Whilst none of us want to think about our funerals earlier than we need to, arranging and paying for your own funeral ahead of time has many advantages.

A funeral plan allows you to purchase and arrange your own funeral before you die. There are many advantages to taking out these types of prepaid plan. For many people, the greatest advantage is that they allow you to take the financial burden of funeral costs from your loved ones and to make arrangements for your funeral to be exactly as you would like it. An additional advantage of purchasing a funeral plan in advance is that as the cost of funerals increases each year, you are able to beat any future increase in cost.

A funeral plan is a way to pre-pay for some elements of your funeral and save your relatives the burden of having to find the money to pay for your funeral arrangements after your death. Making a funeral plan also allows you to ensure that your wishes about how your funeral should be conducted are known and honoured. 

What’s covered by a funeral plan will vary from provider to provider, but most will not cover the cost of a burial plot or extras such as flowers and catering which are not arranged by a funeral director. It’s important to check carefully therefore what your plan actually covers. However, with funerals currently costing an average of between £3000 – £5000, they are a significant expense and are only likely to rise in future years. By paying in advance, you can ensure your families do not need to worry about finding the funds to pay for your funeral at an already difficult time, and you can take advantage of current prices before there are any rises in costs. 

Making a funeral plan also grants you the luxury of handling all the logistics, and costs for your funeral while you are still alive, so you are sure that your family will have nothing to worry about when you die. 

The earlier your plan is started, the lower the costs are likely to be. By starting to make payments now, you activate your plan based on the current pricing model for a funeral in the UK today. If you push back starting payments to a later date, then you can expect a rise in costs. 

By leaving funeral wishes in your will, you can help to make it a celebration of your life in the way you would like. Here are a few ideas of what you can include:

• Music and readings
• Where you want to be buried or cremated
• What you want to happen to your ashes (if you’re being cremated)
• Whether you want a spiritual or religious funeral
• What kind of flowers you want
• Who you want to invite
• Whether you want it to be cheap and cheerful or a grand affair
• Who you want to arrange the funeral

Are funeral wishes legally binding?

Unlike the rest of your Will, your funeral wishes aren’t legally binding. However, most families are very grateful when their loved one leaves funeral wishes, as it saves them the stress of making decisions on their behalf.