Embalming (hygienic treatment)

Embalming, which UK funeral directors often list as hygienic treatment, is a treatment by a trained embalmer that slows the natural changes after death and helps the person look peaceful at a viewing. It is optional for a funeral in the UK and is usually charged as an extra. It is normally needed for a repatriation, where an embalming certificate goes with the other documents.

What it involves

A trained embalmer replaces the blood with a preservative fluid, usually containing formaldehyde, and treats the internal organs. The work is done in the preparation room of a funeral home, and it usually includes washing, dressing and setting the features. Its effect lasts several weeks, and it slows natural change rather than stopping it.

When it is recommended, and when it is not

Nothing in the law of England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland requires embalming for a burial or a cremation. A funeral director may suggest it for a viewing over several days, for a long wait before the funeral, or when someone is going home to another country, because many destinations and airlines require it and an embalming certificate travels with the coffin. For most UK funerals, refrigeration at between 4 and 7°C is enough, and a direct cremation does not usually need it. Most natural burial grounds do not accept someone who has been embalmed, because of the chemicals in the soil.

Consent and what to ask

Under the codes of practice funeral directors follow, including the joint NAFD and SAIF code, the funeral director must explain what embalming involves and get your informed, written consent before it is carried out. The price should be shown as its own line. Ask why it is recommended in your case. Most embalmers hold qualifications recognised by the British Institute of Embalmers.

Faith and custom

Traditional Jewish law forbids embalming, and many Muslim families find it hard, because Islam asks that the dead be left as they are. Where a carrier or a destination country requires it, the family can still carry out the washing and shrouding first.