Author Topic: Funeral plans  (Read 1059 times)

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Sorastro

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Funeral plans
« on: June 03, 2019, 02:49:15 PM »
As with people of a certain age death comes soon enough without ghoulish adverts on telly asking you to shell out before you go.

Funeral plans, good or bad?
It sounds sensible but having checked out a few of these "companies" there are things you have to be aware of, for example cancellation fees, with some, if you decide to cancel AFTER the 28 day cooling off period you will be asked to pay, in some cases 20% of the original plan, this can run into the hundreds and for what. If you book a holiday say, and very near the time something happens and you need to cancel I understand receiving a penalty because wheels had been set in motion for you to go so therefore there is an amount of "undoing" to do but I can't see this here!
Believe it or not in some cases it depends on WHEN you kick your clogs whether they pay out the full amount {or anything at all} it's a minefield.
Plus it also looks like some are just a recruitment drive for sunlife. They all have limitations, they all have hidden costs, I've even come across a review for one of these companies from a funeral director no less and they basically said " Do yourself a favour and keep your money in the bank".

Unfortunately with these companies {as with the over 50's plans} you can't change to another company if they offer a better deal, like you can with utilities etc. once you've committed yourself your stuck with it.
I am not a pessimist, I just help them out when they're busy.

Old Cruser

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Re: Funeral plans
« Reply #1 on: June 10, 2019, 08:21:53 AM »
I was looking into this awhile ago but decided against it. Also looked into prepaying but it seems that's not all what initially appears either so didn't bother!

i rang both undertakers and Church to enquire about  reserving and paying for a crem spot,  seems I can't do that  ::)
The old lady with the wonky middle finger

Sorastro

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Re: Funeral plans
« Reply #2 on: June 10, 2019, 09:12:55 AM »
As with the review from the undertaker I believe a lot of undertakers DON'T use the pre-paid system because, when the inevitable happens, they can make more money by preying on the grieving vulnerable relatives at the time.
I have said before how can a funeral home justify asking say two and a half grand for a burial/cremation {and that's the cheaper end} when if you break down the costs to the undertaker it doesn't come near that amount. I realise they are businesses after all and I'm all for businesses making a profit, but there's profit and an out and out rip off, and funeral homes tread that fine line, and lets face it they will NEVER be struggling for business, death is an inevitability .

If you break down say a basic cremation... the undertaker will keep your loved one for about a week, put them in a coffin, transport them to the Crem with perhaps another car for the immediate family, pallbearers will take in the coffin then after the service will run the family either back home or to the wake total time from start to finish 3 hours tops.
The body is kept for a week it's not costing anything, the coffin purchased by the family {if cremation} will no doubt be used again, a couple of vehicles used for a couple of hours and pallbearers {only employed on a ad hoc basis}
If you did {or was allowed to do} a D.I.Y. funeral yourself the above you would need to do I estimate would probably cost you in the region of £600 to £800.
I remember as a boy the only time we saw "flashy" motors on the street was a funeral cortege and as very few people drove or owned motor cars in those days some funerals could have upwards of 3 or 4 cars following the hearse, I bet it wasn't cheap then so just imagine the cost of that now.
 
I am not a pessimist, I just help them out when they're busy.

Sorastro

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Re: Funeral plans
« Reply #3 on: June 14, 2019, 12:00:31 PM »
Everyone complains about "nuisance" phone calls. Especially the callers and scammers frightening the old and vulnerable with threats of bailiffs and courts if they don't pay a "fictitious fine". Yet these adverts basically do the same thing.

"WHEN YOU DIE DON'T LEAVE YOUR LOVED ONES WITH HEFTY FUNERAL COSTS THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY!" 

I still say if you have worked your whole, life paid into the system, especially the ones who are possibly months away from retirement, and they suddenly die I think the least the Government can do is pay for the funeral, or put a sizeable amount towards it. The D.T. obituaries usually contain people who have passed away before they could enjoy retirement, that means the Government has "got away" without paying state pension to them so a couple of grand towards the funeral wouldn't be amiss.
Obviously if that person had been a total waste of space and never contributed to society then that's a different matter.
I am not a pessimist, I just help them out when they're busy.

Sorastro

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Re: Funeral plans
« Reply #4 on: September 22, 2019, 01:05:36 PM »
I know I keep coming back to this subject but it's something that really rubs me up the wrong way.

We had a leaflet through the door from Coop funeral care, page one starts with "Funerals are the fastest rising cost in the U.K." according to them in 2004 the cost of an average funeral was £1900, in 2014 this was £3500 and by 2023 they estimate it will be at least £5000, my question remains the same WHY?
In  approximately 20 years it will have almost tripled, looking it up it would appear the funeral director pockets at least 70% of the cost, so that means a funeral tomorrow {£3500} he will take at least £2400 o.k. he has the "bulk" of the work to do but it's preparing the body storing it for a few days and filling in some legal documents providing transport and "manpower" {hardly navvying}...the Crematorium will want at least £750 this leaves the rest for flowers possible celebrant death certificate and other minor expenses. 

Every plan "seems" to be the same but reading the small print is a must, I'm dithering over this funeral business, so much so when I do shuffle off this mortal coil I will have done b*gger all about it.
I am not a pessimist, I just help them out when they're busy.

Old Cruser

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Re: Funeral plans
« Reply #5 on: September 23, 2019, 01:19:54 PM »
I phoned and had a chat with a local funeral director about three months ago who our family have used over the years.
Their advice was don't bother and that they don't do them.
From what they told me there are several added costs ( such as paying for a doctors fees ) which these plans don't cover.

I've decided to set some money to one side which will cover the costs.
The old lady with the wonky middle finger

 

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