Exploring Prepaid Funeral Plans
Regulated pre-paid funeral plan companies in the United Kingdom, number more than 20, with a multitude of options available for individuals seeking to plan ahead for their end-of-life arrangements.
Notable names include:
- Dignity Funerals, Plan With Grace, Crystal Cremations
- Serene Funeral Planning, Distinct Funeral Plans, Co-Op
- Golden Leaves, Golden Charter, Ecclesiastical
- Avalon, Haven, Pure Cremation, and Open Prepaid Funerals
In the following review, we focus on standard plans from various providers, intending to provide brief insights without favouring any particular company.
The aim is to offer helpful information rather than endorse specific providers or act as a cost comparison site. We hope you will find the overview beneficial, and in the future, we look forward to connecting you to dedicated webpages for each of these and the other businesses on the funeraldirections.com platform.
Standard Prepaid Funeral Plans from Five Different Providers –
In the review, we consider the features of standard prepaid funeral plans offered by: Avalon, Dignity, Golden Charter, Plan with Grace and of course the Co-Op. We will focus on such aspects as cost, inclusions, cancellation fees, payment options, and differences among the plans. (costs reflect pricing in early 2023)
Avalon – Standard Plan
Cost: £3,745
What does it include? Essential elements for the funeral, services of a local funeral director, simple coffin, hearse, and a £1,000 allowance towards third-party costs.
Cancellation Fee: £395
Payment Options: Lump sum or 12-month instalments with no additional charges. Alternatively, a deposit and monthly instalments with a 5.2% annual instalment charge.
Dignity
Cost: Prices from £2,990
What does it include? Customizable plan where you can ‘build your own.’ Funeral director services, burial and cremation fees guaranteed, excluding burial plot cost.
Cancellation Fee: £0
Payment Options: Full payment or monthly instalments up to five years with no added costs.
Golden Charter – Standard Plan
Cost: £3,495
What does it include? Funeral director’s services, simple coffin, funeral procession, choice of time/date for funeral, and a £1,100 allowance towards third-party costs (burial and cremation fees).
Cancellation Fee: £249
Payment Options: Full payment or 12-month instalments at no extra cost. Instalment payment option across two to 15 years with varying fees.
Plan with Grace (cremation only) – Tulip Plan
Cost: £3,240
What does it include? Cremation with service, hearse, bearers, service at any crematorium, payment for officiant, and cremation fees.
Cancellation Fee: £250
Payment Options: Full payment or monthly instalments up to 24 months with no instalment fee. For 36 to 60-month instalments, a 6.5% annual fee applies.
The Co-operative Funeralcare – Bronze Plan
Cost: £3,775
What does it include? Covers cremation fees, £1,000 towards third-party costs.
Cancellation Fee: £125
Payment Options: Similar to the Simple Plan, with varying charges for longer-term instalments.
Payment and Cancellation
All providers offer full payment or instalment options.
Avalon and Golden Charter offer an option to spread the cost over several years, with different fees based on the chosen term.
Dignity offers a customizable plan, allowing customers to tailor their funeral arrangements as needed.
Plan with Grace offers flexible instalment terms but applies an annual fee for extended instalments.
Cancellation fees are generally in the range of £125-395, with Plan with Grace having the highest cancellation fee of £250.
Inclusions and Flexibility
Dignity’s plan with it’s customizable approach, allows customers to build their own plan.
Golden Charter provides the option of a funeral procession and flexibility in choosing the funeral date/time.
Avalon, Golden Charter, and The Co-operative Funeralcare include allowances for third-party costs.
Plan with Grace focuses specifically on cremation services.
When considering a standard prepaid funeral plan, several factors need to be considered, including cost, inclusions, payment options, and cancellation fees. Each provider offers unique features and flexibility. Dignity’s customizable approach might be suitable for those who want tailored arrangements. Golden Charter and The Co-operative Funeralcare offer choices for funeral procession and date/time, appealing to those seeking flexibility. Plan with Grace’s focus on cremation services could be a preference for certain individuals. Your choice should align with your specific preferences and needs.