What is a Humanist funeral?

A Humanist funeral is a non-religious ceremony that celebrates a person's life and legacy.

But what is a Humanist? What happens during a Humanist funeral service? Where can you hold one? And what else do you need to know about Humanist funerals?

Here you can find answers to all of these questions, as well as some guidance on planning a Humanist funeral if this sounds like the right choice for you.

What is a Humanist?

Humanism is a type of philosophy, which means a way of living your life. People who follow Humanism are called Humanists.

A core Humanist belief is that there's no God. Humanists don't believe that people go to heaven after they die, regardless of whether they did good things in life. If you're wondering "what does a Humanist do", the answer is quite straightforward. They practice kindness and respect for all people during their lives simply because they think it's the right thing to do.

Some famous Humanists from around the world include Kurt Vonnegut, Gore Vidal, Bill Nye, Carl Sagan, Gloria Steinam, Katharine Hepburn, and Margaret Atwood. Famous Humanists in the UK include broadcasters Stephen Fry and Sandi Toksvig, comedian Tim Minchin and novelist Salman Rushdie.

What is a Humanist funeral service?

Humanist funerals follow the core beliefs of Humanism. They are non-religious and focus on the life and legacy of the person who’s died. They can be a celebration of life, peaceful, sombre, or have any other tone you like.  Here's how Humanists UK describe a humanist funeral:

You might hear a humanist funeral referred to as a “humanitarian funeral”. A humanitarian is anyone concerned with “seeking to promote human welfare”. We genuinely use this word to talk about people who do a lot for charity. While humanitarianism is a humanist value, it’s not the correct term to use when speaking about funerals. 

Who leads a Humanist funeral service? 

Non-religious funeral services are led by a professional called a celebrant. There are two main types of celebrants: civil celebrants and Humanist celebrants.  Civil celebrants specialise in civil funerals. These are similar to Humanist funerals, but don't necessarily follow Humanist beliefs. This means they can be completely non-religious or include some religious elements.  Humanist celebrants only conduct Humanist funerals, which are always non-religious. 

What does a Humanist funeral celebrant do?

A humanist celebrant will usually meet up with you before the funeral to discuss things in detail. They'll ask questions to find out about the person who’s died and the kind of funeral they wanted. Using this information, they'll write a script that's crafted to the person's unique personality. This might include a eulogy , talking about the person’s life. They'll also help you put together an  order of service  that feels special and follows Humanist values.

On the day of the funeral, they’ll lead the funeral service. This means they'll do most of the speaking, which usually involves welcoming guests, reading the eulogy and introducing other speakers and songs.

Where can you hold a Humanist funeral service?

You can choose from all sorts of venues for a Humanist service. Some of the most common choices are crematoriums, cemetery chapels and non-religious burial grounds. But you could hold the funeral service in a family home, a public park or even a football stadium if you want to. Just make sure you get permission from the venue and include any hire fees in your budget.

Can you have a humanist funeral in a church?

Yes, you could. You don’t have to be religious to have a funeral in a church. And you don’t have to be religious to have your ashes buried in a churchyard either. The Church of England welcomes non-religious people into their churches. And many other places of worship welcome non-religious people too. If this is something you’d like to do, it’s best to contact the place of worship and check if they’re happy to host a non-religious service.

But if the person who passed away lived their life as a Humanist, they may not have wanted to have their funeral in a church. It’s difficult to hold a funeral in a church without there being some association with religion. And because humanists don’t believe in God or life after death, a church may not be the best option for a Humanist funeral.

What happens at a Humanist funeral service?

Humanist funerals tend to follow a similar structure to traditional funerals. The main difference is that they usually won't contain any religious elements. So if you've been to a traditional funeral, you can expect to see many of the same things. There will probably be music, as well as non-religious funeral readings that remind people of the person who has died. 

• The tribute: the longest part of the ceremony is usually the tribute section. This is a bit like a  eulogy  in a traditional funeral – it's a specially written speech that looks back at the life and character of the person who has died. This might be read by the celebrant alone, or include contributions from family members and friends.
• Time for reflection: the tribute is followed by time for reflection, which happens in silence. This gives people a chance to think about the person who has died and how they felt about them. If you're religious, you're allowed to pray.
• The committal: finally, there's the committal, where the curtains are closed or the coffin is lowered. This is much like the committal in a traditional funeral – it's there to symbolise a final goodbye.

Bear in mind that this is just a rough outline. Humanist funerals are quite flexible, so you're allowed to change the structure and choose your own poems, readings and songs. Talk to your funeral celebrant if you have any special requests. They should be able to offer ideas and suggestions too.

You might even be able to include religious content like hymns and prayers. However, these are only allowed if they're meant to remind people of the person who has died. They're not allowed if they're meant as acts of worship.

Do you have to be a Humanist to have a non-religious funeral ceremony?

No. You don't have to be a Humanist to have a Humanist funeral - anyone can have one. In fact, while Humanist funerals are  getting more popular , very few people who have one actually identify as Humanist.You don't have to be a Humanist to go to a Humanist ceremony either. People of all faiths are welcome and the celebrant will do their best to make everyone feel comfortable.

How long does a Humanist funeral last?

Humanist funerals last as long as they need to. It all depends on the structure of the funeral and what you want to include.

A simple service could be over in 20 minutes. If you're planning a big celebration of life with lots of readings and songs, you can expect it to last for an hour or more.

How much does a Humanist funeral cost?

A Humanist funeral service is likely to cost about the same as any other kind of funeral. In 2023, the average cost for a basic funeral in the UK was £4,141 ( SunLife 2024 ). This includes the cremation or burial, plus fees for the funeral director, a doctor and the person conducting the funeral.

Where Humanist funerals might differ is celebrant fees – though these will make up only a small portion of the overall cost. On average, a Humanist celebrant costs between £180 - £300 ( Humanists UK ).

If you're looking to save money, you could consider  choosing a simple funeral  or  arranging one without help from a funeral director.

How do I arrange a Humanist funeral?

Humanist funerals are quite popular. So most  funeral directors  have plenty of experience arranging these kinds of funerals. Your funeral director will help you deal with paperwork, find a venue and look after the body, among other things.

You can find and compare funeral directors in your area using our free search tool.

Where can I find a Humanist celebrant?

Your funeral director will usually be able to recommend a Humanist celebrant. If you'd like to choose one yourself, you can  search using the Humanists UK website . Simply enter your postcode to see a list of Humanist funeral celebrants near you.

Photo by The Good Funeral Guide on Unsplash.