What are the benefits of pre-paid funerals? In this article we explain what pre-paid funerals are and discuss whether they are worth it.
Shropshire Funerals are independent, family-run funeral directors based in Oswestry, Shropshire. Our trusted team of experienced funeral directors are here to guide you through each step at difficult times.
What is a prepaid funeral plan?
A prepaid funeral plan allows you to pay for all the important elements of a funeral in advance. This can be done either for someone else or for yourself. The funeral plans will usually cover various, although not all, of the costs that come with a funeral service. Some examples of these costs would be a hearse and a coffin.
So when a prepaid plan is in place when you die, it means that your loved ones will have much less to organise and less that they will need to contribute financially towards your funeral. It can help with less stress and anxiety in a hard time for all involved.
Funeral plans can be taken care of by anyone who is aged over eighteen, although some providers will state that you need to be at least over fifty to purchase a prepaid funeral plan. In some cases, you can pay for a funeral with a monthly instalment.
With these plans, there may be what is known as an upper age limit, which will commonly be around eighty.
After which, you would need to pay the amount upfront. In the UK currently, the average cost of a basic funeral is at more than £4,000. One in three funerals in the UK is paid for in advance through the use of a prepaid funeral plan.
We would recommend reading up on funeral plans before you rush in and purchase one for yourself. It is not a decision to be made lightly, and they are not suitable for everyone.
Are Prepaid Funerals Worth It?
There are particular benefits to taking out a prepaid funeral plan. The main one being that you will be securing the cost of a funeral director at today's prices and guaranteeing that you will be covered when the time comes, rather than you or your family paying the price in the future, which is likely to be much higher.
Essentially, having a prepaid funeral plan ready in place offers protection for you and your loved ones against the increasing costs of funeral director services. It also helps your loved ones by limiting the amount of stress and financial burden that they will have to go through when arranging a funeral in the future.
Although, it is important to remember that disbursement costs are not currently guaranteed to be covered when looking to the future.
Reassurance
A funeral that would have cost £1,834 in 2004 is now predicted to cost upwards of £5,000 by 2026. This is based on the Sun Life cost of dying report from 2022. This, of course, is a gigantic increase over a relatively short period of time.
Ensuring that all your plans have been arranged and all your affairs are in order should give you the feeling of calmness, knowing that your loved ones that will have the task of arranging your funeral in the future will have a much easier job.
Personalisation
A prepaid funeral plan also has the added benefit of being able to personalise your funeral so you can be remembered and honoured in the exact way that you want.
With a prepaid funeral plan, you can make all of your own decisions about your funeral and design a personal funeral plan which is clear for all those that you will leave behind.
This should also reduce the concerns and stress of your loved ones, who would otherwise just be left to their own devices to guess what exactly you would have wanted for your funeral.
Funeral Planning
Everyone knows that it is important to plan for the future, but this is especially true when it comes to thinking about your funeral. Prearranging your own funeral may feel like an odd thing to do at first, but for all those that you will leave behind, the planning is a caring and selfless act.
Having a prepaid funeral plan will take away the burden of planning your funeral away from your loved ones at a time when they really won't need all the stress and upset of it all.
Planning Your Prepaid Funeral
There are so many different questions that need to be asked when it comes time to plan your funeral. By determining your choices now, you can plan a funeral that is exactly to your own personal taste.
Many funeral plans are also flexible, meaning that you can get in touch and alter your plan if you decide to change your mind about one or more aspects.
Burial or cremation?
Have you made a decision on whether you want a cremation or a burial? If you haven't decided, would your close loved ones know which choice you would make? If you want a burial, then there are early decisions that need to be made. The type of coffin you want to be buried with is a major decision. Would you prefer a traditional, wicker, wooden, or contemporary coffin?
You will also need to think about whether you want to be buried in a traditional cemetery or would rather be buried in a more natural woodland setting. Do you have a particular plot of land already chosen and purchased? If you don't, then this needs to be something that you consider.
Music?
Do you want your funeral to be a full celebration of your life, or would you rather the funeral be a much more sombre affair? Music is an important element between these two moods. Through the preplanning of your funeral, you can choose the songs that you want to be enjoyed at your funeral that will reflect your own personal tastes.
You can choose from live music, pre-recorded tracks, or a selection of different hymns. No matter what you go with, your choice is certain to be both moving and personal. There is no need to be traditional with your choices; whatever makes you happy.
Flowers or donations?
There are many people that would much prefer that their funeral guests donate to a charity of their choosing rather than sending flowers. This is one of the major things that you need to specify when you are planning the more particular details of your funeral.
You can also choose whether you want a personal tribute, seasonal, or simple flowers.
Transport?
Although a hearse is the most traditional method of transporting a coffin around, there are other choices that you can make. You have the ability to specify whether you would prefer a horse-drawn or driven vehicle.
These decisions will also make an impact on the method of transport that your loved ones will use. These days there are so many different choices that can be made that the options are more or less limitless.
Venue?
You can choose a venue that has sentimental importance to you and those who are close to you that you feel would be the most appropriate location for your wake.
Within your funeral plan, you can also choose the favourite food, drink and entertainment that can be provided at the wake.
What isn't covered by a funeral plan?
Separate funeral plans have different levels of service on offer. This is mostly dependent on the amount that you are willing to pay. This is why it is so important for you to read the small print on any funeral plan that you are considering paying for. It is also recommended that you shop around and look at different funeral plan providers to ensure that you get a deal that is perfect for you.
Not every plan will cover costs such as doctors' fees or the cost of having a minister conduct the funeral service. There are some plans that simply cover a portion of the costs of your burial or cremation.
Are you looking for an independent funeral director in Shropshire? Our family run funeral director service provides support for you and your loved ones during the funeral arrangement and service.