Need help with planning a funeral? Everything you need to know

Funeral plans and funeral insurance are two different ways of paying for part of a funeral in advance. So, when you die, your family will have less financial responsibility.

The cost of a funeral depends very much on the choices you make. They can be incredibly elaborate which would cost potentially thousands of pounds or minimalistic which would be a fraction of the cost.

Many people worry that when they die, they will not leave enough money for their funeral, burdening their loved ones with the cost. With a funeral plan, you arrange and pay for it in advance, so your relatives do not have to cover all the cost themselves. You can arrange a funeral plan for your own funeral or for someone else’s, as long as the funeral will be held in the UK.

With a standard funeral plan, you pay for your funeral in advance, at today’s prices. You pay either a lump sum or instalments to the plan provider, or to a funeral director.

Funeral plans usually don’t cover everything that is needed for a funeral. What’s covered will vary from provider to provider, so you should check the details of any plan carefully before you buy it.

The cost of a burial plot is often not included, and neither are costs that are not usually met by the funeral director, such as the cost of flowers and catering.

Also, some providers will only pay a contribution towards cremation or burial costs, leaving your family to pick up the rest of the bill.