RECENT media stories on new research by Macmillan Cancer Support shows the pain of not planning for death can leave bereaved loved ones experiencing emotional, financial and/or practical issues as a result of not knowing all of the deceased’s wishes.


Almost one in four people recently bereaved did not know all of the deceased’s wishes and have experienced one or more emotional, financial or practical issues as a result.

Issues included being unsure if the funeral was what the person would have wanted (19 per cent), emotional distress over not knowing what their wishes were (14 per cent) and having to front unexpected financial costs following the death (nine per cent).

These were just some of the findings from a YouGov survey of over 2,000 UK adults carried out for Macmillan.


For many people living with cancer, having these things in order can give a sense of control.


But whatever stage of life you are at, tackling the important ‘death admin’ and vital paperwork can help you feel less anxious about the future knowing that your practical and financial affairs are taken care of, so you can get on with living life as fully as you can.


We are therefore urging people to consider their loved ones as well as themselves by talking to them about death and starting to make the practical arrangements to help ensure their wishes are carried out.


Things you could chat about include the sort of medical treatment you want at the end, the funeral you’d like, the legacy you want to leave behind and who you want to remember in your will.

Macmillan has information on its website to help tackle the ‘death admin’ including a quiz to find out how ready you are to talk about death and a guide for starting the conversation. 


Death is sad and hard on the people you leave behind.

But talking about it now can stop it being harder than it should be.

Tanya Humphreys, 
Macmillan