Coffin and casket

A coffin is what a person is laid in for a funeral, burial or cremation; in the UK it is traditionally six-sided, wider at the shoulders and narrowing at head and foot. A casket is the rectangular version, more usual in the United States. For a repatriation, international rules set the standard the coffin must meet (see sealed coffin).

When you will need one

A coffin is needed for most burials and cremations, and for any repatriation across a border. There are exceptions at some cemeteries. Where a council cemetery has a Muslim section, some allow burial in the shroud without a coffin, while others require a coffin or a lined grave where the ground is wet, so it is worth asking the cemetery before the day.

Choosing one

A simple funeral from a funeral director includes a plain, lined coffin, and a more elaborate coffin or fittings adds to the cost. For a natural burial, families usually choose a coffin of willow, bamboo, seagrass or cardboard, or a wool shroud, all of which break down in the ground. Traditional caskets often carry metal fittings, synthetic linings and varnish. For a cremation, anything placed in the coffin has to be something that can be cremated, and the crematorium sets the rules, so ask before adding anything.

Help with the cost

If you receive certain benefits, a Funeral Expenses Payment of up to £1,000 can go towards the funeral director’s fees, flowers or a coffin. The funeral director’s price list shows what each coffin costs, and you are free to ask for the simplest one.

For a repatriation

When someone is going home to another country, international agreements on transporting a coffin set the standard, along with the carrier. The coffin is sealed before it leaves, and the funeral director may need to sign a declaration of what it contains. Sealed coffin explains the standard in more detail.