Britain said its last goodbye to Margaret Thatcher last month, when she was laid to rest with prayers and ceremony, but her financial legacy is still shrouded in mystery. The Iron Lady, a grocer's daughter who rose to become the country's first female prime minister, passed away peacefully while staying at the world-famous Ritz hotel, owned by her long-time supporters and media businessmen, the Barclay brothers.

Joe Levenson, Director of Communications for the Dying Matters Coalition, tells us about the upcoming Dying Matters Awareness Week from 13-19 May 2013 and why we should 'be ready for it.'

We know that funeral costs are rising, which is placing a strain on both families and government funds. Public health funerals are following a steady uptrend in Leeds, with an average of two such funerals being held every week, each costing over £1,000.

A three-month consultation across the funeral industry has begun for a new national charter that outlines the necessary standards for serving customers who have opted for a natural burial.

A funeral director in the northwest of London has said that more people in the area are now choosing a basic funeral, as dying has become much more expensive in the capital.

Research conducted by Durham University shows that many people are now choosing natural or woodland burials, with the trend being most popular in Britain.

A growing number of older people die in isolation in Wales, with no relatives beside them and no one but the local authorities to make end-of-life arrangements, data seen by Wales Online shows.

The Sun Life Direct ninth annual Total Cost of Dying Report 2012 was released last week. As well as looking at general trends in the cost of dying, this year's survey entitled “Death shouldn’t mean debt; responsibility, choice and selflessness” looked at what motivates people to plan and make decisions for their funeral.

As prime time TV advertising and mainstream press coverage begin to remove the taboo of discussing death, people are increasingly seeking to plan ahead for their own funeral. Tim McCracken of FMC & Sons explains the growing trend.