Dying can be expensive. Funerals like so many other things have risen in cost over the last few decades and the average cost of a funeral to include relevant formalities and a funeral reception is now said to be £8,905.00, a 71% increase over the last decade alone. Many people worry about the payment of their funerals and sometimes give money to their relatives so their costs can be paid quickly.
People may not realise that often even though their bank or building society accounts may be frozen once their death is reported, many institutions allow the accounts to be unfrozen to meet the Funeral Director’s bill although this does not normally include any funeral reception.
Over the last few years, many companies have had television advertising campaigns promoting pre-paid funeral plans. Such plans are often also available through Funeral Directors. Broadly speaking a person pays for their funeral and chooses the amount of cover they wish to pay for. It is possible to specify the arrangements which will ensure that the family will know that the arrangements are what the person wanted. Some television advertisements offer a “welcome gift” for taking out a funeral plan, (who can forget the infamous carriage clock, shopping vouchers or the “parky pen”?).
Alternatively, funeral wishes can be set out in a Will with the aim of guiding loved ones and can even include music to be played and sometimes even dress codes and not just a general reference to burial or cremation.
One way to avoid funeral costs is to leave the body to medical research. Not everyone succeeds in this but if a body is accepted then the medical institution pays for the necessary arrangements when the time comes.
Funeral costs are something that many of us prefer not to think about but advanced planning can make things easier for loved ones at a difficult time.