Keeping things simple with a cremation and no service means my family can celebrate my life however they'd like, without an expensive funeral service.
The Copper Plan – Direct Cremation from £1,700
Our most affordable option, the Copper Plan provides a simple and dignified direct cremation from just £1,700.
This unattended service is a low-cost alternative to a traditional funeral, ensuring you are cared for with respect while keeping things straightforward for your family.
Unlike a full funeral service, a direct cremation takes place without mourners present. After the cremation, the ashes can either be returned to the family or respectfully scattered in the crematorium’s garden of remembrance.
Golden Leaves is rated Excellent on Trustpilot, giving you peace of mind that thousands of families already trust us with their future arrangements. Our plans are available to purchase in England, Scotland and Wales.
If you’re looking for a dignified, simple funeral plan, contact us today to arrange a consultation by calling us on 0800 85 44 48 or requesting a callback.
Explore This Plan
- What’s Included?
- What’s Not Included?
- How to Pay for a Copper Plan
- How the Copper Plan Works
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Why Choose Golden Leaves?
What’s Included?
The Copper Plan covers all essential elements of a dignified direct cremation:
- Service of a Golden Leaves-approved Funeral Director
- Advice on registration, documentation and certification
- Collection of the deceased in mainland UK (24 hrs)
- Care and preparation of the deceased
- Removal of medical implants (if required)
- Cremation coffin
- Private ambulance to the crematorium
- Guaranteed cremation fees for an unattended cremation
- Return of ashes (Monday to Friday, excluding Bank Holidays) or scattering at crematorium
What’s Not Included?
This simple option does not cover option additional services such as:
- Choice over the date and time of the funeral
- Pallbearers
- Embalming
- Viewing of the deceased
- Burial
- Funeral or memorial service
- Ministers’ or celebrants’ fees
- Doctors/Medical Examiners fees
How To Pay for a Copper Plan
Golden Leaves offers flexible payment options to suit your budget. You can choose to pay for your funeral upfront or spread the cost by paying monthly over a fixed term.
Monthly payments typically span 1 to 5 years. The option to pay by Direct Debit makes it easier to manage the financial commitment.
1. Single payment
- The whole sum is paid immediately, and full cover starts once the welcome call is completed
- No health checks
- No age restrictions
- You can cancel your funeral plan within 30 days or within 7 days of us telling you who your funeral director is (if this is later). You’ll get all your money back
- If you cancel after this, you’ll get your money back, but we’ll deduct a £325 charge for administration
2. 12 month instalments
- A deposit is paid, and the remaining balance is spread over 12 months
- Accidental death cover commences immediately after the welcome call
- Full cover commences after 12 months
- No age restrictions
- You can cancel your funeral plan at any time in the 12 months and get back everything you’ve paid.
- If you cancel after this, you’ll get your money back, but we’ll deduct a £325 charge for administration.
- This payment option is not available if you have been advised by a doctor of a condition or illness that will cause death within 12 months of applying for a plan.
3. Credit-financed*
- Credit agreement arranged with Funeral Safe Limited (subject to status and affordability)
- Payment duration is between 2 to 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 financial arrangement for you for the outstanding balance
- This payment option is not available if you have been advised by a doctor of a condition or illness that will cause death within 12 months of applying for a plan.
How the Copper Plan Works
1. Choose your plan
Decide if a direct cremation feels right for you. Our team is here to explain your options and help you make an informed choice with complete peace of mind.
2. Secure today’s prices
Fix the cost now and protect your loved ones from the burden of rising funeral expenses in the future.
3. Receive your documents
Once arrange, you’ll receive a full pack of document outlining your plan clearly, so you and your family know exactly what’s included.
4. When the time comes
Golden Leaves will take care of everything. We organise collection of the deceased, ensuring they are treated with dignity and respect, and arrange a simple unattended cremation.
5. Ashes returned or scattered
After the cremation, the ashes are either returned to the family or scattered in the crematorium’s garden of remembrance, according to your wishes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens to money I paid for my plan?
We help many thousands of customers to plan and fund their funerals. Because of economies of scale, we can sell our plans to our customers at a rate that is usually far more cost effective than it would be for them buying from a funeral director at the time of the funeral itself. As a commercial enterprise, we have costs of doing business and promotional marketing. These costs are met by supply side economies of scale delivered by our ability to purchase funerals in bulk and are consequently absorbed into the price of our plans.
We retain an amount from the price paid by you for your plan (which is currently £325) to cover our administrative costs of running the business. We also retain an amount (which currently ranges between £455 and £680 dependent on which plan you purchase) to cover marketing, sales fulfilment expenses and to provide the business with an element of profit. The balance is placed in the Trust to pay the Appointed Funeral Director and other costs of the agreed funeral (for further information, please see our Commission and Payment Disclosure page and refer to our fees and payments breakdown summary table for further details.
How long does the direct cremation process take?
With a direct cremation, the cremation itself usually takes place within a few days after death, once the necessary paperwork and permissions are in place. Because there’s no service for mourners, arrangements are typically quicker and more straightforward than a traditional funeral. If you’ve chosen to have the ashes returned, they are normally delivered to the family within a couple of weeks.
What happens to the ashes?
After the cremation has taken place, you can choose what happens to the ashes. They can be respectfully returned to your family in a simple container, so they have the option to keep them, scatter them in a meaningful place, or hold a private memorial later. Alternatively, if you prefer, the ashes can be scattered in the crematorium’s garden of remembrance with care and dignity.
Can I cancel the Copper Plan?
When you take out a Copper Plan, you have a statutory cooling-off period during which you can cancel and receive a full refund. After this time, you may still be able to cancel, though some deductions may apply depending on how long the plan has been in place. If you ever change your mind, simply contact us and we’ll explain your options clearly, so you can feel confident that your money and wishes are protected.
Why choose a direct cremation?
A direct cremation is the simplest and most affordable type of funeral. Many people choose it because it provides a dignified farewell without the costs or formality of a full service. It also gives families more flexibility – the ashes can be returned, allowing loved ones to hold a personal memorial in their own way, at a time and place that feels right. By choosing a direct cremation, you can secure peace of mind knowing your wishes are clear and your family is spared both financial and emotional stress in the future.
If you require any further information, you may find the information you require in our FAQs.
Why Choose Golden Leaves?
Choosing a funeral plan is an important decision, and with Golden Leaves you can be confident you’re in safe hands. For over 35 years, we’ve helped thousands of families across the UK and beyond to plan ahead, easing both financial and emotional burdens when the time comes.
- Trusted and highly rates: Golden Leaves is rated Excellent on Trustpilot, with thousands of reviews from families who have placed their trust in us.
- Fixed prices guaranteed: secure today’s price and protect your loved ones from rising funeral costs in the future.
- Experience you can rely on: our funeral directors are fully approved and uphold the highest standards of dignity and respect.
- Peace of mind for your family: by arranging everything in advance, you ensure your loved ones won’t have difficult decisions or unexpected costs at a stressful time.
- BSI accredited: Golden Leaves is one of the UK’s leading independent funeral planning companies to hold a BSI ISO: 9001 Business Excellence Standard.
With Golden Leaves it’s about affordability, reassurance, dignity and knowing your wishes will be honoured exactly as you intended.
Take the Next Step Today
Planning now means peace of mind for tomorrow. By choosing the Copper Plan, you’ll secure a dignified and affordable direct cremation at today’s price, protecting your loved ones from rising costs and difficult decisions in the future.
Our friendly team is here to guid you every step of the way. Call us on 0800 85 44 48 or request a callback.
Copper Plan Costs
The deposit amount assumed in the illustrative calculations for 12-96 months shown above has been set at £49. Although a higher deposit will be accepted. A higher deposit will lower your monthly payment.
Finance arrangements of 24 – 96 months are provided by Funeral Safe who are the lender.
Funeral Safe Representative example
Credit amount of £1,700.00 with an upfront arrangement fee payment of £49.00 and monthly repayments of £32.46 over a term of 96 months at a rate of interest per annum (fixed) of 16.90%. This is the equivalent to 16.99% APR representative. Total amount repayable is £3165.16. We will do a credit assessment of your circumstances when you apply. Credit available subject to status and personal circumstance to UK residents aged 18 years and over. Funeral Safe finance is available over terms of 2 – 8 years with (fixed) APR rates from 14.99% based on your personal circumstances. We reserve the right to refuse any application. Information correct as of 06/02/2025. Funeral Safe limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and is the Lender (FRN:765110)
*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 Financial Services Register at www.fca.org.uk/firms/financial-services-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.
