Planning a Non-Religious Funeral Ceremony in the UK

Non-religious funerals are now more common in the UK than religious ones. According to Humanists UK, more than half of all funerals in the UK now take place without a religious ceremony. This reflects the decline of religious affiliation in British society, but also a growing desire for funerals that genuinely reflect the life of the individual. Here is everything you need to know about arranging a non-religious funeral ceremony.

Humanist, civil, and independent celebrants: understanding the difference

The terms are often used interchangeably, but there are meaningful differences in training, accreditation, and philosophy.

Humanist celebrants are trained and accredited through Humanists UK (formerly the British Humanist Association). The accreditation is widely regarded as the most rigorous available for non-religious ceremony. Humanist celebrants are committed to the humanist philosophy — that this life is the only life we have and that a meaningful ceremony should celebrate it fully and honestly. A Humanists UK funeral will contain no prayers, religious readings, or theological content of any kind. They are available throughout the UK via the directory at humanists.org.uk/funerals.

Civil celebrants are trained to conduct life ceremonies — including weddings, funerals, and naming ceremonies — without necessarily subscribing to a specific philosophy. Several accrediting bodies exist, including the Civil Celebrants Network, the Institute of Civil Celebrants, and the Fellowship of Professional Celebrants. Standards and training requirements vary between bodies. Civil celebrants often offer slightly more flexibility in the content of ceremonies: some families choose to include a moment of quiet reflection or a non-religious poem that has spiritual resonance without being explicitly religious.

Independent celebrants are those who operate without formal accreditation from a recognised body. Quality varies enormously. While some independent celebrants are highly experienced and excellent practitioners, others have little formal training. If considering an independent celebrant, ask specifically about their training, experience, and how many funerals they have conducted.

What a non-religious funeral ceremony involves

A non-religious funeral ceremony typically runs for 20-40 minutes, though longer ceremonies are possible depending on the venue. The typical structure includes:

• Gathering music: Chosen by the family to set the tone as mourners arrive — this might be a favourite song, a piece of classical music, or something that captures the personality of the deceased
• Welcome and introduction: The celebrant welcomes mourners and introduces the purpose of the gathering
• Life story and tribute: The heart of the ceremony — a personal account of the life of the deceased, based on conversations with the family and written in collaboration with them
• Readings or poems: One or more readings chosen by the family — secular poetry, prose, a favourite passage from a book, or something written by a family member
• Music: One or more pieces of music played during the ceremony, often including a piece during which mourners reflect privately
• Tributes from family or friends: Many celebrants facilitate spoken tributes from those who knew the deceased — this requires careful management to work well
• Committal words: At the close of the ceremony, words marking the moment of committal (lowering of the coffin, drawing of the curtains at a crematorium, or the beginning of interment at a burial)
• Closing music: A final piece of music as mourners leave

How to find and choose a celebrant

The search for the right celebrant is worth taking time over. The celebrant will be the person who speaks for your loved one — their skill and empathy matters enormously.

Steps to finding a celebrant:

• Start with Humanists UK: Search humanists.org.uk/funerals by postcode — celebrants are shown with profiles, photos, and sometimes testimonials
• Ask your funeral director: A good funeral director will have worked with several celebrants and can recommend someone they know to be reliable and empathetic — though you are not obliged to use their preferred celebrant
• Ask for a meeting: Always speak to a celebrant before booking — ideally in person or by video call. Ask how they approach the tribute, how much of the ceremony you can shape, and how many meetings they will have with the family
• Questions to ask: How many funerals have you conducted? How long will the tribute be? Will you share a draft with us before the ceremony? What happens if you are ill on the day? Do you have a backup?

Cost: what to expect

The cost of a celebrant's fee for a funeral is typically between £250 and £600, though rates vary by region and experience. This fee is in addition to:

• Crematorium fees: Typically £1,000-£1,500 depending on location and time slot
• Burial ground fees: Vary considerably — from around £1,000 for a municipal cemetery plot to several thousand at a private burial ground
• Funeral director fees: If using a funeral director, their charges cover collection, care, and transport of the deceased, typically starting from around £1,500

Some celebrants include travel costs within their fee; others charge separately for travel beyond a set radius. Clarify this when booking.

Writing the ceremony: what families contribute

The best non-religious ceremonies are built from detailed, personal contributions from the family. A good celebrant will guide you through this process, but the raw material comes from you.

Typical celebrant preparation involves:

• One or more meetings with the family to gather memories, stories, and details about the deceased's life, character, and passions
• The celebrant writing a tribute and ceremony script based on those conversations, then sharing a draft with the family for feedback
• The family choosing readings, poems, and music — the celebrant can suggest options if the family is uncertain
• Family members deciding whether they wish to speak — and the celebrant advising on how to structure this within the ceremony

Families who provide rich, specific detail — anecdotes, phrases the deceased used, their quirks and enthusiasms — enable the celebrant to create a ceremony that is genuinely unique. Generic ceremonies that could apply to anyone are a failure of the process; do not hesitate to tell a draft-writing celebrant if their tribute does not feel like your loved one.