Spring time inspires many of us to start making new plans. But most of these plans don’t look much further than the year ahead.

This year may be the time for some longer-term financial planning, including considering a pre-paid funeral plan. According to the Sun Life Cost of Dying report 2023, only 18% of people in the UK have prepaid for their funeral.

Arranging a funeral for a loved one can add to the stress of bereavement, especially if the deceased had never discussed their plans or wishes.

A pre-paid funeral plan may reduce the financial burden, and allows you to record your personal wishes. So you can plan all the details of your funeral and the service ahead of time

Does your next-of-kin know whether you’d prefer to be buried or cremated? Whether you would like a church or non-religious funeral? And what music would you have chosen? Should the occasion be formal and traditional, an upbeat celebration of life or something quirky which reflects your personality and interests? You may wish to nominate a representative, who would be informed of your plan.

The good news for anyone considering buying a funeral plan is that, in 2022, the Government started regulating the pre-paid funeral plan industry, which makes your money safer than ever and sets out clear rules about what information you must be given – so you know exactly what you are paying for.

With a Choice pre-paid funeral plan, you can prepay for certain elements of your funeral in advance and fix the cost of the Funeral Directors Services, protecting you from the risk of these rising. Voluntary contributions can be made towards third party fees, such as the crematorium fee, or additional products and services, such as floral tributes or even the wake.

Funeral Partners’ pre-paid funeral plan called is Choice, provided by Alternative Planning Company Ltd. More than 520 team members across our network of over 230 funeral homes in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, have been trained to offer the plan, ensuring you understand exactly what is and isn’t included.

Why buy a Choice funeral plan?

All Choice pre-paid funeral plans include:

· Funeral Director services including assistance with legal and administrative arrangements

· Collecting the deceased from a location within 25 miles of the nominated funeral home

· Care and preparation of the deceased in professional facilities

· Use of the Funeral Director’s Chapel of Rest, or private Rest Room, to spend time with the deceased during opening hours

· An oak-effect foil veneered coffin

· A hearse to take the deceased to the service, crematorium or cemetery (within 25 miles)

· Funeral Director and up to four pall bearers to accompany and attend service

· Online memorial tribute web page, including option of charitable donations

You can pay for additional services, such as embalming and use of a limousine for family members, to be detailed as inclusions to the plan.

What a funeral plan doesn’t include is costs beyond the Funeral Director’s control such as doctors, ministers, cremation or burial fees, flowers or venues for a wake. You can make additional voluntary contributions to help your family towards these costs.

Depending on the amount of voluntary contributions you make, this amount may or may not be sufficient to pay for Third Party Fees and Additional Products and Services.*

* Additional costs may need to be paid for when the Funeral Plan is Redeemed. Prices will be charged at the prevailing rate at the time of redemption. Terms & conditions apply, these can be found on-line at www.choiceplan.co.uk/terms, alternatively you can request a copy by calling 01803 298 243.

Choice Funeral Plans are provided by Alternative Planning Company Limited (APCL), which is registered in England and Wales with company number 08635411 and has its registered office at Cumberland Court, 80 Mount Street, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG1 6HH, and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority as a Funeral Plan provider with firm reference number 965282. Choice Funeral Plans are distributed by Funeral Partners Limited (Funeral Partners), which is registered in England and Wales with company number 06276941 and has its registered office at Cumberland Court, 80 Mount Street, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG1 6HH. Funeral Partners is an appointed representative of APCL. These details can be found on the Financial Services Register at https://register.fca.org.uk/s/ Both APCL and Funeral Partners are part of the Funeral Partners Group.