Before you choose a funeral services provider in Singapore, ask four things: what the package includes, which costs are mandatory and which are optional, whether anything is charged on top of the quote, and what the refund and cancellation terms are. Then get every answer in writing. These questions come from the A.S.K. checklist published by the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS).
The steps below follow that checklist in order, with the questions you can bring to each provider you speak to.
Where the A.S.K. checklist comes from
The A.S.K. a Funeral Service Provider checklist is a CCCS brochure, listed on the CCCS page for its funeral services market study as an October 2026 edition. NEA links to it from its arranging a funeral page (updated 1 October 2026), which says the checklist "helps facilitate the making of informed decisions by consumers" when they engage a funeral services provider.
A.S.K. stands for three steps:
| Letter | Step | What the family does |
|---|---|---|
| A | Ascertain | Agree on the wishes of the person who died and of the family |
| S | Seek | Ask the provider the questions that show what you pay for |
| K | Know | Check the provider’s track record before you decide |
Step 1: Agree on the family’s wishes
The family does this first, before calling providers. The checklist asks the family to:
- Check whether the person left instructions about the funeral, for example in a will, in conversations with loved ones or in LifeSG’s legacy planning records.
- Appoint one decision maker to deal with the provider before, during and after the funeral.
- Set a realistic budget.
One decision maker saves time. Providers get one set of answers, and relatives are not asked the same question twice. A budget agreed early lets the family compare packages on what they include, not just on price.
Step 2: Ask what the package includes
Speak to more than one provider so you can compare. The checklist suggests asking:
- Based on our wishes and budget, which packages or products do you offer?
- Which key items will you provide, as part of a package or separately?
- Do you have samples or pictures of the coffin, the wake setup and other items?
- How much does it cost to customise a package?
Bring the faith and the wake venue into the conversation early. A Buddhist, Taoist, Christian or free-thinker funeral needs different rites, and a void deck wake needs a Town Council permit that a parlour wake does not, as NEA’s arranging a funeral page explains. Our guide to Taoist funeral packages in Singapore shows how the rites in a package can differ from one provider to the next.
Step 3: Ask for the full price in writing
The checklist asks three questions about cost:
- What are the mandatory costs, and what are the optional ones?
- Are there any other fees or charges not included in the quoted price?
- Do we need to pay any third-party vendors ourselves, and for what?
A mandatory cost is one the family cannot avoid for the funeral it wants. The checklist’s own example is the cremation fee, which a provider may or may not include in the package. NEA’s burial, cremation and ash management page (updated 22 October 2026) lists the fee at NEA crematoria as $100 for an adult and $50 for a child under 10, so you can check how a quote treats it.
Asking about the final price matters. In its market study report published on 17 November 2023, the commission found that only 40% of respondents who had arranged a funeral in the previous three years were told upfront that the final price may be different. A family that asks at the start learns early which items can change the final bill.
Step 4: Ask about the terms before you sign
Ask one more question from the checklist: what are the terms and conditions, including any "no refund" or "no cancellation" policies?
Then follow the checklist’s best practices:
- Ask what phrases such as "one-stop service" or "full package" cover, item by item.
- Make sure every product, price and arrangement that matters to you is written down.
- Read the agreement or invoice before you sign or pay, and pay only for what was agreed.
Our page on funeral packages in Singapore can help when you compare two written quotes.
Step 5: Check the provider’s track record
The last step in the checklist is to know who you are dealing with. It suggests:
- Ask friends and family for recommendations.
- Look at the provider’s track record, credentials, specialisation in religious rites, products and prices.
- Read online reviews and the provider’s website.
- Check the Consumers Association of Singapore’s Company Alert List for complaints against the provider.
NEA’s arranging a funeral page adds two sources. It lists funeral services providers that have completed the Infection Control Course, and it links to the Association of Funeral Directors Singapore. It also notes that funeral parlours with embalming facilities are licensed by NEA, so a family that plans to embalm can check that the parlour is on NEA’s list.
The questions on one page
| Step | Ask the provider |
|---|---|
| Package | Which packages fit our wishes and budget, and what is in each? |
| Customising | What does it cost to change the package? |
| Mandatory costs | Which costs must we pay, and is the cremation or burial fee included? |
| Extra charges | What is not in the quoted price? |
| Third parties | Who else do we pay directly, and for what? |
| Terms | Is there a no-refund or no-cancellation policy? |
| In writing | Can we have every item and price in a written quote? |
A provider that answers each line in writing is easy to compare with the next one. For what happens in the first hours after a death at home, before the provider is chosen, see the first 24 hours after a death at home. To see how one team handles each of these points, read about our funeral services, our guide to the best funeral services in Singapore, or visit the home page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who publishes the A.S.K. checklist?
The Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS). NEA links to it from its arranging a funeral page.
Is the cremation fee always in a funeral package?
No. The A.S.K. checklist gives the cremation fee as an example of a mandatory cost that a provider may or may not include, so ask.
Are funeral parlours licensed in Singapore?
NEA licenses funeral parlours that have embalming facilities, according to its arranging a funeral page.
Where can I check complaints against a funeral services provider?
The A.S.K. checklist points to the Consumers Association of Singapore’s Company Alert List.
