CHEAP FUNERAL PLANS | March 2024 | A Complete Guide
Cheap Funeral Plans

 

Cheap Funeral Plans 

Should I purchase a prepaid funeral plan?

In 2020/2021 the average cost of a UK funeral cost families £4200. In 5 years time funeral prices are expected to grow by a further 20%.

In addition, funeral planning can be emotionally challenging for a mourner.

By taking out a pre paid plan your loved ones will not be burdened with rising funeral costs. The burial or cremation fee, plus the funeral service charges, can be covered with a funeral plan.

Topics that you will find covered on this page

You can listen to an audio recording of this page below.

Furthermore, your loved ones won’t have to worry about the stress of planning your funeral. Your funeral package will contain all the details making things cheaper and easier for your family.

How much do funeral plans cost?

The cost of a plan can really vary depending on what kind of funeral arrangement you want.

Customers normally get the lowest possible funeral cost when they opt for a simple cremation and no service. This might cost anything from £1300 to £3000, depending on specific funeral expenses.

However, if you want a bespoke funeral plan then you are likely going to have to pay more than just the traditional funeral costs. This kind of funeral plan is often referred to as an ‘Independent way funeral plan’ and involves having an independent funeral director.

For example, you might want an environmentally friendly funeral, a specific style of coffin, or the hearse to drive a certain route to the service. These are nice touches, but customizing your funeral cover in this way increases the cost.

Customers that require a burial plot have to add these on as an extra, as your plan provider almost certainly won’t cover this cost. The reason is simple- the price of a plot varies hugely depending on location.

Furthermore, how you choose to pay for your plan can impact the cost. If you can afford the lump sum required to pay for it all at once this is generally cheaper.

Paying for your plan monthly tends to come with additional charges. Furthermore, if you die before you have paid it all off then your family might be hit with the outstanding bill.

Here is a useful video explaining how the plan works.

What will a low cost funeral plan include?

If you are looking for cheap funeral plans you will likely have to choose quite a basic plan. A simple funeral plan normally covers a basic coffin, the crematorium services, the cremation fee, and a basic hearse.

If there are specific things you want at your funeral, you can then add them on as extras. The very cheapest funeral plans normally require that the funeral service occurs early or late on in the day, rather than at the popular midday time.

Furthermore, if you are not keen on a funeral service you can keep costs down by having an unattended cremation. However, some people understandably want a service, for example to allow their families to say goodbye.

Who are the best providers of a funeral plan in the United Kingdom?

Deciding on a funeral plan can be a tricky and confusing process. The very first thing to do is check the provider is registered with the Funeral Planning Authority (FPA). The authority regulates providers, protecting customers and their investments.

Some good companies to look at are Dignity, Golden Leaves, Perfect Choice, Safe Hands, and Avalon. However, what makes a plan provider ‘good’ depends on the features and price you are looking for.

A Dignity funeral plan, for example, starts from £3095. They are regulated by the FPA and have a reputation for providing great value for money. They cover all services in their plans, including funeral director’s fees.

Some companies do not guarantee to cover all costs, and so your family could be hit with a bill at the end. However, this won’t happen with Dignity.

An Avalon Funeral Plan is also popular since Avalon guarantee to cover all costs even if you are on a monthly plan and have not yet finished paying off your plan. This is popular because no unexpected bills fall on your loved ones.

Then, there is the Safe Hands Funeral Plan which can be as cheap as £2390 or £24.97 per month. If you opt for a direct pure cremation plan, in other words a cremation and no service, this price falls to £1895 or £19.19 per month.

Who are some cheap companies to consider for a funeral plan?

Memoria are one company to consider. A Memoria low cost funeral offers cheap cremation options, but also the chance to add extras on if you want. As they have many a memorial park, you can choose cremation at a crematorium almost anywhere in the UK.

Cheap Funeral Plans

A memoria low cost funeral can be as cheap as £950 if you choose to have a cremation at a memorial park crematorium but no ceremony. You can discover more details about a Memoria low cost funeralhere.

How do I complain about a funeral plan provider?

If you want to make a complaint about your Funeral Plan then you should first raise this with the company you took out your plan from. This could be the plan provider themselves or a third-party company.

You should give the funeral plan provider or funeral director a chance to resolve your complaint themselves. However, if you are not fully content with their reply we suggest taking further action.

We recommend you then pass your complaint onto the Funeral Planning Authority. You can call them on 0345 601 9619 or send them an email at [email protected].

"If you are looking for cheap funeral plans you will likely have to choose quite a basic plan. A simple funeral plan normally covers a basic coffin, the crematorium services, the cremation fee, and a basic hearse."

What payment options are there for Funeral Plans?

The specific payment terms on offer to you will depend on your funeral plan provider. However, your typical prepaid funeral plan can be paid for with a one-off lump sum or with monthly payments.

What services are included in Pre Paid Funeral Plans?

Normally a pre paid funeral plan includes care for the body, visiting the funeral home, means of transport to the location of the funeral, and a coffin, hearse, and personnel.

Some plans will give customers the option to have limousines as well as a hearse. Cheap funeral plans don’t often include limousines, though.

Cheap Funeral Plans

What funeral costs are not covered by a funeral plan?

It is very rare that a pre paid funeral plan covers burials. Burials vary hugely in price depending on the location of the burial site. So, burials are normally added on as an extra, priced on a case-by-case basis.

How safe are Pre Paid Funeral Plans?

A pre paid plan is a perfectly safe form of funeral cover provided you choose a funeral plan from a trusted provider.

The Funeral Planning Authority regulate providers, ensuring their funeral package and funeral expenses are priced fairly and that your money is safe. Therefore, you should ensure that the provider you choose is officially registered with the Funeral Planning Authority.

What are the benefits of a low cost funeral plan?

There are a number of advantages to prepaid plans, such as an Avalon funeral plan or a Dignity funeral plan.

These include:

– Anyone over 18 is guaranteed to be accepted

– You can choose to pay with one lump sum or on a monthly basis

– You save your family the trouble of paying traditional funeral costs. Rising funeral costs are a problem for many, so covering traditional funeral costs can save the mourner a lot of worry

– Funeral expenses including funeral director’s fees are fixed, and set out in your contract

– You can alter your plan to fit your budget. For example, if you want to tailor your funeral with an independent way funeral plan you can pay for an independent funeral director to arrange a bespoke funeral plan for you.

What are the drawbacks of a pre-agreed funeral arrangement?

There are some different disadvantages to ponder if you are thinking of taking out a simple funeral arrangement plan. These include:

funeral plans cheap

– Burial plots are not included in almost all plans. This means you might be limited to cremation

– Whilst there is flexibility in funeral cost depending on plans, the cheapest funeral plan is an unattended cremation. However, many people do not want such a simple funeral. Typically, people want a direct cremation and service, but this means not choosing the cheapest funeral plan.

What if I want to buy myself a funeral plan but also want a burial plot?

If you do not want a cremation, you will likely need to buy a burial plot separately to your plan.

If you are looking for the cheapest funeral plan, be sure to factor the cost of a burial plot into your comparisons.

Will I have to go through a health check to be eligible for a pre paid funeral plan?

It is uncommon for a pre paid plan to require health checks from customers. This includes answering questions about your health on a form. So, with your prepaid funeral plan you probably won’t have to disclose any personal health information at all.

Do I have to tell someone about my low cost funeral plan?

We recommend doing two things once you have taken out your basic plan:

  1. Tell someone close to you about the plan and who the funeral company/funeral arranger is
  2. Make a copy of the documents that detail your plan, and tell someone close to you where they can find them

We recommend this because when you die the person managing your estate needs to notify the provider or funeral arranger so that your funeral package can be utilised. They can do this by phone, or send a letter to the funeral director’s premises.

What happens if my family cannot remember the provider of my basic plan?

If your family are unsure of the name of the provider then they should go to the Funeral Planning Authority’s website. Here they can find a tracker and find out who your provider is and where the funeral director’s premises are.

Can I have a joint funeral plan?

It is possible to take out a joint funeral insurance plan, however the funeral insurance will only cover the costs of one funeral/cremation. If you want to take out a plan for two people to have a funeral/cremation you will need two separate plans.

What is the cheapest funeral possible?

Rising funeral costs are causing many to look into plans, to stop funeral director’s fees falling onto their loved ones.

Regardless of your funeral arranger, the cheapest funeral plan will almost always be an unattended cremation. However, many people understandably want a service too.

Luckily, there are many providers that cover the cremation fee and a cremation service, and are still relatively cheap.

We recommended comparing the funeral cost with a Dignity Funeral Plan, Safe Hands Funeral Plan, and an Avalon funeral plan. Of course, there are other providers that might quote a cheap funeral cost, but these are some of the most popular in the UK.

Remember, if you do not want a cremation, burial plots have to be paid for separately.

How else could I ensure funeral cover, without a funeral plan?

Funeral cover via a funeral plan is a popular way of taking out ‘funeral insurance’. However, a plan is not for everyone, particularly those that do not want a cremation.

Another option you have to stop the costs of a funeral falling on a mourner is to take out life insurance. Life insurance will give your loved ones a cash lump when you die.

They can then use this to contact a funeral home and organise the funeral- be it a direct cremation or burial. However, this option means you cannot plan your funeral with an independent funeral director before you die.

The final option you have is to set aside some savings, that your family can use to pay for the funeral. 

However, you should bear in mind that cremation and funerals in general are getting more and more expensive. Locking in a good price before they rise further is one benefit of both a simple or bespoke funeral plan.

Article author

Katy Davies

I am a keen reader and writer and have been helping to write and produce the legal content for the site since the launch.   I studied for a law degree at Manchester University and I use that theoretical experience, as well as my practical experience as a solicitor, to help produce legal content which I hope you find helpful.

Outside of work, I love the snow and am a keen snowboarder.  Most winters you will see me trying to get away for long weekends to the slopes in Switzerland or France.

Email – [email protected]

LinkedIn – Connect with me

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do funeral plans cost?

The cost of a plan can really vary depending on what kind of funeral arrangement you want.

Customers normally get the lowest possible funeral cost when they opt for a simple cremation and no service. This might cost anything from £1300 to £1800, depending on specific funeral expenses.

What will a low cost funeral plan include?

If you are looking for cheap funeral plans you will likely have to choose quite a basic plan. A simple funeral plan normally covers a basic coffin, the crematorium services, the cremation fee, and a basic hearse.

Who are the best providers of a funeral plan in the United Kingdom?

Deciding on a funeral plan can be a tricky and confusing process. The very first thing to do is check the provider is registered with the Funeral Planning Authority (FPA). The authority regulates providers, protecting customers and their investments.

What payment options are there for Funeral Plans?

The specific payment terms on offer to you will depend on your funeral plan provider. However, your typical prepaid funeral plan can be paid for with a one-off lump sum or with monthly payments.

Share this page