Planning for end of life is an act of care. You’ve now got a clear path: name what matters, involve your GP early, put your wishes and legal tools in place, organise the admin, and set out simple funeral preferences. The result is control for you and calm for those you love.

Start small today. Write your one‑page values, ask your GP to note your preferences, and decide the direction of your funeral—whether a full service or a simple direct cremation with a memorial later. Each step you take now lifts weight from tomorrow.

If you’d like a dignified, low‑stress farewell without a ceremony, with 24/7 support and collection across mainland England, Scotland and Wales, talk to Go Direct Cremations. We’ll guide you through paperwork, timings and ashes options with clarity and care, so your plan is simple, affordable and exactly as you intend.