Paying up front for your funeral

[droopdrawers]

My Mother in Law died in the late 80's...funeral cost £470.
Mother died 2007 cost £ 1996
Step Dad died 2009 cost £2019

Clearly costs are rising so fast it has to be sensible to make provisions now if at all possible. I am 74 other half almost 80. Both in reasonable health bar arthritic problems.

On more than one occasion I have sent for details to pay up front but balk at the thought of giving over the money.

It grieves me that Undertakers know people are at their most vulnerable when organizing a funeral and offer all sorts of extras. Expensive newspaper announcements and floral tributes. Nothing will bring the deceased back nor can they see the expense you might have gone too!

Has anyone here done this? Do the undertakers still prey on the family for these extras if the person has specifically asked then not to.

Funny old subject isn't it.

[factor-fiction]

My grandparents had prepaid plans and everything went smoothly with no extra costs to pay

[ummmm]

My Dads funeral cost over 6k

[woofgang]

Please don't tar all Funeral Directors with the same brush. 3 different ones dealt with my mother, my mother in law and my husband. All of them were professional, gentle and helpful and not at all predatory.

[Barmaid]

It's a great idea - that way you get to choose exactly what you want and the family don't have to make the decision. Furthermore, it reduces your capital so would help to keep your capital low for care home fees.

[dotty.]

as it happens I have just started a funeral plan with santender, it's £10 a month and will pay out £2756.00 if I die, there's several time scales, not read it much yet. As I mentioned in my post of yesterday, they say they only pay out the once ,
As long as my kids manage to get the right Garth songs sorted out that's all I'm fussed about , but no doubt they'll want a drink afterwards.

[missprim]

I paid for my funeral plan with the Co-op and they were really nice and helpful.
It is satisfying to know that my loved ones won't have to do this after I'm gone as I feel the ones we leave behind have enough to do with sorting out all our stuff.

[boxtops]

Seems like an extremely good idea to me.

[dzug2]

My recent experience is that they don't try to sell you extras you don't want and that are not included in the plan

I suspect problems might arise if you don't know what you want

[maggiebee]

My friend has arranged and paid for her funeral, though I expect her to live a good 20 years or more. Funeral to be private with invited "mourners" only.
Me? I'm leaving my body to the local University - they will use me as a "Silent Teacher" for up to 3 years. After that, my family can cremate me, or, if they don't want to, the University will cremate me and scatter my ashes in their Garden of Remembrance.

[rsvp]

I've left my body to medical science - it's virtually free and saves my children making a very expensive journey to UK. They are both fine with it - in fact we've had quite a laugh about leaving my bits to strangers1

[JonnyBoy12]

You have taken the words right out of my mouth, rsvp. Would you be so kind as to furnish us with the details of body donation?

6 grand for a funeral! They must have seen you coming, ummmm. Did you not think to shop around?

[mazie]

My Dad told me a couple of months ago he's left his body to medical research so we don't need to worry. I'm not sure how I feel about it though..It's like not saying goodbye somehow

[rsvp]

Further to your email please find attached a copy of our documentation as requested. If you do not live within our catchment area as detailed on page 2 please send me your post code and I will put you in touch with your nearest medical school.

Kind regards.

Louise Evans

London Anatomy Office
Room 5.8
5th Floor Hodgkin Building
King's College London
Guy's Campus
London
SE1 1UL

Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
__________________ this is for my area but I'm sure you can get details for where you are from them.

[rsvp]

Maize - check it out - google in' leaving your body to medical science' - nothing to stop you having a memorial service - your father will be mentioned at a service in London which you can attend and he will be doing a huge amount of good after his death. Having said that, I appreciate it is a personal decision - talk to him about it.x

[droopdrawers]

Thankyou so much for your replies. Its good to get others experiences. I have already written instructions what I would like to happen. I have told them [so far] I want the simplest cheapest method possible to dispose of my body. I am not religious since having 2 bad experiences via a local Priest and Canon. I don't want costly newspaper announcements as those people who matter can be informed by word of mouth. Nor do I want costly floral tributes...my family already keep me with a supply of beautiful flowers that I appreciate now. I won't be able to see them from a coffin.
I am interested to know more about your type of funeral plan Dotty. I'll look into that as an option.
Its a comfort they don't try to sell you extras you don't want or need.
I admire you who are donating your body to science. I do wonder for myself if that might be a trauma for my little family to come to terms with.
Katiekonker I have been reading an article online from the Telegraph today and apparently there are so many people applying for funerals payments like many things the government are cutting back http://dailynewspaper.co.uk/ I wasn't expecting to make a claim it just happened to catch my eye.

Thankyou all for your input. Its good to get ideas and opinions of others. My husband won't talk about it. He is of a mind to let someone else think about it when he's gone. I am trying to save anyone the worry and distress at an emotional time.

DD

[hc4361]

'Direct to Crem' funerals are becoming ever more popular. Very cheap, basic, no service. This is an example:
http://simplicitycrem...o.uk/our_charges.html

[hc4361]

Donating a body to medical science isn't straightforward. If there has to be a post mortem the body will be rejected and a funeral will still have to be arranged, so bear that in mind.

[allen]

Just to echo missprim's comments about the Co-op.

I've no experience of their funeral plans, but when it came to my mum's funeral, and a next door-neighbour's years later, the local Co-op was brilliant. Not pushy, no tut-tutting at having the cheapest coffin, did precisely what was asked. Probably the cheapest 'conventional' funeral service around.

Forget all that scare-mongering stuff from Panorama (or whoever it was). Use the Co-op.

A.