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4 06, 2016

What to do when someone dies

By |2018-10-27T16:43:08+00:00June 4th, 2016|Funeral Planning, Funeral Plans, Guides|Comments Off on What to do when someone dies

What to do when someone dies The loss of someone close to you is a hugely emotional time for everyone and if the tasks of sorting out the deceased's affairs and funeral fall to you there are some very practical steps that you will need to take. The first thing to realise is that you are not alone.  There is lots of advice available to those who have been recently bereaved that will help you understand what you need to do and how to go about it.  This article is intended to give you an outline of the tasks that lay ahead and point you towards further resources if you need them. There are three main sets of tasks which need to happen at different speeds. Immediate tasks upon the death of a loved one Notify your loved one's GP or the hospitaland take their advice on any immediate next [...]

1 06, 2016

Want to leave money for your funeral costs ?

By |2018-08-24T16:46:09+00:00June 1st, 2016|Funeral Insurance, Funeral Planning, Funeral Plans, Guides|Comments Off on Want to leave money for your funeral costs ?

Want to leave money for your funeral costs? Here are some options to think about Escalating funeral prices mean that all of us should be thinking about how our funeral will be paid for, when the time comes. It's not a subject most of us what to think about, but it is important to do it. Funeral poverty in the UK- the gap between the average cost of a funeral and the average amount of money people leave behind to pay for it - is growing every year. In fact the 2014 cost of dying report from SunLife states that funeral poverty now stands at a whopping £200m in the UK. So, if you don't want to saddle your family with your funeral bill, what could you do? Typically, there are three main options for people to leave money behind for their funeral: 1. Putting money away regularly into a [...]

28 04, 2016

Top Tips For Buying a Prepaid Funeral Plan

By |2018-08-20T20:22:30+00:00April 28th, 2016|Guides|Comments Off on Top Tips For Buying a Prepaid Funeral Plan

#1 : Don't Delay They say the only sure things in life are death and taxes; we'd say inflation is too. Try and name one thing that you can buy today for less than you bought it for 10 years ago - it's a struggle to think of anything. Funerals are no different, the cost of a funeral has increased an average of 6% each year in the last 10 years so buying a funeral plan sooner rather than later locks in the cost at today's prices and means you avoid inflation no matter how long you live. #2 : Don't buy on price alone Funeral plan providers come in all shapes and sizes but the plans they sell all look similar at first glance.   But don't be fooled. Pretty much all funeral plans will cover the costs of the funeral director but many don't [...]

26 04, 2016

Leave a ‘What To Do When I’m Gone List’

By |2018-08-20T20:23:39+00:00April 26th, 2016|Guides|Comments Off on Leave a ‘What To Do When I’m Gone List’

Are you married or in a long term relationship? If you are then I'm sure you will have settled into a role within the relationship where you each have certain jobs that you do. Very commonly there will be one person that takes the lead when it comes to your joint finances often leaving the other person blissfully ignorant of what bank accounts, savings plans and life insurance policies etc you have together and how to access these. But just consider for a moment what would happen if the one who sorts out the finances were to die suddenly - how on earth would the surviving person cope, would they know where to start with the finances, would they find the necessary paperwork and even if they did would they know what to do with it? Royal London have recently conducted research on the financial and practical consequences of loosing [...]

5 04, 2016

Review of Perfect Choice Funeral Plans

By |2018-08-26T18:09:08+00:00April 5th, 2016|Funeral Plan Providers, Funeral Planning, Funeral Plans|Comments Off on Review of Perfect Choice Funeral Plans

Plan Name : Basic Third Party Costs : No Allowance Funeral Director's Services Simple coffin Hearse No Limousine Transport to crematorium only Preparation and care of the body Collection of deceased within 25 miles Guidance on the registration of the death Not Included Bereavement advice (excluded) Tailor-made plans available Overseas plans available Minimum age 18 years Read More Apply Now Plan Name : Simple Third Party Costs : £1,150 Allowance Funeral Director's Services Simple coffin Hearse No Limousine Transport to crematorium only Preparation and care of the body Collection of deceased within 25 miles Guidance on the registration of the death Not Included Bereavement advice (excluded) Tailor-made plans available Overseas plans available [...]

30 03, 2016

Review of Golden Charter Funeral Plans

By |2019-06-10T19:42:42+00:00March 30th, 2016|Funeral Plan Providers, Funeral Planning, Funeral Plans|Comments Off on Review of Golden Charter Funeral Plans

Golden Charter works on behalf of over 3,300 Funeral Directors across the country. They offer 4 plans; Base (which doesn’t cover any third party costs at all), Standard, Select & Premier. Even the Premier only includes an allowance towards 3rd party fees and therefore doesn’t guarantee to protect your family from additional costs at the time of your funeral. All 4 plans include a basic will though. These plans are at the pricier end of the market. Plan Name : Base Third Party Costs : No Allowance Funeral Director's Services Simple coffin Hearse No Limousine Transport from home to church and crematorium Preparation and care of the body Collection of deceased with 15 miles Guidance on the registration of the death Use of Chapel of Rest Not Included Bereavement advice booklet Not Included [...]

29 03, 2016

Review of Dignity Funeral Plans

By |2019-06-10T19:42:32+00:00March 29th, 2016|Funeral Plan Providers, Funeral Planning, Funeral Plans|Comments Off on Review of Dignity Funeral Plans

Dignity is a British run company providing funeral services to families across the UK. They are a large funeral provider – in 2014 they conducted over 65,000 funerals and they have more than 1180 funeral directors throughout Britain who are either owned or approved by Dignity. Dignity pride themselves on providing a caring, compassionate and professional service to all the families they serve and in their customer survey in 2014, 98% of their customers said they would recommend them. Dignity claim to be the first funeral provider in the UK certified as a carbon neutral service (but Co-Operative Funeral also make this claim!) Dignity offer 3 standard plans (Amber, Pearl and Diamond) and they guarantee the cover all the costs for cremation services, except Doctor’s fees. (Currently, apart from in Scotland, Doctor’s fees are payable for signing the cremation form but legislation is expected to stop Doctors having to sign [...]

28 03, 2016

Review of Co-operative Funeral Care

By |2019-06-10T19:42:25+00:00March 28th, 2016|Funeral Plan Providers, Funeral Planning, Funeral Plans|Comments Off on Review of Co-operative Funeral Care

The Co-operative Funeralcare is a large UK Funeral Director with over 900 funeral homes nationally and a further 300 funeral homes who operate on Co-operative Funeralcare’s behalf. Part of The Co-operative Group, they have been around in UK communities for over 150 years. Co-operative are committed to providing a personal, professional and respectful service and according to their own 2014 customer research, 98% of their clients would recommend their services because of their commitment to providing the best possible care. Co-operative Funeralcare also claim to be the first UK wide carbon neutral Funeral Director (though Dignity make a similar claim!) One of the key benefits of the Co-operative Funeralcare’s prepaid funeral plans is that they guarantee the cost of all the services included in their plans, including fees known as “third party” charges that are outside of their direct control. Many other funeral plans offer allowances towards 3rd party fees [...]

27 03, 2016

Review of Avalon Funeral Plans

By |2019-06-10T19:43:12+00:00March 27th, 2016|Funeral Plan Providers, Funeral Planning, Funeral Plans|Comments Off on Review of Avalon Funeral Plans

Avalon is a UK based company, established over 25 years and has offices across Europe. Avalon offer 3 set funeral plans; Balmoral, Highgrove and Windsor Way. These plans don’t guarantee to cover all costs though as they only include an allowance towards 3rd party costs (or disbursements) and tailored plans as well as the option for joint plans, where the plan can provide a funeral for either of the joint plan holders). As part of their tailored plan range, they offer a veterans plan and a football plan for Huddersfield Town football fans. Plan Name : Balmoral Third Party Costs : £1,000 Allowance Funeral Director's Services Basic coffin Hearse No Limousine Transport to crematorium only Preparation and care of the body Collection of deceased Guidance on the registration of the death Not Included Not Included Bereavement [...]

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