Frequently Asked Questions

If you are reading this guide because someone you know is dying or has died, please accept our condolences. We're sorry that you’re going through this.
Even if it’s been expected, when someone dies it can feel overwhelming. As well as the emotional impact this has on your family, you’ll also be wondering what needs to be done in order to prepare for a funeral.
Whether it’s knowing what paperwork needs completing, or finding financial support, it’s important to remember you’re not alone. We are here to support you 24 / 7 and happy to help with any immediate questions by phone on 06 878 5149. Alternatively, you can see more information here.

Yes we can. We recommend you have a look through the information on our website and make an appointment to meet with one of our team. If you are unable to come to our premises at 509 Queen Street West, Hastings, we can arrange to come to you.

We serve all faiths and cultures, and offer many types of funeral. and will do our utmost to meet your beliefs. We are happy to help with further information when we meet.

When someone dies, there can be quite a bit of admin to take care of. After the death is registered, you will still need to notify a number of other places too. This includes things like shutting down mobile phone providers, household bills across utilities, banks and building societies, social media sites, private pensions, and insurance companies among others.
it’s natural for this process to be quite overwhelming. However, some of these jobs could be delegated to other family members. A clear and methodical approach will make this admin much smoother. If it’s possible, this is a good time to accept some help if it’s offered.

We regularly work with Maori families and traditions and can accommodate needs such as family accompanying the person who has passed. Our facilities enable families to be able to dress their loved one following our presentation and embalming services and before returning to home or the marae for the tangi. We are happy to discuss your needs.

You can choose whether to have a traditional burial, a natural burial or to be cremated. Do you have a family plot in a cemetery or Urûpa? Is the person who has or is passing, a member of the RSA? Read more about these choices here.

For a list of cemeteries in the local area please click here for options in the Hastings district. For the Napier area click here.

There's a great deal of flexibility and freedom for the disposal of cremated remains in public lands, such as parks and wilderness areas. If dispersing ashes that remain contained in an urn, the urn must be biodegradable. It's important to be aware that some local authorities have developed their own policies and restrictions for some of the public use sites within their district, such as in public beaches, parks, sports facilities and botanic gardens. Ashes can be scattered or buried in a place the deceased person enjoyed spending time, or which had special significance to him or her. The ashes might be scattered in a private garden or on a farm, at a beach, or any other public place, or at sea. Dispersal of ashes in waterways is culturally inappropriate for Māori, whereas this is a special part of the cultural beliefs of others. Speak to tangata whenua (the people of the land) before scattering ashes in the ocean or flowing water. Places like maunga (volcanic cones) and food cultivation and gathering areas are considered wāhi tapu (sacred) to Māori.

From a traditional cemetery to a natural burial you have a wide choice of caskets available to you and we have a number on display in our showroom at Tong & Peryer. In a traditional burial, trinkets and mementos can be buried with you. If you are buried in a natural burial ground you will need to adhere to requirements for materials that can decompose. If you are being cremated, you can be in a casket or a simple covering. We can be more specific when we meet.

Embalming is not mandatory and there are circumstances when it is not required. Sometimes though, if the funeral is delayed for some reason or if the body has to be transferred to another city or country, embalming does become mandatory. In our experience we have seen that embalming gives dignity to the person who has passed, and gives time to family and friends to gather to honour their life. We are happy to talk through options with you.

When we receive your loved one’s ashes back into our care from the crematorium, they come in a simple bag placed in a simple wooden box, with your loved one’s name on it. However, we have a beautiful range of urns, engraved and carved display boxes made from native timbers, handwoven harakeke kete, plus some beautiful memorial jewellery and other items. You can see some of our range here.

Absolutely. In fact, we recommend pre-planning as it eases the burden on families when a loved one dies. We can work with you to help you make your plans and we can keep a copy of them on file here for you. You can find more information here.

The information can be very similar, Its probably easier for us to discuss this to be sure you get what you need. You can call us on 06 878 5149.

We have a pre-pay option in which you can deposit fund are held into a Trust for you.

Information required for the legal paperwork that is required when someone dies is very important. It can be a great help to loved ones if you have gathered this information together and provided it to a family member so that when it is needed, it can be easily accessed. You could also think about choices such as whether to be buried or cremated, and what sort of ‘send off’ you would like. We have lots of information in our Pre-Plan and Resources sections of our website.

Yes. In fact, we recommend that families try to have some time to be with their loved one before burial or cremation as we believe this is an important passage of the grief and bereavement process. It is only in rare circumstances that this is not possible. We provide a private visitation room for this to take place.

We will do all we can to tailor our service to your financial needs. WINZ has information here on their funeral grant. We are also seeing people asking family and friends for help in person or via online fundraising platforms.

We have a range of caskets and urns on display at our premises that we can obtain for you. We invite you to come in and view them. You can also see a selection of our range here.

Yes. We can liaise with the funeral directors or authorities handling matters at the location to ensure your loved one can return home.

We can look after your loved one’s ashes for you until they are able to be collected.

Our cremations take place at the Hawke’s Bay Crematorium, which is owned and operated by the Hastings District Council. You can find information here.

Tong & Peryer has beautiful visitation and meeting rooms for family. We also own the Crestwood Chapel, a dedicated funeral chapel in the heart of Hastings. Our sister company Terry Longley & Son provide our in-house mortuary services. Cremation services are provided in Hastings by the Hastings District Council Crematorium in Orchard Road. You can see more of our facilities by clicking this link.

There are many ways to personalise the funeral so that the service is a more true reflection of your loved one. Take your time to select readings, poems or prayers that resonate with you and your family, perhaps the outlook of your loved one. Maybe you could consider a natural burial ground? You might choose to pick a celebrant that feels like a good fit for your family, or that honours the faith or spiritual beliefs of your family.
Personalisation comes in many forms. For instance, some families ask the mourners to wear colourful clothing, while others ask for a more traditional affair and be dressed in black. You might opt for a vehicle that means something to your loved one. We have access to a wide range of funeral options and have catered to a diverse range of requests.  We talk more about this in the following section, click here.

You may have heard the term direct cremation and be wondering what the service entails. Direct cremation, which is also sometimes referred to as an unattended cremation or a simple cremation, is where your loved one is cremated without any mourners present.
The cost of a direct cremation is lower than a traditional cremation where family and friends gather for a service. Due to this, it’s become increasingly popular as an option, especially where families are working to a tight budget. Its important that you talk this through with your funeral director as there are implications that come with this choice and we want you to make the decision with knowledge.  You can see more about the types of services we offer by clicking here.