Planning ahead
Pre-paid funeral plans
Some people choose to arrange and pay for their own funeral in advance. It is a personal decision, made calmly and without pressure. This page explains how it works.
What a pre-paid funeral plan is
You decide now what kind of funeral you would like, and pay for the funeral director's main services at today's prices, either in one payment or over time. The money is held in a regulated trust or insurance arrangement until it is needed.
When the time comes, your family contacts the provider, and the funeral is carried out as arranged. They are spared both the decisions and much of the cost.
Why people arrange their own funeral in advance
- To take a weight off their family, at a time when every task feels heavy.
- To have their wishes known and written down, rather than guessed at.
- To hold the funeral director's costs steady against future price rises.
- To keep money set aside specifically for this, rather than drawing on savings later.
It is not the right choice for everyone. Writing down your wishes and telling your family which funeral director to call is a valid alternative that costs nothing. Our guide, what is a pre-paid funeral plan, covers the trade-offs in full.
A calm comparison
The main types of plan
Plans are usually offered in tiers. The figures below are illustrative starting prices to show how the tiers differ; they are not quotes.
The buttons above are placeholders. On a live site they would link to FCA-authorised plan providers, and Farewell Compare may receive a commission. This never changes the price you pay, and we would only ever list regulated providers.
Before you arrange a plan
A short checklist worth going through slowly:
- Confirm the provider is on the FCA register.
- Ask whether the cremation or burial fee is covered in full or only up to an allowance.
- Ask which funeral director will carry out the funeral, and whether you can name a local one.
- Read the cancellation terms and what would be refunded.
- If paying by instalments, ask what happens if you die before the plan is paid off.
There is no hurry. A plan arranged calmly, with questions answered, is worth far more than one bought quickly.