funeral plan TYPE

Green funeral plan   

Attended   |  With ceremony   |  up to 2 family cars

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What is a Green funeral plan?

A prepaid funeral plan from the Green range is the easy way to arrange and pay for your funeral in advance at today's prices.  

Not only does it protect your loved ones from the unexpected cost,  beat rising funeral prices and from having to make difficult decisions about the detail for your funeral when the time comes, a Green funeral plan also takes steps to consciously protect the planet beyond an eco-coffin. 

Each Green funeral plan has the following green credentials in common:

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  • A sustainably sourced, 100% biodegradable eco-coffin
  • Your choice carbon emissions offset generated by your funeral:
    Plant a tree for life, contribute to woodland conservation or support the rainforest
  • The financial equivalent of a typical carbon footprint is converted into a community legacy
  • Funds are invested ethically
 
 
 
 
 
 

Pros and Cons of a Green Funeral Plan

 

When a Green funeral plan may be right for you 

  

  • You want a funeral with a ceremony.
  • There’s no restriction on the number of family and friends who can attend.
  • It includes ceremonial extras, such as a traditional motor hearse and up to 2 family cars.
  • You want to offset the carbon footprint of your funeral to protect future generations.
 

When a Green funeral plan may not be right for you 

  

  • You don't want the possible added expense of carbon offsetting your funeral.  
  • Compare your options.  You may find a Greener plan ticks  all your boxes and is the most affordable too!
Compare prices of prepaid funeral plans with national coverage from the UK's leading authorised providers registered with the
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 Your funeral your way, with this free Funeral Wishes Planner

You can support your loved ones financially with a prepaid funeral plan to protect them from continuing funeral price rises.  

You can also provide emotional support by documenting your funeral wishes (right down to the choice of music in the hearse as it takes you on your final journey!) Or give loved ones permission to arrange your funeral as they see fit.  Either way, they won't have to worry about whether your send-off is the way you would have wanted it.  Keep a copy with your Will or funeral plan if you have one.

Get your free copy of the ultimate Funeral Wishes Planner and write down what you would like to happen .  
Inside the Funeral Wishes Planner
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How much does a Green funeral plan cost?

Greener  prepaid funeral plans start from   if paying in a single lump sum.  (Price excludes third-party cremation or burial fees).   Other variations of Greener funeral plans and ways to spread the cost are available.

There are three factors that will affect the cost of a funeral plan and that you need to pay close attention to.

3rd party cremation or burial fees

A funeral plan will have one of three levels of cremation or burial fees cover:  ‘Fully guaranteed’ (no more to pay), ‘Contribution’ **(may have more to pay), and ‘No contribution’.  Any shortfall will need to be paid at the time of the funeral by your representative. 

The more third-party fees cover you have, the more you will pay for the  plan.   

Tailoring your funeral plan

Some plan providers allow you to make changes, e.g. upgrade the motor hearse for a horse-drawn hearse.  Tailoring might be a cheaper solution than choosing the next level of funeral plan up, but may not provide the best overall value.  

Get in touch if you would prefer to chat through your options.

Spreading the cost

Your options include paying in a single lump sum, monthly instalments, or lower fixed monthly payments which are payable for life or up to a specified age, e.g. 90.

Lower monthly payments are attractive, but you should be aware  that you could end up paying more into the funeral plan than the funeral is eventually worth.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

What does a Green funeral plan include?

  • KEY
  • Included as standard in this plan type
  • Included in some plans of this type
  • Not included in this plan type
Before the funeral
Before the funeral
  • Funeral arrangements made
  • The funeral provider will liaise with all third-parties (e.g. crematorium and doctors) and handle all paperwork.
  • Bringing you into care
  • You will be collected and cared for at the funeral home or some other suitable resting place until the funeral. 
  • Embalming (optional)
  • Embalming restores a life-like appearance.  This can be helpful if loved ones plan to visit before the funeral. Embalming isn't always necessary. The funeral director will advise.  If required, this treatment can be purchased by your representative at the time of the funeral.  Bear in mind, most natural burial grounds do not allow embalmed bodies.
  • Chapel of Rest visit (optional)
  • Loved ones have the option to visit the Chapel of Rest or some other service room in private, before the funeral.
  • Personalisation
  • Personalise your funeral plan with requests that don't incur an additional fee, e.g. choice of music. The funeral director will do their best to accommodate your requests when the funeral is needed.
  • Option to pay for special requests
  • Pay a contribution towards services  that aren't included in your plan, e.g.  a different coffin, an additional family car, upgrade to a horse-drawn hearse, or third-party cremation or burial fees top-up.
on the day of the funeral
On the day
  • Choice of date and time
  • Your personal representative  will be able to choose the day and time of the funeral.
  • Funeral ceremony for family and friends to attend
  • There will be no restriction on the number of people that can attend the funeral ceremony.
  • Coffin:   Basic  |  Standard  |  High Quality
  • Basic design:
    Simple. Typically with plain sides and flat lid.
    Basic material:
    Basic eco-material, e.g. bamboo.
  • Standard design:
    May have panelled sides and / or a raised coffin lid.
    Standard material:
    Wood veneer; or higher quality natural material, e.g. seagrass
  • High quality design:
    May have panelled sides and / or a raised coffin lid.
    High quality material:
    Solid eco-pine, eco-picture coffin, wool or superior natural material, e.g. willow
  • Hearse:  Traditional  |  Suitable vehicle
  • You'll be taken to the crematorium or place of burial in a motor hearse.
  • Choice of procession route
  • You can choose which route the funeral cars take on the way to the place of service.  The only limitation is the mileage allowance included in the Plan.
  • All funeral staff needed on the day
  • Up to two family cars 
  • Family car typically seats six passengers.
  • Mileage allowance
  • 50 miles
  • Listing of floral tributes 
  • The list provides a handy reference should the person responsible for overseeing your funeral arrangements want to send a 'thank you' note.
After the funeral
After the funeral
  • Administering charitable donations
  • The funeral provider will collect and distribute donations on your behalf.
  • Supply of 'Thank you' cards
  • Bereavement support for your family
  • Support will be provided either by the funeral staff, through a bereavement support group, or grief counselling specialist.
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What funeral plans don't include

It’s important to be aware of the things that aren’t commonly included in a funeral plan so that you can make financial provision for them if you want to, either as a contribution* amount in your funeral plan (if allowed) or by some other means, such as a savings account.

  •  
     
     
     Conducting the funeral outside normal workday and working hours
  •  
     
     
    Service at a separate location, e.g. church before the crematorium
  • Flowers
  • Funeral notices
  • Order of service stationery
  • Venue for the funeral reception and catering
  • The burial plot 
  •  
    Headstone or memorial
  •  
     
    Repatriation from outside mainland Great Britain, ferry or air fares
  •  
    Costs for removing artificial limbs and mechanisms, e.g.  pacemakers

* Other exclusions may apply.  Read your plan provider's terms and conditions.

Are the cremation or burial fees included in a funeral plan?

All set funeral plans guarantee to cover the funeral director's professional fees for arranging the funeral, caring for the deceased, supplying the coffin and providing a chauffeur-driven motor hearse.  But not all funeral plans cover the necessary third-party cremation or burial fees.  

Your options include a guaranteed funeral plan which ensures these third-party fees are included and there is nothing more for loved ones to pay, or a contribution funeral plan or no contribution funeral plan.   Any shortfall would be paid at the time of the funeral by your next of kin, for example. To learn more, watch the video below.

Which type of prepaid funeral plan is right for me?

There are five types of funeral plan, catering for all preferences and budgets.  

The types range from the lowest-cost, no frills direct cremation service with no funeral ceremony and no family and friends present, to the 'bells and whistles' type of funeral that has all the ceremonial extras and no restriction on the number of people who can attend.

Explore your options through these simple guides. 

FUNERAL plan GUIDE

Simple funeral plan

Attended funeral
With ceremony  |  0 family car

FUNERAL plan GUIDE

Traditional funeral plan

Attended funeral
With ceremony  |  1 family car

FUNERAL plan GUIDE

Bells & Whistles funeral plan

Attended funeral
With ceremony  |  2 family cars

FUNERAL plan GUIDE

No Fuss funeral plan

Attended funeral - up to 12 people
No ceremony  |  0 family car

FUNERAL plan GUIDE

No Frills funeral plan

Unattended funeral
No ceremony

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*   Maximum saving and lowest monthly plan price based on the listed funeral plans compared on 07.06.22.

*  Source:  SunLife (2021) Cost Of Dying Report.  The average price of a UK cremation and burial funeral in 2021 is £4,184.  The cost is expected to rise to £5,044 by 2025.

**  A ‘contribution’ is the amount a plan provider sets aside to cover the third-party  cremation or burial fees.  This amount grows in line with the Retail Price Index (RPI) or Consumer Price Index (CPI) until the funeral.  Because third-party fees are outside a plan provider’s control, the contribution amount is not guaranteed to cover the cremation or burial fees when the time comes . If there is a shortfall, this will need to be paid by your representative or from your estate before the funeral can go ahead. 
† Figures ares based on our analysis of the lowest and highest  single payment comparable plans, from prepaid plan providers with national coverage  as at 05.04.23.