Pre paid funerals

davidbaa68

firesidemaid wrote: »

this is a subject i have been considering recently re. my parents.

they are keen to get a policy each, but this would take approx. 1/3rd of their remaining savings. i would rather they just spend the money on themselves whilst they are still younger as i will always pay the bill at time it is required.

something else i have learnt from this site is that even these plans may be seen as 'savings' by DWP, again making my parents worse off.

i have also had a look at the DWP funeral grant entitlement and i think they would probably be entitled to this in the first instance.

does anybody have any thoughts, comments, pros or cons about any of this?

Firesidemaid - The funeral grant from the social fund is available to the next of kin of the deceased if they are receiving a qualifying benefit. i.e. Income Support, Pension Credit, Disability Living Allowance, Housing Benefit, or Council Tax Benefit etc.

However if there are funds available from the estate of the person who has died that has to be used first to pay for the funeral. Also it is the surviving relative who is the claimant not the person who has died.

The grant consists of £700 towards the costs of the funeral director, plus the cremation fee and the doctors fees. Or for burial the cost to buy and open the grave.

Where I am that comes to about £1300 for cremation or £1800 for burial with a new grave.

This leaves a difference which is normally asked for in advance of the funeral taking place.

I hope this makes things clearer.

Take care,

David.

oap

Thank you very much indeed, that is very good advice, we have actually taken up the Age Concern at a cost of £2565, this is the Ruby Plan and if it is helpful this is what it contains:
Advice and guidance on all aspects of the funeral
Guidance on Registration of death , and collection of all necessary paper work for the funeral to proceed.
Transport of the deceased to the nominated funeral director's premises within a forty mile radius
Doctor's medical cremation certificates
Preparation and care of the body (embalming not included)
Family viewing,during weekdays by agreed appointment
Quality wood effect coffin with high quality finish, fully lined and fitted, gown not included
Funeral director and staff to attend the service
Provision of hearse and one limousine
Funeral procession from home to place of worship, and crematorium or burial site
(service at a separate location before cremation or burial not included)
Minister's or officiant's fee
Cremation fee
Listing of floral tributes
Collection of charitable donations
Fifty standard thank you cards
24 hour telephone bereavement counselling

That is the Ruby. There is one above it and one below it.

The only thing that concerns us is no gown, what does that mean?
Maybe we provide clothes, our friend did that.

We are also prepared and know that we have to pay for a couple of hymns.

Let's hope we do not need it for a long time!! Wish we had done it earlier.

We are battling to choose our own local funeral director, not Age Concerns,which is quite a long way from where we live, our local director is willing, but it has to be agreed with Age Concern who have promised to contact him, but they have not done so yet.

On this happy note, we wish you all a very Merry Christmas!!and a healthy new year!!!
Best wishes oap.

HellsGranny

My father had a prepaid, pre-planned funeral, and for me and my children it was a godsend, as we live in a different part of the country, which would have made it difficult to arrange it ourselves. Dad did t specifically knowing that as a widow, I would find it difficult, with taking the kids out of school etc., whilst making arrangements, clearing the house, etc.

The only thing not covered was the notice in the local paper, and the Wake, naturally.

Cheers, HG

davidbaa68

oap wrote: »

Thank you very much indeed, that is very good advice, we have actually taken up the Age Concern at a cost of £2565, this is the Ruby Plan and if it is helpful this is what it contains:
Advice and guidance on all aspects of the funeral
Guidance on Registration of death , and collection of all necessary paper work for the funeral to proceed.
Transport of the deceased to the nominated funeral director's premises within a forty mile radius
Doctor's medical cremation certificates
Preparation and care of the body (embalming not included)
Family viewing,during weekdays by agreed appointment
Quality wood effect coffin with high quality finish, fully lined and fitted, gown not included
Funeral director and staff to attend the service
Provision of hearse and one limousine
Funeral procession from home to place of worship, and crematorium or burial site
(service at a separate location before cremation or burial not included)
Minister's or officiant's fee
Cremation fee
Listing of floral tributes
Collection of charitable donations
Fifty standard thank you cards
24 hour telephone bereavement counselling

That is the Ruby. There is one above it and one below it.

The only thing that concerns us is no gown, what does that mean?
Maybe we provide clothes, our friend did that.

We are also prepared and know that we have to pay for a couple of hymns.

Let's hope we do not need it for a long time!! Wish we had done it earlier.

We are battling to choose our own local funeral director, not Age Concerns,which is quite a long way from where we live, our local director is willing, but it has to be agreed with Age Concern who have promised to contact him, but they have not done so yet.

On this happy note, we wish you all a very Merry Christmas!!and a healthy new year!!!
Best wishes oap.

Hi oap,

It is puzzling that they don't include a gown, although I imagine if you wanted one they would provide it. Although most people choose to wear their own clothes.

The reason they don't want you to choose your local funeral director is because the Age Concern Funeral Plan is owned and run by Dignity, which is one of the two largest funeral providers in the UK. They want you to use one of their own funeral offices. They manage the plans and give a donation to Age Concern for every plan that they sell.

Happy Christmas to you too, let's hope it's a long time before you use it.

Take care,

David.

margaretclare

Does the Ruby plan as described by oap provide only for cremation?

What happens if you want to be buried?

oap

You can be buried but it costs more and you have tos ee what they can offer. regards oap

oap

HellsGranny wrote: »

My father had a prepaid, pre-planned funeral, and for me and my children it was a godsend, as we live in a different part of the country, which would have made it difficult to arrange it ourselves. Dad did t specifically knowing that as a widow, I would find it difficult, with taking the kids out of school etc., whilst making arrangements, clearing the house, etc.

The only thing not covered was the notice in the local paper, and the Wake, naturally.

Cheers, HG

Yes our only son lives two hundred miles away, oap

margaretclare

oap wrote: »

You can be buried but it costs more and you have to see what they can offer. regards oap

I went to a funeral recently of a woman with whom I used to be very good friends. We lost touch because she disapproved of me getting together with DH 12 years ago, but for the last 4 or 5 years she'd lived in a care home, died aged 96. Anyway, this woman was a very committed Catholic and we went to her Requiem Mass. Her husband had died some years before I ever knew her but I do remember her saying she wished to be buried alongside him in the local cemetery. And she was cremated....also, as a Catholic she should have been received into church the evening before, but this didn't happen.

I do firmly believe that your wishes should be written down and left in a place where they can be easily-found. Twice now, I've known of people getting cremated when it was not what they wanted, but unless you write it all down and make sure someone knows, people will do their own thing when it comes to your funeral.

Last year when DH was so ill I got a quote for £2,500 from a local funeral director for a 'green burial'. I don't intend to pay up-front though, and I don't like the idea of 'ticking boxes' as in the Age Concern plan. Some of the things they provide for we wouldn't want - e.g limousines, we don't want them: people can use their own cars!

Errata

I do firmly believe that your wishes should be written down and left in a place where they can be easily-found. Twice now, I've known of people getting cremated when it was not what they wanted, but unless you write it all down and make sure someone knows, people will do their own thing when it comes to your funeral.

Those responsible for arranging a funeral are not required to follow the instructions in a deceased's will. Probably many do, but they can themselves decide to do what they believe is most appropriate.

lab-lover

My FIL has paid for his funeral. £2,000 I think but we had to laugh as he had some disagreement with the funeral director and we are all under instructions to examine the coffin when he goes to make sure he hasn't been ripped off and given a 'paupers' coffin!!