A Christian funeral celebrant says now is the time to prepare for our deaths.

It comes as more than a quarter of people in the UK still see death as a taboo subject, according to new research by end-of-life charity Marie Curie.

Paul Davies, funeral celebrant and senior pastor of Sidcup Baptist Church, told Premier he believes death is a taboo subject for many as “we don’t really see death... we may see it on TV but we don’t always experience it, as most of us die in hospitals or care homes or hospices".

He continued: “Years ago we’d be there when someone had died. They’d have all family and friends around them, even children, but that’s been taken away from us now.”

The charity has released a free “End of Life List” to help people plan ahead, covering wills, care preferences, funerals, pets, and even social media accounts.

It comes as 56 per cent of people admit they only think about death when faced with serious illness, despite most agreeing that early planning would reduce stress for loved ones.

Marie Curie nurse Emma-May Ward said: “The fact that those conversations happen and everyone is clear what people’s wishes are, removes a lot of pressure at a very difficult time.”

She added that “ensuring your plans and preferences are written down and shared with medical professionals will highly increase the chance of you or your loved one getting the end of life you wished for.”

Rev Paul added: “I always encourage my own congregation here, whatever age they are, to prepare their funeral. Without the preparation... they haven’t got a clue... make sure people know what you want.

“I don’t think people are afraid of death necessarily; they’re afraid of dying, as they don’t know how that’s going to happen.”

The charity hopes the new guide will encourage more families and churches to talk openly about dying, ensuring no one faces the end of life unprepared or unsupported.