I really didn’t want to pass on the worry of all this to my family – I’m so glad I’ve settled it all in advance

FAQs

Funeral Plans FAQs

We’ve answered the most frequently asked questions about our funeral plans below.

If you have any questions about our funeral plans that aren’t answered below, please contact us and we’ll be happy to help.

How do funeral plans work?

Funeral plans are designed to allow individuals to prearrange and prepay for their funeral expenses, ensuring that their end-of-life wishes are carried out while alleviating the financial and logistical burdens on their loved ones.
Our funeral plans give you the option to pay in one lump sum or simple monthly instalments (subject to age and health status), allowing you to choose the type of funeral you want at a cost that is easy to manage. This means everything will be arranged in time for when you need it.

If I decide to purchase my plan over 12 monthly instalments, what happens if I die before I have paid them all?

If death occurs within the repayment period from natural causes, the plan will be cancelled, and the monthly premiums will be refunded back to the estate or to the individual who purchased the funeral plan on the deceased’s behalf. If the death was accidental, then the funeral plan will still provide the funeral benefits with no further balance to pay.

Can I buy a funeral plan for my spouse?

Yes, you can take out a funeral plan for anyone else. All correspondence will be sent directly to the person arranging the funeral plan and confidentiality is assured, unless you request otherwise.

Am I guaranteed to be accepted for a funeral plan?

So long as you are 18 or over, there are no age limits to your funeral plan’s acceptance. If you pay for your plan with a finance agreement with Funeral Safe Limited, this is subject to status and affordability checks, so it is not guaranteed that they will accept your finance application.

You must repay your finance before your 85th birthday, so this may limit the term over which Funeral Safe Limited will allow you to make repayments. Also, if you have been told by a doctor of a condition or illness that will cause death within 12 months, this payment option will not be available to you.

 

If you have been told by a doctor of a condition or illness that will cause death within 12 months of applying for a plan, then you can still take out a funeral plan but you will only be able to pay with a single, lump-sum payment; other payment options will not be available to you.

You can also pay in 12 interest-free instalments but again, if you have been told by a doctor of a condition or illness that will cause death within 12 months, this payment option will not be available to you. You will only be able to pay for your plan in one lump sum amount.

Are funeral plans worth it?

Funeral plans can provide peace of mind for both you and your loved ones, as they ensure that your funeral expenses and arrangements are pre-organised according to your wishes.

Additionally, having a funeral plan in place can alleviate the emotional and financial burden on your family during a difficult time, allowing them to focus on grieving and honouring your memory instead of dealing with immediate financial decisions.

Who delivers my Golden Leaves funeral service?

Golden Leaves will deliver your funeral services via our network of approved funeral directors. If the service is delivered by one of our networks, we will pay them a contractually agreed fee to deliver the funeral to you, our client.

Can I request a local funeral director to deliver my Golden Leaves funeral service?

Golden Leaves endeavours to allocate the delivery of your funeral service to a local funeral director of your choice (if required) providing they agree to provide the funeral service to our client on our behalf and meet our stringent service standards. However, with the Copper plan, Golden Leaves will select the funeral provider without exception.

Once I have fully purchased my funeral plan, are there extra costs?

The services of the funeral director are guaranteed to be covered. Outside of the guaranteed cremation options, certain third-party costs may require further payment at the time of the funeral.

However, for those funeral plans where an allowance towards third-party costs has been included, we will guarantee any increase to these costs in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI). If those costs increase faster than the uplift linked to the CPI, this may mean that there are still costs to pay which will have to be met by your estate or next of kin at the time of need.

If you have opted to purchase your plan through fixed monthly payments, this allowance towards disbursements will increase by 2% per annum. Again, if these costs are higher than your allowance at the time of need, the difference will need to be met by your estate or next of kin at the appropriate time.

How do I know the money will be there when it is needed?

If paying by lump sum or 12 monthly instalments, the money you have paid for your funeral (less Golden Leaves’ £249 fee for plan administration) is held in an independently managed Golden Leaves Trust. Independent fund managers are tasked to manage the long-term growth of the fund, specifically to meet the increasing funeral costs. If you have opted to pay by fixed monthly payments, a whole life insurance policy has been taken out with Phoenix Life Ltd, and the payout from the insurance policy will cover the cost of the funeral plan.

What happens to the money I pay for my funeral plan?

The company retains an amount from the price paid by you for your plan, to cover our marketing and sales expenses for the administrative costs of running the business for the life of each plan and to provide an element of profit. If you pay in a lump sum or in 12-month instalments, the balance is placed in the Trust to pay our trade funeral suppliers (for further information, if required, please refer to our price breakdown summary table, contained in our Commission and Payment Disclosure.

If I take out the finance arrangement over 24–96 months, what happens if I die before payments are completed?

Should you, or the person who purchased the plan on your behalf, die during the regulated credit agreement, your lender will not pursue the outstanding balance.

Am I guaranteed to be accepted for the finance arrangement?

Acceptance is not guaranteed. Regulated and responsible lenders must ensure that any finance provided is affordable to a customer and is in the best interests of the customer. This is not always possible. To assist the lender with ensuring the above, customers will be required to carry out a credit check and possibly provide additional information.

If the lender can ensure the finance purchase is in the best interest of the customer and affordable, the application will be accepted. You must repay the finance by your 85th birthday, so this may limit the term over which Funeral Safe Limited will allow you to make repayments. This option is also not available if you have been told by a doctor of an illness or condition that will cause death within 12 months.

Can I cancel a prepaid funeral plan?

Yes, of course. But your rights depend on how you pay for your plan. You have a right to cancel any plan (however you pay for it) within 30 days, or within seven days of being told who your allocated funeral director is if this is later than 30 days. If you do this, you will get all your money back.

If you pay for your plan in a single lump sum or you finance this via Funeral Safe, you can still cancel after this time and get your money back, but we will keep a £249 charge for administration.

If you pay for your plan in instalments over 12 months or by taking out an insurance policy and making fixed monthly payments, you can cancel any time within 12 months of taking out your plan and get all your money back. If you cancel after the first 12 months, you can still cancel.

If you paid in 12 instalments, we will pay these back, but we will keep a £249 charge for administration.

If I purchase a Copper plan, can I have a service for my family to attend?

The Copper plan is a direct cremation service and does not include a service for mourners. Many people do hold a separate memorial service at a later date, once they have collected the cremated remains of their loved one.

Can I upgrade/downgrade my plan to another if I change my mind?

Yes, your current plan will be subject to the cancellation terms of your existing plan. You can then take out a new plan from the currently available plans.

Are doctors’ fees included in your third-party fee contribution?

Approximately 50% of funerals in the UK do not require doctors to be involved, so we believe it is best to not charge these fees unnecessarily. Should fees become due, these will be required from your executor or next of kin.

What if I die at home and have a direct cremation plan?

The Copper plan will still be activated, and collection is now included in the plan 24 hours a day from mainland UK.


How to take out Golden Leaves Funeral Plan

How to apply – just a few easy steps:

Step One:

Go to goldenleaves.com/funeral-plans/ or call us on 0800 85 44 48. 

One of our friendly consultants will assist you or book you a home visit should you prefer. 

Step Two:

You will complete a demands and needs assessment and discuss your requirements with your consultant. At this point, you will select a funeral plan and payment type. Please be aware that we cannot provide advice on what you should choose, we can only provide you with the available options.

Step Three:

You will be provided with a demands and needs statement, a terms and conditions document, and a funeral plan summary document which will include an outline of the cost of the plan you have selected. These documents will all be emailed to you.

Step Four:

When the application has been received, Golden Leaves will: 

  • Check all the details of your application to ensure that it is complete.
  • Contact you if further information is required.
  • Conduct your welcome call.
  • Issue your plan documentation.

Choose how you’d like to pay for your funeral plans

Ways to pay that meet your budget

Whatever your financial circumstances, Golden Leaves offer affordable funeral plans and flexible payment options to suit you.

Lump Sum Payment:

  • The whole sum is paid immediately, and full cover commences immediately after the welcome call.
  • No health checks.
  • No age restrictions.

12 months instalments:

  • A deposit is paid and the remaining balance is spread over 12 months instalment.
  • Accidental death cover commences immediately after the welcome call.
  • Full cover commences after 12 months.
  • No age restrictions.

Credit Finance Option*:

  • A credit finance plan is arranged with Funeral Safe Limited (subject to status and affordability). 
  • Payment duration is between 2-8 years. 
  • Full cover commences immediately after the welcome call. 
  • Should you die during your regulated credit agreement your lender will not pursue your estate or whoever took out your finance arrangement for you, for the outstanding balance.

*Golden Leaves Limited is a credit broker and not a lender. We are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Our Firm Reference Number is 960923. You can check this on the FCA Register. We introduce you to and promote credit available only from Funeral Safe Limited for the purpose of financing a funeral plan. You do not have to pay us for this introduction, and we do not receive any commission, incentive, or other form of payment if you choose to apply for credit with Funeral Safe to finance your Golden Leaves funeral plan.

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