For many people, thinking about death is something they are very reluctant to do, but they may at least make provision in their will just in case – a proviso that will gradually move from being a contingency to planning for the inevitable.

Faced with this, however, some may be very keen to make sure their wishes extend beyond just where the inheritance goes. That includes detailing their funeral wishes regarding the kind of service they may have, the disposal of their remains and so on. Surrey residents may benefit from consulting will solicitors in Epsom to ensure this is included.

Occasionally these arrangements can be unorthodox and this has turned out to be the case with Captain Sir Tom Moore, the army veteran who captured the hearts of the nation with his charity fundraising efforts at the age of 99, before he died of Covid in February this year.

Probate details have revealed he not only left a tidy sum of £73,000 to his family, but also decided to donate his body to medical science.

Anyone planning something like this may do so with high intentions, but making it a stipulation in a will is a wise move. Of course, in Captain Sir Tom’s case, a funeral might have been undertaken with military honours, an RAF flypast and so on, but even for those who have not become celebrities, it is important to ensure such post-mortem wishes are stipulated to avoid conflict or uncertainty.

As well as avoiding the potential for arguments over the nature of the funeral service, these details can also help ensure key elements of your wishes are upheld even if some of the funeral arrangements cannot be maintained due to unforeseen circumstances.

This applied in the case of the Duke of Edinburgh, whose original funeral plan would have included a much larger guest list and a public funeral procession between London and Windsor, both aspects that were impossible because of Covid restrictions.

However, certain elements were retained as per his wishes, including that, as a fan of Land Rovers, a modified version he had helped to design should be used as the hearse.