How Much Do Prepaid Funerals Cost?

How much do prepaid funerals c ost? It’s a question that isn’t as easy to answer as it might seem. If you are starting to think about the future, and getting a plan together for the day of your own funeral, then the cost of things is likely not far from your first thoughts. In this article, we will answer the question “How much do prepaid funerals cost?”, providing you with some guidance and pointers on how to do some effective research, and to make sure that you are getting the most for your money.

What are prepaid funerals?

A prepaid funeral is essentially an agreement between you and a funeral provider. In exchange for your money, they will guarantee to organise and coordinate the exact funeral that you want for yourself with your family after you’re gone. 

There are a couple of important benefits: 

• The funeral costs are already paid, having been locked in at the level they were when you agreed on the plan.

• You get peace of mind knowing that you’ve tied up all the loose ends ahead of time, whereas your family can also relax knowing that they won’t have to pay for your funeral out of their own pockets, or to make your funeral choices without being able to consult you.

There are various different funeral plans available, generally speaking. Aura’s direct cremation plans focus on the cremation process, forgoing the costly extras associated with traditional ceremonies. But you may find that a traditional burial plan is more in line with your interests, and this will depend upon the beliefs on death and funerals in religion that people tend to have. In any case, weighing up cremation vs burial is certainly likely to be a big part of your decision-making process.

Average cost of prepaid funerals in the UK (2024)

There are a few different industry-trusted reports out there which aim to compile data about funeral costs. These reports aim to give consumers useful information, in order to help them make more informed decisions about their funerals.

The SunLife Cost of Dying report provides lots of different information, from overall averages, to averages for individual extra expenses, such as flowers or wake catering. They also allow you to compare averages for direct cremation prices against burial prices, and they provide some analysis of the rising cost of funerals through the years. According to SunLife, the average cost of a traditional funeral in the UK last was year was £4,141, and they have predicted a 126% funeral price rise over a 20-year period, significantly higher than 72% increase in inflation over the same period, which shows that funeral prices are rising faster than other goods and services.

Another source of information it’s worth looking at is provided by Legal & General, who have also analysed rising funeral costs in the UK. They put the average cremation cost in this report at £4,431, and they predict that the average UK funeral cost by the year 2034 will be £6,733. Legal & General also point to regional disparities in cost, showing that the difference, for example, between the average cost of a burial in the Greater London area is ~£8,800, where the average in Wales is ~£5,000, equating to a difference of almost £4,000. It may be worth noting that Aura’s plans cost the same regardless of where you are in the UK.

Cost breakdown of a prepaid funeral plan

There are different types of burial or cremation costs associated with a prepaid funeral plan. There are basic or ‘mandatory’ costs, optional extras or ‘additional costs’, and then there are third-party costs.

Basic plan costs

Aura’s simplest unattended direct cremation plan (starting at £1,595) includes all the essentials: We will collect your loved one from anywhere in mainland Great Britain, even urgently if needed, and bring them into our care at one of our local care facilities. There they will be cared for until the day of their cremation, at which point they will be transported to the crematorium in a private ambulance.

The cost of the cremation (and the simple coffin in which they are cremated) is included, as is the cost of hand-return of the ashes to the family. Music can even be selected to play as the coffin is placed on the catafalque in the crematorium chapel at no extra cost.

Comprehensive plan costs

Aura has two attended direct cremation plans (starting at £2,195), which cover aspects of an attended ceremony, for those who would like friends and family to be there on the day of their funeral. All of the aspects of the unattended plan are covered in the cost of the attended plans, with the price of the attended service also being added in. The only thing that impacts the price of the unattended plans is the number of guests, and the length of the ceremony.

Third-party costs in prepaid plans

There are certain third-party costs that, whilst they might be covered by certain comprehensive plans, are not typically covered as standard. These can include celebrant or minister fees for attended ceremonies, or the cost of additional extras that would be sourced elsewhere, such as floral tributes, or any theme / design work that is done for the ceremony itself. With burial plans, this might relate to expenses for headstones and burial-plot rental. 

With funeral plans, whilst the cost of what is included is locked in at the point of purchase, these third-party extras will continue to be impacted by potential inflation and price rises in the meantime, which means, when the time comes, if you do want to add in any third-party expenses, then it could significantly increase the price of your funeral. 

You can see what is included with each of Aura’s plans below.

Factors influencing the cost of prepaid funeral plans

There are a number of different things that can influence the cost of prepaid funeral plans. For instance, some providers might charge you interest or payment fees if you’d like to pay in monthly installments. Aura, however, will not penalise you with such fees if you’d like to pay monthly; you can pay over 12-to-24 months and your final price will be the same as it would have been had you paid in one go.

As mentioned, Legal & General have flagged back regional disparities in costing, with the regional difference in cremation costs in the UK reaching ~£1,000. You can rest assured, though, that Aura’s prices will be consistent regardless of where you are in mainland Great Britain.

Ultimately, one of the biggest impacts on the burial or cremation costs that you may end up paying, are your own preferences. We have seen the decline of religion in the UK in recent years, which has led to a corresponding drop in religious funerals too. With that said, though, many people still feel drawn to the trappings of a traditional funeral, such as having a procession complete with limousines or a horse and carriage, and having floral tributes. These extras can add a lot of expense to the overall cost of your funeral.

Comparing prepaid funeral providers in the UK

“How much do prepaid funeral plans cost?” is a question that cannot be answered without comparing different providers against one another. In order to do this, you will need to spend some time visiting the different websites of the providers you are interested in, to try to get a sense of their strengths and weaknesses. Impartial consumer advice sites, like Martin Lewis’s Money Saving Expert, can provide you with some objective information about things like how much funeral plans cost.

You can also compare Aura funeral plans with other leading providers by considering the table below. It allows you to see lots of handy information in one place, and how the most important metrics stack up next to one another. Price isn’t necessarily the only thing that matters; you’ll want to examine the relative standing each provider has with its past clients, by checking customer reviews, and to see whether there are any fees that might apply around cancellation and amendment of your plan. It might be useful to start a funeral checklist in order to keep all of your research organised.

Financial considerations for prepaid funerals

There are some financial considerations to make when it comes to funeral plans, such as instalment plans vs lump sum payments, to the potential savings that are available, to the risks and limitations.

Instalment plans vs lump sum payments

Most plan providers will offer you the chance to either pay all in one go, or over a period of time; indeed, some providers allow you to spread the cost over many years. However, it’s important to be cautious when choosing to pay in instalments, because most plan providers mandate a form of interest or some kind of payment-admin fee, which, in the end, make the final prices between the options of paying in one go at the outset and paying monthly quite different. 

When comparing Co-op cremations vs Aura, for example, you will see that they allow their customers to spread the cost between 6 months and 25 years, if they so choose, but there could be an administration fee of up to 6% per payment, which will certainly add up in the long-term. Aura on the other hand does not charge a penny extra should you wish to pay yours up over 12-to-24 months.

Potential savings with prepaid plans

One of the great benefits of having a funeral plan in place is the potential savings that you can make. When you buy an Aura funeral plan, you are locking in today’s prices. This means, put simply, that if you pay for a plan now, it will be significantly cheaper than it would be for your family to face the prospect of organising and paying for your funeral in the immediate wake of your death, especially if that day doesn’t come for many years.

Your money, with an Aura funeral plan, goes into our independently managed, secure trust, where it is protected against the rising cost of funerals and the potential impact of inflation. When the time comes, we simply draw what we need from our trust to pay for everything.

Risks and limitations

People often wonder “are funeral plans safe?”. Of course, it’s natural to be concerned about the outcome of your plan, and how important it is to ensure that the money you have paid is protected, and your loved ones won’t have any more to pay when you’re no longer here.

In the highly unlikely event that Aura is unable to deliver on your plan for any reason, through our FCA regulation, we must either issue you with a full refund, or transfer your plan to another provider who is able to deliver. Either way, in this highly unlikely scenario, you will not lose out.

Is a prepaid funeral right for me?

Whether or not a prepaid funeral plan is right for you will depend on your budget and your preferences.

What is included in a prepaid funeral plan?

What is included in a prepaid funeral plan will depend on the kind of provider you opt for. In general, certain essentials tend to be included, such as the cremation or burial costs; transportation of the person who has died into mortuary facilities; their care and preparation prior to the funeral; and then transportation to the funeral itself.

Again, depending on the provider, certain things will be excluded. With many burial plans, the cost of the headstone and burial-plot rental are actually not included in the quote price. Extras like flowers, a custom coffin, or expenses relating to an end-of-life celebration after the funeral are not likely to be included as standard. You can see what is included and what is not with Aura’s simple, unattended direct cremation plan, below.

Are prepaid funeral plans worth it?

Ultimately, this is up to you. There are other options out there which you can choose for the purpose of paying in advance for your funeral, such as over-50’s life insurance, but whether you prefer to go down that path is a personal choice.

The benefits of an Aura funeral plan are:

• Locking in today’s prices for the future

• Starting prices less than half of the national average

• Peace of mind for you and your family knowing everything is taken care of

• Full flexibility: free amendment, cancellation, and monthly payment options

• Full inclusivity: Our plans include all essential elements

• Industry-leading service from our Aura Angel team

• The compassion of a family-run company

In our view, these benefits are worth securing for their own sake, but the choice is ultimately yours.

Aura’s prepaid funeral plans

We hope that you’ve found this article useful for giving you a sense of how much prepaid funeral plans cost. If you have any questions whatsoever about our funeral plans, or you’d like to organise one with us, you have only to call us; our friendly team is ready to help.

In the meantime, why not download our funeral plan brochure?