Prepaid funeral plans are fast becoming more reputable as people attempt to combat rising funeral costs. While people are moderately interested research has found that people are reluctant to commit to a prepaid plan.
Our research found that lack of knowledge surrounding funeral costs is a major factor that dissuades many people. In 2016 only 122,500 funeral plans in Britain were invested in, according the the Funeral Planning Authority.
Funeral plans have often been made out to be money grabbing traps however they are an imperative investment that helps you to save your money. Over the years funeral costs have soared. In the last decade alone funeral costs have increase by over £1,000 and are expected to keep on rising. A funeral plan on the other hand is a fixed rate contract meaning your payments won’t increase even if funeral prices do.
Further a funeral plan isn’t just a money saving scheme it is also a plan that ensures that your final wishes are adhered to. Not only is it a vital document, it’s also an investment for your future, one which protects your loved ones during a difficult period.
While funeral plans are predominately bought by the older generation with families however both younger and older generations should consider buying a funeral plan. A fixed rate monthly instalment fee enables you to effectively pay for your funeral in advance at the same price despite the rising funeral costs.
Planning a funeral can be highly distressing for loved ones however having a plan in place takes way the costs, planning and the procession on the day. A plan enables you to design a funeral that suits your wishes and beliefs. There are multiple options that you can chose from. Whether that be a basic funeral package that covers all the necessities or a higher end plan that goes more in-depth. Higher end plans tend to cover costs of cremation or burial, floral tributes and car hire.
At Damsons our funeral plans are delivered with the highest of quality that makes your final farewell memorable to your loved ones. We offer four funeral plans that covers the necessities. Our more expensive plans include added services that you may require depending on your preferences.
The table below outlines Damsons various funeral plans, what each plan offers and the cost per month.
| Funeral Plan | What’s Included? | |
|---|---|---|
| Practical Plan |
|
£28.74 |
| Simplicity Plan |
|
£40.99 |
| Essential Plan |
|
£49.56 |
| Plus Plan |
|
£49.65 |
Investing in a funeral plan ensures that at the very least all the essentials for a funeral are included. And if your family requires any extra services Damsons will provide them for a small fee. Such features include:
Over the last decade peoples perceptions on death have evolve with 60% of Brits wanting their funeral to be a celebratory affair. The beauty of a funeral plan is that you have the choice to customise your own funeral to your specific ideas and requests.
Setting up a prepaid funeral plan is simple and once your plan is in place you can have peace of mind knowing your affairs are taken care of. And when the times comes your family won’t have to take care of anything. Having a funeral plan means your family has the time to grieve without having to organise a funeral.
Over the last decade unique funeral requests have been made and carried out. Funeral plans enable your loved to adhere to your wishes. Take for instance the Pringle can designer Dr Baur, as a final request he had his ashes stored in a Pringle can. Not only was it a unique farewell but it was also a lasting legacy to his famed Pringle can design.
Another unique request came from Jack Woodward, who was a British landlord in Bradford. His final request was that his ashes were buried at his pub with a plaque that read: “Stand here and have a drink on me.” He decided that he’d rather his final resting place be in his pub, the pub in which he was born.
It’s not always grand gestures that make a funeral special but it’s the little requests that make a huge impact. It’s easy to make a funeral special to you, by simply taking out a funeral plan all your requests can be taken care of.
In 2016 a study undertaken Bath University found that funeral prices had risen by a staggering 80% since 2004. These rising costs have led to the return of the Paupers Funeral as more people struggle to afford a funeral. This distressing rise in Paupers Funerals has left many bereaved families resorting to a funeral that doesn’t represent the life of their loved one.
A Paupers Funeral is a funeral that is funded through government grants, up until recent years Paupers Funerals were rarely relied upon but recent years has forced them to return. However these grants are only given to those in dire need of them.
An investigation by The Guardian found that 1.7 million of tax payer’s money is spent on funeral grants. However a further investigation carried out by The Times found that only 53% of bereaved families received funeral funding in 2013.
The Royal National Funeral Cost Report (2016) suggested that funeral costs have risen due a reduction in deaths per year. With people living longer the death rate per year has considerably dropped. As business decreases, funeral directors have raised their price in a bid to make a living however this has left over 100,000 unable to afford to die.
| Year | Funeral Costs |
|---|---|
| 1960 | £170 |
| 1971 | £400 |
| 1980 | £750 |
| 2005 | £2,000 |
| 2010 | £2,900 |
| 2015 | £3,400 |
| 2016 | £3,700 |
*information gathered from The Guardian, BBC, The Times and The Royal London National Funeral Cost Index 2016
According to the International Longevity Centre UK funeral costs by 2020 could rise to an astronomical £7,000. In Scotland this has led to an influx of bodies being donated to science. According to Professor Sue Black, the NHS has on average gone from receiving 20 bodies per year to 80 bodies as people simply cannot afford a funeral.
The cost of death is becoming a major issue for the nation and without effective plans in place you may be unable to afford a funeral. A prepaid funeral plan helps you pay for your funeral in advance whilst also giving you the option to design your final farewell.
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