Advance Funeral Plans ?

Hubby and I paid for our funerals well over 20 years ago Gwen.

We opted for the Natural Burial Ground at Prestwold where no gravestones are put but you can pay extra to have a tree planted or have bat or birdboxes put up to help keep the wildlife going OR even have a bench made in memory of a loved one.
When hubby died everything was already sorted out even the service.

My late husband (a canny Yorkshireman) left instructions that he was to be cremated, and he wanted to have "the cheapest possible funeral" So we went to the local co-op undertakers
saying that those were his wishes. I have left instructions with my children that I am to have the cheapest burial funeral which they are happy with

Maywalk that sounds perfect!! Unfortunately a little bit far from Harrogate, I don't think Harrogate has anything like that.
Jeanrobinson my DH (also a canny Yorkshireman) who is still alive can't see why we should pay for a funeral when he is going to live forever!!!
I just don't want to put it on my DDs to have to find the money - they might have to end up digging a hole in the back garden!!

A childless aunt of mine prepaid her funeral, stating her wishes, for which we were very grateful at the time. The money was not an issue, but it meant we didn’t have to wonder what she’d have wanted, and it was just a question of informing the (local) funeral director.

If I did decide to prepay, I’d def. choose a local family firm, not one of the big chains - certainly not an American-owned one.
Very unreasonable, I know, but I was put off the Co-op funeral service many years ago after my lovely MiL died in a hospital a good distance from where the funeral was to be held.

The first thing an evidently young and pertly chirpy voice told me, was that the transport would cost 33p a mile.
I slammed the phone down.

Yes. Fully paid up plans for both of us. A colleague died suddenly at work and made me feel very morbid for a while!

Not sure why you would go through a third party and not directly to the funeral company?

I bought mine from Age Uk when i retired in 2015 at a cost of almost 4000. It was supposed to have been for either myself or my husband. My husband who was not a social person decided last year to buy his own at around 15000 with a company who do simple funerals. They collect your body from place of death, cremate you then return the ashes to your designated person. Sadly it was used in January when he died of this awful virus. On reflection it was almost like he knew as we couldnt have had a proper funeral for him anyway at the time.....covid restrictions, so we would have paid for cars not used, a cermony with very few people, no hugging, and certainly no wake afterwards. We plan to have a celebation of his life in July when it would have been his birthday, so hoping all restrictions will be lifted in June so this can go ahead. It will only be family and a couple of people who have been very supportive of me. When it is my time the Age Uk one will be used as i have a wide circle of friends from the groups i belong to, my bowling club ,family and friends. In these troubled times it is difficult to know what to do as things can change at the drop of a hat. Proper funerals can cost so much and it does at the end of the day depend on your financial situation.

My mum had funeral plan with Age UK. It was a great investment I think she spent about £1500 when she was in her 70s and her funeral cost would have been over £4000 when she died at 95. The funeral director did tell me about a brother and sister who both bought plans for £1000 in their 60s but lived to the late 90s and had funerals which would have cost over £8000 each. The cost isn't going to go down.

My parents bought two basic pre paid funeral plans a few years ago. Cost: just over £3K each. Sadly one parent has passed away and it was so helpful to have that in place beforehand.

I thought it was a good idea to buy for myself and DH, so our children don't have to find the money when we pass, but I heard that the cost of funerals was being looked into, plus I've since heard about Direct Funerals; the undertakers take the body directly to the crematorium, there is no service and you cannot visit your loved one in the funeral home. Cost from the Co Op is £1300. It may not suit everyone, but I'd be happy with that!

....oh btw Gwen, no need to go through a middle man. Just go on the Co Op website and arrange it yourself.

Their 'Silver plan' is £3995.

Years Before mum died, she was reading a novel and One part made her laugh out loud. She read it out to me ...

Wife to husband: “when one of us dies I’m going to live in France”.

?

Martin Lewis has a great assessment of plans and what you get for your money www.moneysavingexpert.com/family/prepaid-funeral-plans/

I've told my sons of the very cheapie and basic cremation I'd like. I've even organised immediately accessible cash for them to deal with it. If they spend more then more fools they. Can't stand the rip off of funerals and the false pomp I've observed at them.

I think it's something you need to discuss with your family. The basic cremations are early morning and no one can attend so they need to know that and be happy with it, otherwise they might pay extra after you've gone so they can be there.

Thank you, Trisher. Didn't know all of that detail.

I think it’s wise to remove any burden from your daughters Gwenisgreat. As my own mum was terrible with money I worried myself for years thinking there would be nothing in the pot for her funeral when her time came. She wouldn’t talk about such matters preferring to bury her head in the sand. As she had been unwell for a few years and dad took over finances in a more sensible way I asked him when she passed if he had enough money to bury her - he did and having paid that there is enough for his when the time comes.
Just a small note on how Co op funeral services vary. When my FIL in Wales died 2 years ago MIL received the bill about a week later with a visit from the lovely female undertaker who had dealt with it. I was a little disturbed when at mum’s funeral earlier this year dad was handed the bill at the crematorium after the service. I hasten to add he had already paid a large chunk of the fees but this was for the remainder. I thought it was rather insensitive to do this on the day.

Pure cremation for me..
.

Simple Send-Offs do a good deal near to where I live, just £2,045 . Everything is organised and times are from 10am to 2pm. That's the Cremation Plus price. A 40 minute service with a choice of music.

Straightforward cremations are cheaper. Just under £1,600.
They've had a good write-up. I think it's enough to pay.

If the family want to go for a meal somewhere after there'll be enough in the kitty. They can please themselves as set buffets aren't always convenient for everyone.

I'd rather treat the GGC too, they won't do so badly.

D can also get a rose bush in my namesake and use the ashes up that way

My husband wants to go to the local tip when they empty the bins. I've told him they won't agree and he thinks it is very unreasonable. I think I've persuaded him that direct cremation is the next best thing.

Thank you - that's a lot of reading to do. gt66 and greenlady102 I don't want to pay straight to the funeral director in case they go belly up!!
I had forgotten about AgeUK, will try to contact them to see what they have to offer. I'm not looking for anything elaborate, but don't want to pay elaborate prices for simple!!

I cannot bear the thought of money being wasted on my funeral. I don’t know which country I will be in when I die but my instructions are clear. Cremation with nobody in attendance, ashes to be returned if wished and scattered in any public beautiful garden. Party optional.

It was the Social Worker who suggested that we should purchase a funeral plan for my miserly reclusive, stubborn Uncle. He was about to go from hospital into a Care Home, where his savings would be just over the limit for him to receive full funding via the LA. So my Sister and I did just that via the Co-op. Surprisingly he flourished in the Care Home, the staff all doted on him and appreciated his extremely wry sense of humour. He was there for nearly 5 years until his death, His funeral plan covered his simple funeral and as he had never spent a single penny of the personal allowance from his state pension (why buy a newspaper when I can read someone else's? or buy clothes or PJ's when my nieces gave me them as presents? or pay for an outing when I know they will take me anyway?) there was around £5000 lodged with the home, which we inherited - plus we got the Co-op dividend on the funeral plan.

When it was clear that DH was needing to go into a care home, I arranged funeral plans for both of us via an Independent Funeral Director. When DH died last year it was so easy to arrange the funeral and fulfil his wishes.

My parents both have Pure Cremation plans. There will be no funeral or wake. Once they are both no longer here, we as a family, will arrange a get together to dispose their ashes as to their wishes.

What I want, A lot won't provide - I want cover for whoever 'goes' first. Most I have contacted want it named. DH is 80 and not interested, I have very limited funds so hope to cover for the one that goes first, there will plenty of cash left for the remainer!! "Reassured" are OK with that but they only deal with the Co-op. Age Uk are only interested if a name is on the plan. Will continue looking!