On the 2nd of January 2026, I woke up to the devastating news that my dad, William, had passed away suddenly and unexpectedly at just 44 years old.

At the time of his death, I was listed as my dad’s next of kin. His only living immediate family members are myself, my younger brother who is still a minor, and my grandfather who is retired and disabled. Because of this, I am responsible for organising and managing all of my dad’s affairs during this incredibly difficult time.

Sadly, I am not in a financial position to cover the costs of a funeral on my own. The total cost is estimated to be around £5,741. I am eligible to receive help through a Funeral Support Payment from Social Security Scotland; however, the funeral directors have advised that this usually covers only up to £1,279.15, leaving a remaining balance of approximately £4,462 that I am expected to pay myself.

I am currently a second-year university student and recently left employment to begin building my own business from scratch, which I do not expect to generate any income for at least six months. As my university is currently closed for the Christmas break, I am unable to apply for student crisis or hardship support at this time.

I have been advised that my dad will be transferred to the funeral home within the next week, and I am meeting with the funeral directors on Tuesday morning to begin making arrangements.

Any support, no matter how small, would mean more than I can express and would go directly toward giving my dad a respectful and dignified funeral. I recently uploaded a video online that will eventually generate income through monetisation, but I will not be able to access those funds until February.

If this fundraiser exceeds the required amount, I will donate any additional funds to the charity WithYou, in my dad’s memory.

Thank you for taking the time to read, share, or support in any way. It truly means the world to me during this incredibly hard time.