Why is Funeral Planning important
In many other countries it is already customary for people to put in place their funeral arrangements ahead of time – putting themselves in control of all the key decisions about their funeral including how it is to be paid for. In the UK lots of people are starting to realise the value of putting their funeral arrangements in place ahead of time and savings themselves and their family money and stress in the process.
If you want to find out more about what is involved in making your funeral arrangements then read on below, alternatively if you’ve already made the decision to buy a prepaid funeral plan then take a look at our comparison of the funeral providers and their plans to make sure you select the one that is best for you.
The things we hear people say about Funeral Planning
It's too hard...
...to think about dyingThe kindest thing you ever did
Thinking about your funeral arrangements ahead of time means that your family doesn’t have to. The decisions about your funeral can all be made now including how it is paid for. Relieving your family from the stress of making choices about your funeral at a very emotional time could be one of the kindest things you could do for them.I'm too young...
...to buy a funeral planFix the cost of your funeral
Interestingly by making your funeral arrangements in advance you can also save money. Most funeral plans allow you to fix the cost of your funeral at todays prices. Some plans will even guarantee that no matter what happens to inflation your funeral costs are covered no matter how long you live for.I can't afford it..
...even though funeral prices are risingCheaper than you might think
A funeral plan can cost between £3,000 – £5,000 if paid for all at once, but there are options to spread this payment over periods from 1 – 20 years. There are also options to pay for the funeral plan with life insurance. These options mean can make funeral plans much more affordable with monthly payments starting at just £20.Funeral Plans Explained
What are funeral plans ?
Funeral Plans are an agreement between you and the funeral plan provider for them to provide you with a funeral of your choice when you die for a pre-agreed price. This means that once you take out a funeral plan you no longer need to worry about the rising costs of funerals and your family don’t need to worry about what funeral arrangements you would have wanted or how to pay for them.
Take a look at how prepaid funeral plans will save you money.
The Funeral Planning Authority
In the UK the Funeral Planning Authority are responsible for registering and monitoring all firms that wish to provide prepaid funeral plans. The biggest providers in the UK are Avalon, Coop Funeral Care, Dignity, Golden Charter and Golden Leaves. You may have heard of others like Age UK, Royal London and Sun Life but these brands don’t provide the funerals themselves but instead partner with the likes of Dignity or Golden Charter.
Finding the best prepaid funeral plan for you
We’ve researched all of the different prepaid funeral plan providers’ offerings and their prices so you don’t have to do the leg work. We can compare funeral plans – features and prices for you or if you already know which funeral plan provider you want then our provider reviews will help you choose which of their funeral plans is best for you and your budget.
Our funeral plan provider reviews : Avalon, Coop Funeral Care, Dignity, Golden Charter, Golden Leaves
What do funeral plans cover ?
Funeral plan providers typically offer 3 different levels of service from which to choose – essentially a bronze, silver, gold arrangement with different levels of service determined by matters such as the quality of the coffin and whether limousines will be provided for your family. Each service will have a slightly different price, typically each step up in service level will cost around 10% extra.
Each funeral plan provider is slightly different in terms of what their funeral plans cover. We can help you find the right funeral plan provider for you through our comparison service.
How much will a funeral plan cost ?
The cost of a funeral is made up of two parts. First the cost of the funeral itself which averages at around £3,700 and then the cost of the ‘send off’ which includes things flowers, funeral notices, memorial etc which add an average of another £2,000 to the costs giving a total average cost of £5,700.
Funeral plans are designed to cover the cost of just the funeral element. The main drives of the cost of the actual funeral is the funeral directors fees and other third party costs – for example, the cost of the cremation.
Funeral plan prices vary by provider and also vary by the service level that you choose. That’s why it is key to make sure that you get the provider that best suits you at the right price. We look at all of the funeral plan providers offerings and do all of the leg work for you to make your choice of funeral plan simple. Our advice service allows you to identify the funeral plans that will meet your needs and then compare prices across the different funeral providers. Best of all we are able to discount the price of the funeral plan such that it is actually cheaper to buy through our service than it is to go directly to the funeral plan provider.
How to pay for a funeral plan ?
Funeral plans can be purchased with one single payment or via instalments over a set period from 1 to 20 years. The instalment plans are useful to lower the cost upfront but there are additional charges for paying by instalments and if you were to die before you finish paying your instalments then the amount you have paid may not cover the full cost of your funeral.
Alternatively some providers offer a monthly insurance backed payment arrangement where you pay a monthly fee – this can work out to a lower monthly payment and you are guaranteed to have your funeral paid for once you have had the plan for just 2 years.
Why Buy A Funeral Plan ?
BEAT INFLATION : Buying a funeral plan allows you to fix the cost of your funeral at todays prices and so avoid future funeral cost inflation. Funeral prices are increasing by nearly 4% pa according to Royal London’s 2015 report, if they carried on growing at this rate then in 10 years time funerals could be over 50% more expensive than they are today.
YOUR CHOICE : By arranging a funeral plan you get to decide what kind of funeral you want and can make sure that these costs are covered by the funeral plan. By thinking things through now and making these arrangements you will help to reduce the stress and strain on your family when that time comes.
NO FUSS : Arranging a funeral plan is really simple using our service. There are no long complicated application forms needed in order to apply and your acceptance into the plans are guaranteed – they don’t depend on where you live or your state of health.
BEST PLAN FOR YOU : We’ve simplified the whole process of buying a funeral plan so you don’t have to do loads of research and reading trying to decide which is the best plan for you. Just by answering a few simple questions we can show you which funeral plans best meet your requirements making your choice quick and painless.
Types Of Funeral Plan
Funeral plan providers typically offer 3 different levels of service from which to choose – essentially a bronze, silver, gold arrangement with different levels of service determined by matters such as the quality of the coffin and whether limousines will be provided for your family. Each service will have a slightly different price, typically each step up in service level will cost around 10% extra.
The typical things that are covered by funeral plans in each of the 3 different service levels is shown below.
What’s included in the plan
Cremation or Burial Costs
These costs are not under the control of the funeral plan providers and therefore not all plans guarantee to cover the total cost of cremation or burial but instead provide an allowance. Plans with a guarantee typically cost a little more. The cost of a burial plot will not be covered by any of the plans we offer. We can help you decide which plans are best for you with a few simple questions.
Choice of Funeral Director
All plans will allow you to choose a local funeral director if you wish or you can allow the funeral plan provider to choose when the time comes.
Funeral Director’s Services
Funeral directors services will include help for your family with all aspects of your funeral including many of the official tasks such as registering the death. It will also include the conduct of the funeral by the funeral director and the provision of bearers for the coffin.
Care of Deceased
All funeral plans provide for the collection of the deceased and transportation to the funeral home within a specific radius of the chosen funeral director. They also provide for the preparation and care of the deceased prior to the cremation or burial.
Coffin
The quality of the coffin provided under each of the different service levels will differ.
Family Viewing
Not all funeral plans provide for the family to visit the deceased. Depending on your choices we can show you which plans include the facility for family to visit the deceased at the funeral home prior to cremation or burial.
Hearse
All funeral plans include the provision of a hearse to transport the coffin from the funeral home to the crematorium or cemetery. Some funeral plans will also include transportation from the deceased’s home.
Limousine
Limousines are traditionally provided for your family to travel to the crematorium or cemetery.
Officials Fees
These costs are not under the control of the funeral plan providers and therefore not all plans guarantee to cover these costs but all include at least an allowance for these costs
Service
All funeral plans include the provision of a service at the crematorium or cemetery. There may be additional charges if a church service is required.