Home Best UK Prepaid Funerals Plans in 2020
Nica

Planning ahead always offers plenty of benefits, even with aspects such as planning for funerals. This is why many people consider getting a prepaid funeral plan.

What exactly do prepaid funeral plans have to offer and how can you choose the best one?

Read on to learn the best providers of prepaid funeral plans in the UK.

Avalon - Best UK Funeral Plan

Our Rating

Avalon Funeral Plans
  • Cremation options available with and without funeral service
  • Coverage starts after one year of payments
  • No restrictions on date and time of service
Avalon Funeral Plans

What is a Prepaid Funeral Plan in the UK?

What is a prepaid funeral plan in the UK?In simple terms, a prepaid funeral plan is an arrangement that you make with a funeral home to pay for your own funeral or that of someone else in advance; think about it as an insurance policy.

An individual can start making such arrangements from the age of 18. Not only does it spare your loved ones from the economic strain that comes with planning a send-off, but it also lets you pay for the ceremony at today’s prices, a highly advantageous aspect given the fact that funeral costs are continuously increasing.

By virtue of these and other benefits, this kind of pact eases the funeral process for the family of the deceased when the time comes. Costs like minister and doctor’s fees are catered for, a coffin is availed, cremation or burial is planned and conducted and funeral coordinators take up their roles.

Transportation, as well as ceremony charges, are also included in almost every funeral plan around the UK.

Best UK Prepaid Funeral Plan Providers for 2020

The estimated fee of a conventional funeral right now is just short of £5,000. However, this varies from one provider to the other. As mentioned earlier, one can make payments in monthly installments or opt to make a lump sum payment.

Below are some of the most reputable prepaid funeral plan providers in the UK we have thoroughly reviewed. Factors that were considered are the specific funeral services, affordability as well as flexibility of their funeral plans.

1. Avalon Funeral Plans – Best for Funeral Plan Versatility

With over 25 years of experience and over 70,000 customers, Avalon is the most trusted funeral plan provider in the UK. This award-winning company took the prize home as the best funeral plan provider from 2019 to 2020. It has more than 2,000 reviews on Trustpilot and a five-star rating.

One of its most outstanding aspects is that it does not leave you stranded when you pass away before you have finished making payments. It offers the Avalon promise, a provision that no other company offers in the UK. Courtesy of the Avalon Promise, the company covers the remaining cost if you pass away before completing payments.

Avalon’s price ranges are flexible, giving you a chance to choose how you want to be remembered. It offers specific services to suit your needs from a simple cremation with service to a more traditional funeral. Costs start from as low as £2,695 or £25.70 a month.

Here are the plans in more detail:

Services and Cremation

For people that do not want the hustle of a conventional funeral but still want to give provide a dignified send-off, this plan is ideal. It is priced at £2,695 or from just £25.70 a month.

Services provided include:

  • Avalon Promise if you choose to pay for more than two years
  • Preparation and care for the deceased
  • A simple coffin
  • Family members can choose the day for the service with no limited number of attendees.
  • Return of ashes

Avalon Standard Plan

Under this plan, you get all the services in the previous plan. On top of that, you also get a premium coffin and a hearse. The cost of the plan includes the funeral conductor’s fees. You may choose to pay £3,645 at once or £35.06 in monthly installments.

Avalon Plus Plan

It caters for all the basic services as mention above. In addition, it includes the chapel of rest and one limousine. It costs £3,995 or £38.52 in monthly installments.

Avalon Premium Plan

In addition to the basic services in the other plans, family members here enjoy the luxury of two limousines and a more luxurious coffin. Payments start from £40.90 monthly or a full payment of £4,240.

Our Rating

  • Free collection of the deceased anywhere in the UK
  • Registered and regulated by the Funeral Planning Authority
  • Dual certification: If you own a second home in Spain or any other designated country, the plan can be transferred on request.
  • Costs £400 more than many of its competitors
  • Your family may need to pay more since some plans may not cater for crematorium services fully

2. Coop Funeral Plans – Best Guaranteed Funeral Plan

Coop is renowned for its guaranteed funeral plans. Essentially, this means that the company guaranteed that it will meet all requirements of a given plan at the preset price. Thus, a family does not need to make any additional payments when the time comes.

This sets it apart from other funeral plan providers who may require extra payment for certain aspects of a plan. Coop funeral plans are suitable for people who want to pay for a dignified and straightforward funeral but do not want to spend time deciding each element separately.

It offers four types of funeral plans, ranging from a simple program to a highly comprehensive one. Let’s take a closer look at each one below.

Simple Package

To purchase this package, you may make a single payment of £3,295 or installments of £20.85 a month.

This package provides advice on all funeral aspects and makes arrangements with the crematorium. It also brings the deceased to their care if they are within a 50-mile radius within the UK. It also offers a visit to the chapel of rest and a simple coffin.

Bronze Package

The bronze package costs £3,595 if you make a lumpsum payment or monthly deposits of £20.85.

In addition to the essential services, this package offers a plain wood veneer coffin. The family gets to choose the day of burial, the hearse follows the route of the family’s choice and a funeral ceremony and professional bereavement advice via professional organizations are provided.

Silver Package

You may pay £3,950 at once or monthly installments of £24.99 for this plan.

In addition to the services provided in the Bronze category, it also includes one limousine for family and mourners.

Gold Package

To secure this package, you would need a full installment of £4,199 or a pocket-friendly monthly installment of £26.57.

With this plan, you are provided with all the basic funeral services. On top of that, you get two limousines for family members and mourners. This is a perfect plan if your aim is to go all out for your funeral preparations.

Our Rating

  • No extra fees should be paid
  • One can pay in 6-12 monthly installments or over a period of 2 to 24 years
  • The Gold package was given a 5-star rating by Defaqto
  • You can only use a Coop Funeral director
  • Plans lack flexibility

3. Dignity Funeral Plans – Offers Award-Winning Pearl Plan

Having started in 1994, Dignity is a well-known funeral plan provider in the UK. Services from Dignity allow you to pay for your funeral in advance and at today’s price.

To find out how its funeral plans work, check out the list below.

Pearl Plan

Being Dignity’s most popular plan, the Pearl funeral plan ensures that the funeral director costs, cremation or a burial funeral are covered.

It also provides a little extra comfort to family members by including a limousine. It also gives a quality wooden coffin and a hearse and may accommodate additional personal requests of the family.

It requires a total of £3,650 or a deposit of £24.39 monthly.

Diamond Plan

In this arrangement, you get a high-quality wood veneer coffin and mourners are able to view the deceased in a private chapel. You also get two limousines.

You can get this plan by making monthly payments of £25.68 or a full deposit of £3,895.

Amber Plan

In this package, you need to pay a minimum deposit of £22.52 monthly or a full deposit of £3,295.

Friends and family get a chance to view the deceased in a set-out chapel during working hours. Additionally, you get a wooden coffin and guidance during the whole process.

Limited Plan

This is Dignity’s most affordable funeral plan. You only need to pay £2,895 at once or £20.24 monthly.

It included support from a network of over 800 funeral directors, guidance on the registration of the deal as well as other paperwork, a bail coffin and service at the burial or crematorium site.

  • Offers assured protection against the ever rising funeral cost
  • Funeral director fees are included in all plans
  • Affordable funeral plans
  • Medical certification fees are not included

4. Age Co Funeral Plans – Best for Budget Funeral Plans

Founded in 2009, Age Co is one of the UK’s top funeral plan providers. It was formed when the merger between the Age Concern and Help the Aged happened.

Its four standard funeral plans are described below:

Basic Plan

Under this plan, family members get funeral directors advice, transportation and care of the deceased, use of the chapel of rest and a basic coffin, a hearse. Cremation and minister’s fees are also included.

If the loved ones prefer a burial, they get a guaranteed funeral service and an allotment of £1,220 for burial payments. The plan also takes care of the minister’s allowance and plot fee.

Funeral service times are constrained to before 10:30am or after 3:30pm on weekdays.

It only costs £2,895 as a single payment or £15.23 per month.

Ivy Plan

In addition to what one gets in a basic plan, a typical coffin is also provided. Planners also get a chance to choose the day and time of the funeral.

The whole package is £3,295 or monthly deposits of £17.33.

Holly Plan

A midrange coffin, as well as a limousine for the family members, is an added extra to this plan.

Monthly installments amount to £19.20 or a full installment of £3,650.

Rowan Plan

In addition to the above basics, this package also includes two limousines and a high-quality coffin. You’ll need to pay a total of £3,895 or monthly payments of £20.49. It is particularly suitable for people with large families.

Our Rating

  • No cancelation fee
  • Has one of the highest allowances of £1220 for burial fees
  • Funeral director fee is included already in all plans
  • You have to be at least 50 years of age to be eligible for an Age Co funeral plan

5. Golden Charter – Offers 5-star Rated Select Plan

With many years of experience backing it up, Golden Charter knows that everyone has diverse expectations. It is for this reason that it offers a vast range of plans with flexible payment methods.

From paying in a single payment to over 30 years of payment, its plans offer exceptional value and choice. Below are the four Golden Charter funeral plans you can choose from.

Value Plan

From as low as £13.59 a month or a one-time £2,895 payment, you get a chance to secure a simple and affordable funeral that includes a basic coffin and £800 allowance for third-party costs.

Standard Plan

This plan is for those who need more flexibility with regard to the time and day of the funeral. A simple coffin and £1,100 allowance for third-party costs are also provided.

Monthly installments amount to £16.45. The single payment option costs £3,495.

Select Plan

Aside from a higher quality coffin, one limousine will also be given. You will be required to make a deposit of £18.15 monthly to get this package. The single payment option costs £3,850. It also includes £1,100 allowance for third party costs.

Premier Plan

This is the most comprehensive funeral plan of Golden Charter. Mourners and close family members get two limousines. In addition to this, a superior coffin and £1,100 allowance for third-party costs are available.

It costs £19.34 monthly or a full one-off payment of £4,099.

Our Rating

  • Approved by the Funeral Planning Authority
  • Wide network of funeral directors
  • Offers third-party costs allowance for all plans
  • Cremation and ministers fees are not included

How do Prepaid Funeral Plans work?

How do prepaid funeral plans work?Most prepaid funeral plan providers have four main plans. The first plan is simple and straightforward. It is suitable for someone who wants a conventional funeral. A coffin is provided and a short ceremony is conducted at the chapel or crematorium.

The second plan is more like the first but a more advanced coffin is provided. In addition, the family members get a chance to choose the day and time of the burial. This differs from the first plan where these choices are dependent on the funeral plan provider.

Under the third category, you get significantly more luxury. Family members and mourners get a limousine to ferry them from place to place on the day of the funeral. Also, this plan includes a coffin of higher quality.

The fourth and last plan is the fanciest. It includes two limousines and a top-notch coffin. In some companies, the family also gets professional bereavement counselling.

Payment for the prepaid funeral plans varies from one institution to the other and also depends on the package. One has the option of clearing the whole amount at once or through an agreed amount of monthly installments for a specific duration of time.

Conclusion

Planning ahead is one of the privileges we get as human beings. An advance plan for funeral preparations can be a valuable asset not only to yourself but also to your family members.

There are numerous funeral plan providers out there that you can choose from. Take your time to select the prepaid funeral plan that suits you best.

Avalon - Best UK Funeral Plan

Our Rating

Avalon Funeral Plans
  • Cremation options available with and without funeral service
  • Coverage starts after one year of payments
  • No restrictions on date and time of service
Avalon Funeral Plans

FAQs

What will happen if I die before paying in full?

Is it possible to cancel a funeral plan I have started paying for?

Is there value for money in these prepaid funeral plans?

Can I choose a funeral director?

Nica

Nica

Nica specializes in financial technology and cryptocurrency. At her young age, she was already able to work with a Y Combinator-backed startup and another startup founded by Harvard graduates.

Latest News

News

Online Broker FBS Introduces Brand New IB Features

Uncategorized

Halifax Share Dealing Review

If you’re looking for a low-cost share dealing platform that makes it super easy to buy and sell stocks, ETFs, and funds, it might be worth considering Halifax. You don’t need to have a current account with the provider, and getting started takes just minutes. In this article, we review the ins and outs of...

Wooden buildings with glass balcons.
Uncategorized

UK Banks Approved Nearly 1 Million Mortgages in 2019, 7.4% More than a Year Ago

The United Kingdom’s high street banks approved close to a million mortgages in 2019. Data gathered by LearnBonds.com indicates that 982,286 mortgages were approved in 2019, an increase of 7.4% from 2018’s 909,597. The mortgage approval entails loans for home purchase, remortgaging and other loans. Compared to 2018, the number of mortgages approved for home...

Credit Card
Uncategorized

Credit Card Lending to UK Individuals Hit a Record £54.16 Billion Last Quarter

Uncategorized

5 Ways to Provide Your Family With a Budget Christmas Dinner