FAQ for Funeral Plans

Funeral plans are becoming more and more popular with people looking to alleviate the stress on their loved ones after their passing and take advantage of today’s prices for tomorrow’s funerals. If you’re still in doubt about the whole subject, this handy FAQ should help. If there’s anything you’re still unclear about after reading through the article, give us a call on 01983 754 387 and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you may still have.

What is a funeral plan?

A funeral plan is a contractual arrangement between a customer and a funeral plan provider which allows a person to pay for their own (or another person’s) funeral before they have passed on. They make it easy to pick and choose which elements of the service are to be paid for in advance and as a result, lock those elements in at today’s prices.

Who is a funeral plan for?

A funeral plan is for anyone who wishes to take some of the stress off their surviving family members by paying in advance for certain or all aspects of their funeral service.

At what age should I consider buying a funeral plan?

While some funeral plan providers require that customers be at least 50 years of age before taking out a plan, there are plenty of others who do not have restrictions. Therefore, it is possible to beginning planning for your funeral at any age.

What are the different types of funeral plans?

There are a wide variety of different kinds of funeral plans which cater for all budgets and tastes. In general, most funeral plans will cover basic services such as the storage, care and transportation of the body, the coffin and the costs associated with contracting a funeral director to oversee the arrangements on the day. More expensive funeral plans may include extras such as flowers, catering, headstones, obituaries, upgrades on the coffin and hearse and any additional transport required.

How are funeral plans regulated and guaranteed?

95% of funeral plan providers in the UK are voluntarily regulated by the Funeral Planning Authority (FPA), which does have a Code of Practice to which it encourages registered providers to adhere to. While the FPA does not have the authority to stop a provider from trading, its endorsement does lend credibility and authentication to the provider in question. The UK government are currently discussing ideas on bringing in tougher legislation against unlawful funeral plan providers in the future.

How do I select a funeral plan?

In order to find a funeral plan that meets your specific needs, why not visit our dedicated funeral plans area. Here, we present some recommended options from trusted providers. We only show FPA registered funeral plan companies, reducing the burden on you when it comes to searching for a provider.

It’s important to compare and contrast the pros and cons of several different providers in your area. Using our search tool, you can locate a list of providers near you, then select one or more which fall within your budget and meet your expectations. It’s a good idea to contact more than one provider and, if possible, meet with them in person prior to entering into a contract so that you can get a better idea of how they operate and whether or not they’re a right fit for your situation.

What happens if the cost of the funeral at the time of my death exceeds the amount I have paid?

If you die before paying the full balance of your funeral plan, it will fall to your family members or surviving next of kin to pay the outstanding difference. However, if you have paid the full amount agreed upon at the time of signing the contract and the cost of the funeral exceeds that amount due to inflation, the funeral plan provider will pay the difference.

What if I change my mind?

Most funeral plan providers allow a grace period (normally between one and three months) during which you can cancel the plan and receive a full refund. However, if you decide to cancel the plan after this time, your decision will likely incur an administration fee.

For free advice, contact the Funeral Choice team on 01983 754387

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Call a member of the Funeral Choice advice team on 01983 754387

or complete our enquiry form.

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Funeral Director fees

The price quoted contains the Funeral Director fees for a simple funeral. This includes:

  • Funeral Director fees for meetings, paperwork and running the funeral
  • Collection of the deceased and care prior to funeral
  • Hearse or appropriate vehicle for transport to the funeral
  • Basic coffin

The Funeral Director fees quoted do not include third party costs (often called disbursements). The Funeral Director will guide you through your options. These costs are:

  • Cremation or burial fees
  • Medical certificate for cremation
  • Clergy or officiant fee for conducting the ceremony

In addition to the disbursements you may want to discuss optional costs with your Funeral Director - these could include:

  • Funeral flowers
  • Memorial (venue hire, catering etc)
  • Memorial headstone
  • Orders of service
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What is a Direct Cremation?

A Direct Cremation is an alternative to the traditional funeral. This involves the cremation of the deceased without a funeral service. A Direct Cremation is generally the most economic option because costs of the coffin, preparation of the body, funeral service and expensive transportation are not included. However, many people choose Direct Cremations for reasons other than expense, for example:

  • - Wanting to have a memorial at a different time to the cremation
  • - Expressed desire from the deceased to not have a ceremony
  • - Individuals with relatives who face big physical or geographical challenges in coming together for a ceremony

The prices quoted for Direct Cremations include:

  • All charges, meetings and paperwork for the cremation
  • Collection of deceased and care prior to cremation
  • A simple coffin and urn for the ashes
  • Cremation fees and delivery of ashes to the family
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Attended funeral

This is Funeral Choice’s best estimate of this Funeral Director’s fees for an Attended Funeral, which is where family and friends have a ceremony or service for the deceased person at the same time as they attend their burial or cremation.

This price includes the following:

  • Taking care of all necessary legal and administrative arrangements
  • Collecting and transporting the deceased person from the place of death (normally within 15 miles of the funeral director’s premises) into the funeral director’s care
  • Care of the deceased person before the funeral in appropriate facilities.
  • Providing a suitable coffin
  • Optional viewing of the deceased person for family and friends, by appointment with the funeral director
  • At a date and time you agree with the funeral director, taking the deceased person direct to the agreed cemetery or crematorium (normally within 20 miles of the funeral director’s premises) in a hearse or other appropriate vehicle

In addition to the Funeral Director’s fee, there will be third party costs to consider (sometimes called disbursements) to cover the other aspects of a funeral (such as the crematorium or burial fees). Your chosen Funeral Director will be able to provide these for you.

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Unattended funeral

This is Funeral Choice’s best estimate of this Funeral Director’s fees and the crematorium fee for an Unattended Funeral, which is where family and friends may choose to have a ceremony, event or service for the deceased person, but they do not attend the burial or cremation itself. This is also known as a Direct Cremation.

This price includes the following:

  • Funeral Director's fees
  • Crematorium fee (for an unattended funeral) as selected by the Funeral Director

In addition to this fee, there might be additional third party costs to consider (sometimes called disbursements). Your chosen Funeral Director will be able to explain these for you.

If you wish to attend the funeral, you should view the “Attended Funeral” price instead.

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Why is this price Estimated?

We work hard to ensure the Funeral Director Fees we display are accurate and up to date. However, unlike with our partners, we cannot guarantee this price is correct today.

Funeral Director fees

The price quoted contains the Funeral Director fees for a simple funeral. This includes:

  • Funeral Director fees for meetings, paperwork and running the funeral
  • Collection of the deceased and care prior to funeral
  • Hearse or appropriate vehicle for transport to the funeral
  • Basic coffin

The Funeral Director fees quoted do not include third party costs (often called disbursements). The Funeral Director will guide you through your options. These costs are:

  • Cremation or burial fees
  • Medical certificate for cremation
  • Clergy or officiant fee for conducting the ceremony

In addition to the disbursements you may want to discuss optional costs with your Funeral Director - these could include:

  • Funeral flowers
  • Memorial (venue hire, catering etc)
  • Memorial headstone
  • Orders of service
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Funeral Choice charity donation

To redeem the £20 charity donation all you have to do is select the charity from the dropdown list in the Make Contact form. Once you have confirmed arrangements with that funeral director send us an email to info@yourfuneralchoice.com confirming the service has been arranged. After we receive this email we will make the donation to the chosen charity and confirm back to you.

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