Contact us
Who we work with
If you are from east London and are planning a funeral on a low income, our support service is for you.
We take referrals from any agencies, or self-referrals.
What we can do
Our mentors will help you to deal with any aspect of planning a funeral, from applying to the Social Fund to thinking about venues and services.
What we can do
Our mentors will help you to deal with any aspect of planning a funeral, from applying to the Social Fund to thinking about venues and services.
Down to Earth is a practical service helping people living on low incomes to have the funeral they want at a price they can afford.
When someone close to us dies, money is often the last thing on our minds. However, in 2010 the average cost of a funeral in London was £2,850 for a cremation or £4,600 for a burial. For someone on a low income, finding that money can be the first step in a downward spiral of financial difficulty and debt.
Very few people leave clear instructions or financial provision for their own funeral. Down to Earth is developing support for people during this difficult time. We want to help bereaved people to plan a funeral that honours and celebrates the life of the person who has died, but which will not have a negative effect on their own financial future.
We also agree with the Natural Death Centre, that "a preparation for dying is a preparation for living". We therefore want to find creative ways of helping people think about and discuss death before they have to.
If you are interested in getting involved in focus groups or strategic partnerships to campaign for fairer funerals, please contact Shaun Powell, Down to Earth project manager via shaunpowell@qsa.org.uk or on 020 8983 5056.
What you can do
1) Find out more about Down to Earth by reading about its impact and client stories, and this briefing document. Visit our gallery to see photos from our launch event held on September 2nd 2010, and visit the news page for more information on the event. You can also read an article our director contributed to in the Observer or a more recent Guardian article about funeral debt.
2) If you would like to find out more about becoming a volunteer funeral mentor, supporting bereaved people on low incomes to plan funerals, please visit the mentor information page.
3) To give to the project, visit donate and click on the link to take you through to a secure donation page.
