Category Archives: free guide to funeral plans

free guide to funeral plans

Star Ratings for Funeral Plans

Funeral Plans are not all the same5* = the right plan for you? At the Prepaid Funeral Review, we don’t think star ratings are anywhere near enough to even help to decide which plan best fits your personal situation. Even 5* plans have weakness in some areas. We don’t think there is any substitute for free and independent advice – why make your choice without expert help when you don’t have too?

Some things Star Ratings may not take into account are:

  • Where you live – remote areas, or areas where access by ferry needed, areas with few funeral directors.
  • Maybe you don’t want a standard plan, or there might be a need to make changes at the point of use. Some providers are flexible, some charge extortionately for minor changes.  Some won’t change at all.
  • One really important bit of flexibility is to use the plan for someone else’s funeral – a friend or relative has died and no one has the cash (rather than credit card) to pay thousands of pounds for an unexpected funeral. It might be nice to have that option rather than being told you can cash you plan for several hundred pounds less than you paid in 10 years before, and maybe have enough for half a funeral.  Some plans are designed ONLY to pay for your funeral.
  • How good and flexible the instalment terms – are they reasonable? Would a longer term than most people offer enable you to afford a proper prepaid plan rather than a poor value non-profit whole of life plan?
  • For those buying in instalments. What happens if you die before payments have been completed?  In most cases, your family would need to pay the full balance before the funeral could take.

We are not saying for one minute that 5 Star rated prepaid funeral plans are bad.  We’re just saying that star ratings are general, and your needs and wishes are individual.  We can take them into account before we make a recommendation.  And it won’t cost you extra – often less.

Pure Cremation Crematorium

Pure Cremations Crematorium at Charlton Park Crematorium, Andvover

Pure Cremations new crematorium is due to open in early 2019 and will meet the demand in Andover and surrounding areas for funeral services. It will also serve Pure Cremation’s direct cremation customers from across the UK, with interest in this modern alternative continuing to grow after David Bowie specifically chose this simple style of send-off.

Catherine Powell, director and co-founder of Pure Cremation, explained why it was so important to involve others who support the bereaved in Andover at such an early stage in the build programme: “The vision for Charlton Park Crematorium is of a valued community asset local people can be proud of, and which will provide families with the quality farewell experience they deserve – whatever their final wishes may be.  We are already working closely with the likes of clergy, civil celebrants and funeral home staff to achieve this vision and to meet the changing needs of Andover’s families.

“Funeral care-givers in the area are setting a truly innovative example and so we were delighted to accept Canon Jill Bentall’s invitation to speak at the first Funeral Stakeholder Meeting held at Bridge St Methodist Church. It was a great opportunity to outline our vision and answer questions.

“We are very grateful for the support we have received from the professional community since we first revealed our plans for Charlton Park Crematorium.  Many stakeholders have taken the time to understand our proposition –including S & J Maddocks funeral directors – and we look forward to continuing to develop a collaborative relationship built around offering every family the choice of a meaningful farewell on their terms.“

Charlton Park Crematorium represents a major investment by Pure Cremation in creating a sensitively-designed, state-of-the-art crematorium on vacant land in Andover.  A thoughtfully-planned and detailed landscaping scheme for the 11-acre site includes the retention of all protected trees and enhanced boundary planting, to create a tranquil setting for contemplation and remembrance.

The crematorium will feature a chapel which seats up to 80 mourners, a cremator hall, vestry, cosy farewell space for small gatherings, administrators’ office and car parking.  The facilities will enable Pure Cremation to provide an improved service; with greater flexibility on the timing of committals, and innovative options such as ‘virtual attendance’ and ‘virtual witness’, among the many additional benefits for its customers.

In a move which reaffirms its commitment to Andover, Pure Cremation will relocate its headquarters from Newbury to Charlton Park Crematorium.  With all its services brought together under one roof families will have the reassurance of knowing their loved ones are being looked after from the moment they come into Pure Cremation’s care until the scattering or return of the ashes.

Canon Jill Bentall said: “It was my pleasure to visit site and to officially commemorate the ground-breaking milestone at Charlton Park Crematorium. Having been very interested to learn about Pure Cremation’s future plans, I welcomed the opportunity to find out more about this important new community facility and to meet the team behind its construction.”

What is a direct cremation?
A direct cremation is a modern alternative to a traditional cremation funeral, where the cremation takes place completely separately from the personal farewell.

Direct cremation involves the collection and care of the deceased with dignity and respect. The coffin is delivered to the crematorium; and here the cremation takes place without a service and usually without any mourners being present. The ashes are then returned to the family – in Pure Cremation’s case, they are hand-delivered within 28 days of the cremation.

Direct cremation gives people the freedom to celebrate the lives of their loved ones in a far more personalised way – when and how it suits them. It is a straightforward, liberating, fuss-free choice; and it also represents excellent value for money when compared to the average costs of a traditional funeral.

About Pure Cremation?
Pure Cremation is trusted by more than a thousand families each year to guide them through the process of a dignified, fuss-free cremation without any compromise on the quality of care, and to inspire them to make the most of this new freedom to say goodbye their way.

The 21-strong Pure Cremation team, which is based in Newbury, has the capacity to serve thousands of families every year with trademark kindness and attention to detail. Each individual member of the team is equally committed to Bryan and Catherine’s original vision of simple care delivered to the highest standards.p

Coop Funeral Plans Offer Epitath Help

What is an epitaph? An epitaph is a short text honouring a deceased person. Strictly speaking, it refers to text that is inscribed on a tombstone or plaque,  The term is often used my widely, 

Here are some examples of brief epitaphs:

A friend In deed.
True and constant.
A loving husband and father. Or wife and mother.
A sharing, caring person.
A person of grace and dignity.
A true gentleman/woman.
Always in our hearts
An inspiration to all.
An unforgettable person.
Asked for so little but gave so very much.
Because he (she) cared.
Brave in spirit, strong in love.
Constant in faith, generous of heart.
Devoted In love.
Everybody’s best friend.
Faith, hope and courage personified.
Faithful forever.
Forever In our hearts.
Forever missed.
Gone but never forgotten.
Someone who enriched our lives.
An inspiration to all.
Everyone else came first.
Touched the lives of everyone they met.
He (she) lived to help others.
He (she) touched the lives of many.
They will never be forgotten.
In God’s care
In loving memory.
In memoriam.

Coop Funeral Plan Press Release

coop prepaid funerals

Coop Prepaid Funerals

Coop funeral plans seem to consider this service unique. As we understand it, there is no reason why you can’t add in exactly the same service to other funeral plan providers if you wish to, but it makes a good Press Release! I guess the difference is that they don’t buy the memorial until you die.  Like every funeral plan, the Coop plan has its strengths and weaknesses.

Funeral Plan Quotes

Funeral Plan Quotes

We would always suggest that you download our enquiry form and let us help guide you towards choosing the most appropriate prepaid funeral plan for YOUR unique wishes and needs. You can always ask for our free Funeral Wishes form.

On with the Coop Funeral Plan Press Release.

Now you can really have the final say with the Coop Funeral Plans

A new funeral planning service which enables people to write and pay for their own epitaph in advance has been launched) by The Co-operative Funeralcare.

With more people electing to arrange a personalised funeral, The Co-operative Funeralcare, the UK’s largest provider of funeral planning products, is giving people the chance to say exactly how they would like to be remembered by choosing and writing their own lasting memorial.

The pioneering memorial masonry plan, the first of its kind, will give consumers the ability to choose the type of lasting memorial they want. There are many types of memorials available, from traditional headstones to slate sculptures.

This plan now means you can choose the material, colour, style, lettering and write the actual inscription for your memorial and pay for it in advance at today’s masonry prices, avoiding any future increases.

The cost of a memorial masonry plan will vary depending on the choice made and the geographical area as the plan will incorporate fees for your specific cemetery or remembrance garden. There is no limit to the length of an inscription, other than the space available on the memorial.

Ian Mackie of The Co-operative Funeral Planning, says:” With the new Memorial Masonry Plans we take paying in advance for a funeral one step further by enabling people to decide the memorial they want and what actually appears on it. Some local authorities do have restrictions on the type of memorial allowed, but our team will advise on the options available. The plan ensures family members are not left with the emotional and financial burden of making these decisions at a very difficult time.”

 

Coop funeral plans

Cost of Dying Goes Through The Roof….

Cost of dying rockets in 2014.

Prepaying for a funeral becomes far more attractive as Sun Life report that the cost of dying has risen 7 times more than the cost of living in the 12 months to October 2014.

Funeral Plan Quotes

Funeral Plan Quotes

So it won’t be long before the cost of new prepaid funeral plans rises to catch up – with some rises already on the cards. So save more by contacting us promptly, even if that means you need to spread the cost.

Cost of dying rises from £7,619 to £8,427 in just 12 months

– that is an extra £807 for the family to find.

The costs other than the funeral itself include probate, headstones and flowers.
The funeral cost (accounting for less than half the total cost of dying) has also risen sharply at more than twice the rate of inflation to £3,590 (a rise of 3.9% since 2013 and a staggering 87% higher than in Sun Life’s first survey in 20043).

Over half “save” with DIY Probate to reduce cost of dying.

More than 50% now choose to carry out the probate / estate administration themselves (and more are using DI Probate help to make it easier.)

DIY funeral planning

A 39% rise in estate administration costs contributed significantly to this year’s total cost of dying increase. The average cost of hiring a professional, such as a solicitor to help manage the affairs of a deceased loved one, now accounts for more than a third of the overall cost. (For those who don’t want to do it themselves, The Probate Department Ltd offers pretty reasonable terms and is happy to let the family help.)

The Report says that 52% are now choosing to the DIY probate route now – kast year it was just 39%!

Too poor to die – the family can’t afford it!

Funeral poverty (the national funeral funding shortfall) now stands at nearly £200 million, 125% higher than four years ago. That will only get worse, unless more people invest in prepaid funeral plans.   Most families could afford to invest in one funeral plan to be used by the first to die, but it is not a standard option (but The Prepaid Funeral Review team can advise.)

Sun Life predicts funeral costs will rise to an estimated £4,489 by 2019.

The national average cost of dying figure masks significant variations at a regional level, with the average cost in the London area now a staggering £10,498. Meanwhile, the least expensive place to die is Northern Ireland where the average cost is £5,893 though the family might complain about the ferry costs (;-))

SunLife’s marketing director David Brooks comments: 
“The death of a loved one is already a very difficult time. Yet financial worries and debt can make the experience of planning a funeral even more distressing.

“All our research shows that planning, however small, really helps and we urge families to break the taboo of talking about death and share their wishes. Not planning properly for your own passing can cause a significant financial burden on the people left behind – increasing the emotional distress even further.”

Dr Kate Woodthorpe, lecturer in Sociology at the University of Bath’s Centre for Death & Society, adds:
”The costs associated with the end of life are rising and it is worrying that people are not prepared for what they may have to face. It is important to remember that at a time of great emotional upheaval, the financial implications of someone dying are not simply about money. They also include questions of who is responsible for the funeral and the estate, and their administration. Putting some plans in place while you are in reasonable health, however informal or formal, big or small, can go a long way to facilitating a smoother passage for those left behind.”

So why not cut the cost of dying by contacting the Prepaid Funeral Review team today?

Discount on Funeral Plans

40% Discount on Funeral Plans

40% discount on funeral plans is actually pretty modest discount.  Many families will actually get a 100% discount on funeral plans, according to the Daily Telegraph on 3rd August 2012.

Clearly, there is more to it than that!  A 40% discount on funeral plans would put all funeral plan providers out of business.  So how about a 100% discount?  Impossible?  No, it really will happen for many families!

How to get 100% discount on Funeral Plans.

First, you have to buy your funeral plan at the full price. Sorry!  But then…

Many hundreds of thousands of people will spend a portion of their lives in long term care.  The rules (Charging for Residential Accommodation Guidelines – CRAG Regulations) mean that Local Authorities won’t pay for care until you have spent practically all of your money.  They won’t pay for all of it until you have just £14,000 odd left.   So if you spent £2,000 on a prepaid funeral plan a few years before, your family wouldn’t actually lose anything at all.  In fact they would gain, because the cost of the funeral wouldn’t need to come out of what you had left.  So maybe you get more than 100% discount on funeral plans!

If you would like to know more about this, ask for a free copy of Asset Protection Secrets – see Useful Sites to the right.

How to get 40% discount on a Funeral Plan.

These days, Inheritance Tax is very much a tax on Middle England rather than the rich, who don’t even need my book on Inheritance Tax Secrets – see to the right.  They just throw bucket loads of money at professional advisers to save 40% Inheritance Tax.  But for us more ordinary folk, Inheritance Tax bites at 40% over just £325,000 for a single person and £650,000 for a couple with proper Last Wills.

So if you pay £3,000 for a nice funeral plan, you can take some comfort in the fact that the net cost to your family may be just £1,800 – a 40% discount on funeral plans.

 

Discount on Funeral Plans.