What is a pre-paid funeral plan?
You literally pay in advance for your funeral and fix the cost at the current price. The Funeral Directors’ service costs are then guaranteed when you die. Costs outside our control, such as cremation fees or someone to lead the service, can be included in the plan. Although these are not fully guaranteed, the growth of the plan will cover these in the majority of cases. However, there may be a small shortfall that will need to be paid upon completion of the funeral.
Who do I pay my money to?
You pay Golden Charter Trust directly. This is governed by the Funeral Planning Authority (FPA) and is protected, whatever happens to our business.
What is covered by my plan?
All our services that have been requested are fully covered. With our plans money can be paid to cover any of the following*:
- Hire of a church or venue to hold a service
- An officiant to lead the service
- A specific vehicle of interest to carry the deceased and/or mourners
- Flowers for the coffin and/or church
- A newspaper obituary
*This is not an exhaustive list. We will happily discuss any options you may wish to add.
Other plans seem cheaper – why is this?
Please, please, please check what is included. Never assume something is covered. If an item is not listed it may not be supplied automatically. Big groups have headline low prices and the price grows as ‘extras’ are added. If something seems too good to be true then often, sadly, it is.
How does this differ from set plans that I have seen?
You will often find plans offered at different package levels most common being Bronze, Silver or Gold or Simple, Traditional or Traditional Plus. Even Golden Charter offer this. It is good as it shows some different options and price ranges. However, we find they aren’t flexible enough for our clients. A package may include something a client doesn’t want or need and will pay for this regardless. We ask you what you require then give you a full estimate of costs before you proceed. We are confident this will be less than a comparable set plan, even those offered by Golden Charter directly.
What about all the Over 50 Plans that are advertised?
These differ from pre-paid funeral plans. They are insurance policies that can be used to pay towards your funeral costs. Depending when you start paying in, and if you live a healthy and long life, you may well pay in more than you receive.
Want to discuss a plan or find out what is possible? Contact us today!
