The Natural Death Centre

How can we help you?

If you are looking for help, support, advice or guidance planning a funeral, either for yourself or for someone close to you, the Natural Death Centre Charity is here for you.

We are passionate about sharing knowledge, dispelling myths, and empowering everyone who wants to have the best experience possible when it comes to making arrangements for a funeral.

We firmly believe that knowledge is power, and that by knowing what is possible, you will be able to make informed choices about what is right for you, your family and for the person who has died.

Please look through the pages of this website, or call our Helpline if you would like to speak to somebody who will give you as much time as you need.

If you are about to make arrangements for a funeral you might find our free download Questions to ask a Funeral Director useful. More detailed guidance and information is contained in our Information Pack, available free if you join The Natural Death Society - details here

 The People's Awards

The Regional Winners in the People's Awards for 

The Best Natural Burial Ground in the UK 2013

have been chosen.  

See here for the list of winners.

In keeping with our belief that kindness, support, empowerment and information is what every grieving family needs, we have used the feedback from over a thousand bereaved people who chose a natural burial for someone they loved to select winners in each region of the UK in our unique People's Awards.

More to Death Magazine 

More to Death is the official magazine for The Natural Death Centre. Issue 1 was launched in January 2013, and is full of interesting and thought provoking articles. Download it here free of charge.

Independent funeral advice

In the 22 years since the charity was founded in 1991, the NDC has sought to inform, empower and inspire the public in all matters relating to death and dying, and in particular to increase awareness of funeral choices outside of the mainstream.

Despite our long running links with environmentally friendly funerals, we are not a green pressure group, but primarily a movement for social change. We have played a central part in demystifying the traditional funeral, encouraging thousands of families in having the kind of funerals they wanted, and helping create opportunity for new rituals to emerge.

We are, and will continue to be an informed and reflective presence on issues such as euthanasia, assisted suicide, childhood bereavement, changing funeral practices, dying at home, pain relief, religious and non-religious expressions of grief.

The Natural Death Society

Do you believe that death is a natural part of life?

Do you feel we should all be empowered in the process of dying and of organising a funeral?

Would you be willing to make a small regular donation to help support the work of The Natural Death Centre?

Would you like a complimentary copy of the Fifth Edition of The Natural Death Handbook, information packs and access to the NDC Google Group?

Why don’t you join The Natural Death Society?

Thank You

 Our work is only possible through the generous support of people like you. Please consider making a donation to ensure we can help the next family who call on us.

If you like what we do but can't afford to donate, please support us through one of our social network platforms.

The Natural Death Handbook

The latest edition of the Natural Death Handbook is now available for anyone seeking advice on caring for someone who is dying or who wants to find out more about choices in funerals.

We have chosen to sell the new books EXCLUSIVELY directly from the Charity to prevent major online distributors from profiting at our expense.

Packed with timeless information which has helped to change the way we look at death, this ground breaking book continues to inspire and empower families across the world.

Read more here

Click here to read a review on the Huffington Post:

Death's Summer Coat: A Review of The Natural Death Handbook, Fifth Edition

Natural Burial Grounds

The Natural Death Centre also runs the Association of Natural Burial Grounds, the organisation which sets the standard for the growing number of green and environmentally friendly cemeteries in the UK.

All of our members undertake to comply with the ANBG Code of Conduct and take part in our independent monitoring system, giving families the ANBG Feedback Form to complete and return to the NDC.

To find your nearest ANBG natural burial ground please click here to see our list of members.

Advance Decision Forms

The Natural Death Centre Advance Decision (formerly called an Advanced Healthcare Directive or Living Will), plus a Death Plan form and a Funeral Plan form, can be ordered securely online via our bookshop

You can also watch videos of people talking about their own experiences of end of life care and living with a terminal illness on the 'Living with Dying' section of the healthtalkonline website.