Many people choose to take out a 'pre-paid' or 'pre-payment' funeral plan so they can help their family and friends at a difficult time by making their own preferences known. This can also alleviate any worries the family might have about paying for the funeral.
Another advantage of taking out a plan is that you will be paying for your funeral at today's prices. This means that the funeral plan will pay for your funeral however much funeral costs have risen since the plan was taken out. This can also save money in another way, as people are less likely to feel able to approach different companies to compare charges after a bereavement.
If you decide to take out a plan, it is important to let your relatives/executors know, otherwise they may arrange and pay for a funeral using a different funeral director. Make sure you keep a record of the arrangements you have made and tell your family where you have put the paperwork.
There are other ways to ensure some money is in place to help towards funeral costs. You could take out a life insurance plan or invest your money in a high interest savings account. However there is no guarantee that the interest will keep pace with increasing funeral costs. Furthermore, if probate is required your family may not be able to access this money immediately, so if there are insufficient funds in current accounts they may need to pay for the funeral themselves in the short term.
Click here to find out more about how pre-paid funeral plans work, and what you need to consider when choosing a plan.