FAQs

End-of-life planning is personal. There’s no right or wrong way to do it. However, if you’re planning to pay for your funeral through savings or via your estate, it’s worth remembering that it might not be possible for your executors to access the funds before the date of the funeral. In addition, a Golden Charter funeral plan fixes the cost of the funeral director services included in your plan at today’s prices, which saves your loved ones from inflation.

Our plans are available to all UK residents, regardless of age or state of health. If you choose to pay by the instalment payment option you must be aged under 78 at the start date of your plan and pay the total cost by your 80th birthday. There are no maximum or minimum age limits if choosing to pay by single payment or by 12 monthly payments.

Golden Charter funeral plans are available to all UK residents, regardless of age or state of health. That means you won’t be disqualified from purchasing a funeral plan or be charged more if you do have a medical condition, like you might when buying life insurance. However, we do have processes and staff training in place to ensure that no plans are sold to vulnerable customers who may not have the capacity to understand what they’re purchasing.

Yes, it’s possible to buy a funeral plan for someone who has a terminal illness. In some cases, depending on the circumstances and prognosis, it might be more cost-effective to arrange and pay for the funeral at the time it’s needed than purchase a funeral plan. There’s no right or wrong approach — it’s a deeply personal decision, and what matters most is finding the option that feels right for you and your loved ones. We’re here to talk it through if you’d like support. Our Customer Service team is available on 0808 169 4534 between 9am – 5pm, Monday to Friday.

Yes, it’s possible to purchase a plan for someone with diminished capacity. If you’re paying for the plan using your own money, then you would be named as the plan representative. A plan representative is someone who can take out a plan on the plan holder’s behalf. They will have the authority to make changes to the plan and will receive the plan documents rather than the plan holder.

If you’re paying for the plan using the plan holder’s funds, then we would need to see a Power of Attorney or similar documentation unless you have a debit card in the plan holder’s name. If you’d more information on buying a funeral plan for someone with diminished capacity, please feel free to get in touch.

The monthly price of our funeral plans vary depending on the type of plan and payment option you choose. You can get a quote and see what would be the best option for you using our Golden Charter Funeral Plan Cost Calculator

We’ll send you a plan documents folder with all the information about your plan, as well as a membership card. If you provide a nominated representative for your plan, they’ll receive a letter shortly after you have purchased your funeral plan. This will let them know that you’ve put a plan in place and provide the details of your appointed funeral director.

You’ll also receive a customer statement which will be sent to you every three years using your preferred method of contact.

We recommend you tell your family or friends that you’ve taken out a Golden Charter funeral plan to make sure they’re aware when the time comes.

Yes, many of our customers choose to do this. You’ll be appointed as the plan holder’s representative, and we’ll arrange for all correspondence to be sent to you. For more information, you can read our article – Buying a Funeral Plan for Someone Else: 5 Things to Know

With the exception of our Direct Cremation Plan, you can let us know if you have a preferred funeral director when you call or at step three of the online purchase journey. If it isn’t possible to appoint your plan to your preferred funeral director, we’ll inform you and work with you to choose an alternative. If you don’t have a preference, we’ll simply appoint a funeral director near you from our network of local, independently owned funeral directors.

We only offer discounts directly from us and in partnership with our trusted network of local funeral director partners. Occasionally, we do run promotions with other recognised partners, but any legitimate discounts will always be clearly communicated on our website or through official partners.

If you come across a discount on an unfamiliar site, it may be invalid or misleading. To ensure you’re getting accurate information, we recommend contacting us directly.

If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to get in touch.

An individual can only have one funeral plan. However, you may choose to purchase multiple plans, such as one for yourself and another for a loved one. If you’re considering buying more than one plan, we recommend you speak to one of our experts to discuss your needs and ensure the best options for your situation.

The Funeral Benefit Option is a free, optional feature that you can add to your life insurance. Over 50s life insurance provides a lump sum payment when you pass away, which can help cover funeral costs, but since the payout amount is fixed, it may not keep up with rising funeral prices. In contrast, a Golden Charter funeral plan covers the funeral director’s services included in your plan, ensuring they are paid for at the time of need, regardless of future price increases. Click here to learn more: Over 50’s Life Insurance and Funeral Benefit Options

There is no set age for starting a funeral plan, but many people choose to do so in their 50s or 60s to secure today’s prices and ensure their arrangements are in place. Starting early can help avoid potential price increases in the future and ease the financial burden on loved ones. It also provides peace of mind knowing your wishes are documented. While you can start a funeral plan at any stage in life, if you choose to pay in instalments, you must be under 78 when you begin the plan, and complete payments by your 80th birthday. The best time to start is whenever you feel ready to make arrangements.

If you're due to receive gift vouchers as part of an offer or our Refer a Friend scheme and you haven't received them yet, please see our advice below based on the voucher Terms & Conditions.

If your gift vouchers were part of an offer:

• If you purchased a Golden Charter funeral plan under the 12 month payment option or paid in full in a single payment, your vouchers will arrive from 30 days after the plan's start date.

• If you took out a plan under instalment payment option, then your vouchers will arrive 12 months after the plan's start date, provided that the payments are up to date.

If you're due gift vouchers after referring a friend:

• To be eligible for the vouchers, your friend must have purchased a plan and given your details as the person who recommended them.

• You must also have an active Golden Charter funeral plan.

• Your gift cards will be sent out between 30 days (if under the single payment or 12 month payment options) or 12 months (if under the instalment payment option) from the start date of the plan, provided that your friend’s plan remains active and the necessary payments have been received.

If none of the above applies, then please email our Customer Service Team at contact@goldencharter.co.uk or give us a call on 0808 169 4534. Our friendly team are available to answer your questions between 9am - 5pm, Monday to Friday.

If you have selected our Direct Cremation Plan, you cannot choose a funeral director. Instead, Golden Charter will allocate a funeral director for you. For all other plan types, we will make every effort to appoint your plan to your chosen funeral director; however, this is not always possible. If this is the case, we will contact you to tell you and discuss another choice of funeral director.

If you checked our website or brochure and can't find the funeral plan you purchased listed, then don't worry. As long as your plan is paid for or you are up to date with your payments if you chose a longer term payment plan, then your plan is still valid. Golden Charter will periodically review and update our funeral plans, but that doesn't change the validity of the older plans.

If you have any questions, then please feel free to call our friendly team on 0808 169 4534 with your plan number ready. We're here to help.

If you’d like to add extra items to your plan, call our friendly team of funeral plan experts on 0808 169 7090 and they can discuss your options with you. You can also get in touch with us by filling out our contact form.

Please note that some changes to your plan may incur additional costs which our team would discuss with you when you get in touch. Please also be aware that our Direct Cremation Plan has a fixed, guaranteed price and extras cannot be added.

Third party costs are for other essential services required to carry out a cremation or burial – such as crematorium or burial fees, officiant fees or memorials – which are not provided by your funeral director. These costs are outside of your funeral director’s control but will need to be paid to the suppliers or professionals at the time of the funeral.

Our plans include a built-in allowance towards third party costs, with the exception of our Direct Cremation Plan, which guarantees that the cremation fee will be fully covered.

A funeral plan helps you pay for the main parts of a funeral in advance. It covers key services from the funeral director, like caring for you, bringing you into their care and arranging the funeral. Each plan is different, so some things may not be included. Visit our funeral plan comparison page to find out more.

If you already have a Golden Charter funeral plan, then your Plan Summary document will contain a breakdown of everything that’s included. If you need to request a copy of your Plan Summary or plan paperwork, please call our friendly team on 0808 169 7090 or send us a request by filling out our contact form.

UK law requires that a body must be placed in a coffin or appropriate rigid container for cremation. However, the coffin can be simple and eco-friendly, such as a cardboard or biodegradable coffin, depending on the crematorium’s policies.

No, direct cremations are unattended, meaning there is no service or gathering at the crematorium. The cremation takes place without any mourners present. However, families can choose to hold a private memorial service or celebration of life at a time and in a way that suits them best.

After a direct cremation, the ashes are usually returned to the family or nominated individual, depending on the arrangements made. Families can then choose to keep, scatter, or bury the ashes in accordance with personal or religious preferences. Since a direct cremation does not include a formal service, loved ones may arrange a separate memorial or celebration of life at a later date if they wish.

A direct cremation usually takes place within a few days to two weeks after death, depending on legal requirements, medical certification, and crematorium availability. The timeframe can vary, but efforts are made to carry out the cremation as soon as possible while ensuring all necessary documentation is completed.

A common concern is whether direct cremation plans come with unexpected fees later on. At Golden Charter Funeral Plans, our Direct Cremation Plan is fully guaranteed — which means everything that’s included is covered, with nothing more to pay when the time comes. That includes cremation fees, transportation, care of the deceased, and the return of ashes to your family.

Crematoria in the UK operate under strict regulations set by the Federation of Burial and Cremation Authorities (FBCA) and The Cremation (England and Wales) Regulations 2008. These guidelines are designed to ensure that every cremation is carried out respectfully and securely, with the utmost care.

When a deceased person is brought into the care of a crematorium, they are assigned a unique identification number. This number is checked at every stage of the cremation process.

Moreover, crematoria only cremate one person at a time and the cremation chamber is thoroughly cleaned in between each use. Finally, after cremation, ashes are carefully transferred into the chosen container, which is labelled with the deceased’s unique identification number. All these strict procedures are in place to ensure that the ashes you receive are those of your loved one. For more information, we encourage you to contact your chosen funeral director.

There are several options for taking care of ashes following a cremation. Most crematoria have a Garden of Remembrance where people choose to have their ashes scattered. Some people want their ashes to be interred in a burial plot or returned to their family. You can tell us your preferences when you’re taking out your plan.

Funeral plans can help to provide financial peace of mind for you and your loved ones, because the fees for the funeral director’s services are included in the plan and fixed at today’s prices. Our plans also include an allowance towards services known as third party costs. Third party costs include things such as burial or cremation fees, which are dictated by the local council or the company that owns the crematorium or cemetery. They are therefore separate from funeral director costs and are not fixed.

The allowance towards third party costs in our plans may cover the expense of a burial, cremation or officiant fees, but if prices rise then there may be more to pay at the time. You can choose to put more money into the allowance to cover any shortfall.

However, if you choose a Direct Cremation, there won’t be any third party costs to worry about. Our Direct Cremation Plan guarantees that all services described in the plan will be fully covered, offering peace of mind that your family won't face unexpected costs or difficult decisions when the time comes.

The monthly price of our funeral plans vary depending on the type of plan and payment option you choose. You can get a quote and see what would be the best option for you using our Golden Charter Funeral Plan Cost Calculator

If you’re having trouble paying for your plan, please call us. We’re here to help. You can also get free, impartial advice from Moneyhelper. Moneyhelper is provided by the Money and Pensions Service and is backed by the Government.

What happens if I die before I've made all the payments?

If you choose the 12 month payment plan and pass away before all 12 payments are made, then your estate can choose to pay the outstanding balance or have the money already paid into the plan refunded.

If you choose the Instalment Payment Option, the total cost of your plan will be paid if you pass away after 12 months as long as your payments are up to date, even if you haven't completed the full payment term. If you pass away before 12 months and your death is not accidental, then your money will be refunded to your estate and your funeral plan will be cancelled. If you die within 12 months of the start date and your death is accidental, then the full benefit of your funeral plan will be available.

What happens depends on the payment option you chose and how long the plan has been in place:

With the 12 month payment plan, if you die before all payments are made, your estate can choose to pay the remaining balance or receive a refund of what’s already been paid.

With the Instalment Payment Option, if you die after the first 12 months and payments are up to date, your funeral plan will be fully paid for. If you die before 12 months then the money you’ve paid may be refunded to your estate. However, please see full details, including specific circumstances in our Terms and Conditions.

All of our funeral plans include a £350 arrangement fee. This is kept by us as a contribution towards the administration costs of setting up your plan.

In the unlikely event that Golden Charter ceased trading, your money would continue to be held in the Golden Charter Trust until the time of need. You would also retain the right to cancel your plan and receive a refund subject to the terms and conditions of your plan. The Trust would continue as long as is necessary to make payments to funeral directors for all plans as they mature.

There is no set age for starting a funeral plan, but many people choose to do so in their 50s or 60s to secure today’s prices and ensure their arrangements are in place. Starting early can help avoid potential price increases in the future and ease the financial burden on loved ones. It also provides peace of mind knowing your wishes are documented. While you can start a funeral plan at any stage in life, if you choose to pay in instalments, you must be under 78 when you begin the plan, and complete payments by your 80th birthday. The best time to start is whenever you feel ready to make arrangements.

If you have chosen to pay for your plan in instalments, then you can pay the outstanding balance at any time before the end of the set period by calling our friendly team on 0808 169 7090.

If you miss a payment we will notify you as soon as possible. If you miss two consecutive payments we will issue you with a statement showing the payments due and total amount of any shortfall. You will have 10 working days from us contacting you to settle the payment.

If you have a Direct Cremation Plan, the full cost of your funeral, including the cremation fee, is guaranteed, with nothing more to pay.

For our other funeral plans, the funeral director’s services are fixed at today’s prices. That means once your plan is paid,* there’s nothing more to pay for those services, even if prices go up in the future.

Our plans also include an allowance towards third-party costs. These are costs for things your funeral director doesn’t provide, like crematorium or burial fees. Because these costs can change, there may be more to pay at the time of the funeral if the allowance doesn’t cover everything.

Your Plan Summary will contain a breakdown of everything that’s included in your funeral plan. If you need to request a copy of your Plan Summary or plan paperwork, please call our friendly team on 0808 169 7090 or send us a request by filling out our contact form.

*Or, if you choose the instalment payment option, after 12 consecutive payments and as long as your payments remain up to date.

Third party costs are for other essential services required to carry out a cremation or burial – such as crematorium or burial fees, officiant fees or memorials – which are not provided by your funeral director. These costs are outside of your funeral director’s control but will need to be paid to the suppliers or professionals at the time of the funeral.

Our plans include a built-in allowance towards third party costs, with the exception of our Direct Cremation Plan, which guarantees that the cremation fee will be fully covered.

If your plan isn’t fully paid, you can find out how much you still have to pay under ‘outstanding balance’.

Your statement includes a recap of the main services included in your plan. Full details of the funeral director services included in your plan and third party costs are detailed on the plan documents you received when you took out your plan, or the updated plan documents you received if you have since made changes to your plan.

You’ll receive your statement every three years, but you can contact us anytime to update your information or discuss any aspect of your funeral plan. Email us at contact@goldencharter.co.uk or call 0800 090 2505. Our office is open from Monday to Friday, between 9am and 5pm.

It’s not a legal requirement to include your funeral plan (the product you’ve paid for) in your Will, however people do choose to mention the details of their funeral plans in their Will to make certain their loved ones or the executor are aware of their wishes. This can help ensure that your arrangements are respected when the time comes.

If you checked our website or brochure and can't find the funeral plan you purchased listed, then don't worry. As long as your plan is paid for or you are up to date with your payments if you chose a longer term payment plan, then your plan is still valid. Golden Charter will periodically review and update our funeral plans, but that doesn't change the validity of the older plans.

If you have any questions, then please feel free to call our friendly team on 0808 169 4534 with your plan number ready. We're here to help.

Yes. If you want a friend or relative to know that you have a plan, you can add them as a Nominated Representative. This means they are told that you have a plan, but cannot make any changes or speak to us on your behalf.

We will also send them a letter to let them know that they have been added as your Nominated Representative.

Golden Charter does not have an online self‑service area right now. If you need a copy of your Plan Summary or any plan papers, you can call our friendly team on 0808 169 7090. You can also send us a request by filling in our contact form.

We send out customer statements every three years to keep you updated. If you've recently received a letter or email from us regarding your customer statement, it's genuine—this is part of our current communication cycle.

Your customer statement is a summary of the funeral plan that you hold with Golden Charter. It provides an overview of what’s included in your plan. For full details of your funeral plan arrangements, please see the plan documents we sent you when you took out your plan.

We’re authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (‘the FCA’). As a funeral plan provider, we’re required to send you a statement summarising the details of your funeral plan every three years. This provides you with the opportunity to review your plan details and get in touch if you need to update any information or ask questions about your plan.

Your statement includes a recap of the main services included in your plan. Full details of the funeral director services included in your plan and third party costs are detailed on the plan documents you received when you took out your plan, or the updated plan documents you received if you have since made changes to your plan.

Unfortunately we aren’t able to stop sending these statements to you. As we’re authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, we’re required to send all customers a statement every three years. The statement is designed to remind you about what’s included in your plan and give you the opportunity to check that your details are correct and up to date.

If you have appointed a representative for your plan, we’ll send all correspondence to them, including plan statements. You can add a representative at any time by emailing contact@goldencharter.co.uk or calling 0800 090 2505. Our office is open from Monday to Friday, between 9am and 5pm.

You’ll receive your statement every three years, but you can contact us anytime to update your information or discuss any aspect of your funeral plan. Email us at contact@goldencharter.co.uk or call 0800 090 2505. Our office is open from Monday to Friday, between 9am and 5pm.

Yes, we can send your next statement by email. Just get in touch with us at contact@goldencharter.co.uk or call us on 0800 090 2505, and we’ll update your account with your email address.

You can request a duplicate statement by emailing us at contact@goldencharter.co.uk or calling 0800 090 2505. Our office is open from Monday to Friday, between 9am and 5pm.

Our funeral plans are designed to be flexible. If you’d like to change or update the details on your plan, simply get in touch and our friendly Customer Service team will do their best to help. Please note that some changes to your plan may incur additional costs which would be discussed at the time of the request. Note that our Direct Cremation Plan has a fixed, guaranteed price and is not subject to additional costs.

You can transfer the benefit of your funeral plan to a nominated family member or friend who dies before you, once the total cost of the plan has been paid. Any change of arrangements following such a transfer (for example, a change of address for the nominated family member or friend leading to increased transportation costs) may mean that we have to appoint a different funeral director. It may also mean that you need to pay additional sums. This is something that we would agree with you at the time.

Please let us know you’re moving home so that we can update our records. You’ll have the option to move your plan to a different funeral director, if required, and this may incur additional costs which would be discussed at the time of the request. Note that our direct cremation plan has a fixed price and is not subject to additional costs.

If your personal or financial circumstances change, please get in touch to discuss how we can help and allow us to make any updates to your plan.

For all payment methods, if you cancel within 30 days of receiving our written acceptance, we’ll refund the payment you’ve made.

If you choose to make a single payment or pay by 12 monthly payments and you cancel 30 days after receiving our written acceptance, you’ll receive a refund of payments made less our arrangement fee of £350.

If you’re paying by the instalment payment option and cancel 30 days after receiving our written acceptance but before you’ve made 12 payments, you’ll receive a refund of all payments made. If you cancel after you’ve made 12 payments, you’ll receive a refund of all payments less our arrangement fee of £350.

If you’d like to add extra items to your plan, call our friendly team of funeral plan experts on 0808 169 7090 and they can discuss your options with you. You can also get in touch with us by filling out our contact form.

Please note that some changes to your plan may incur additional costs which our team would discuss with you when you get in touch. Please also be aware that our Direct Cremation Plan has a fixed, guaranteed price and extras cannot be added.

Our funeral plans are designed to be flexible. If you’d like to update your personal details, simply get in touch and our friendly team will be on hand to help. Call 0808 169 7090 or let us know of any changes by filling out our contact form.

If your address changes, contact us and we’ll update your records. Call our friendly team on 0808 169 7090 or let us know by filling out our contact form.

You’ll have the option to move your plan to a different funeral director, if required. This may incur additional costs which would be discussed at the time of the request. Please note that our Direct Cremation plan has a fixed price and is not subject to additional costs.

You can also look for funeral directors near you by using our Funeral Directors Near Me search tool.

If you no longer wish to use the funeral director nominated in your plan, you can change funeral directors by calling our friendly team on 0808 169 7090 or letting us know by filling out our contact form. You can also look for funeral directors near you by using our Funeral Directors Near Me search tool.

It is possible that changing the funeral director nominated in your plan could come with additional costs. We will always make you aware of this and obtain your approval before formalising the change.

Please note that if you chose our Direct Cremation Plan, a funeral director was chosen on your behalf to take care of everything. While you can request the funeral director be changed, the funeral director in your plan will again be chosen for you. Rest assured, you’ll still be looked after by a trusted, local funeral director who will give you and your loved ones the quality care and support you deserve.

A funeral director is responsible for arranging and overseeing funeral services. Their duties include handling legal documentation, preparing the deceased, coordinating with crematoriums or burial sites, organising transportation, and supporting families throughout the funeral process. Funeral directors ensure that all aspects of a funeral run smoothly and respectfully according to the wishes of the deceased and their family.

With the exception of our Direct Cremation Plan, you can let us know if you have a preferred funeral director when you call or at step three of the online purchase journey. If it isn’t possible to appoint your plan to your preferred funeral director, we’ll inform you and work with you to choose an alternative. If you don’t have a preference, we’ll simply appoint a funeral director near you from our network of local, independently owned funeral directors.

No, a funeral director cannot officially register a death. In the UK, a death must be registered by a relative, someone present at the death, or another legally authorised person, such as a hospital official. However, funeral directors can provide guidance on the process and assist with the necessary documentation.

Funeral directors are sometimes referred to as undertakers, morticians, or funeral arrangers. These terms are often used interchangeably, but some may emphasise different aspects of the profession. "Undertaker" is a more traditional term, while "funeral director" is more commonly used in modern funeral services. Both refer to professionals who arrange funerals and support families with the necessary arrangements.

If you have selected our Direct Cremation Plan, you cannot choose a funeral director. Instead, Golden Charter will allocate a funeral director for you. For all other plan types, we will make every effort to appoint your plan to your chosen funeral director; however, this is not always possible. If this is the case, we will contact you to tell you and discuss another choice of funeral director.

If you have a Golden Charter funeral plan

If you have a Golden Charter funeral plan but can no longer find the funeral director named in your plan online, you can use the Find a Funeral Director tool on our website to search. If you still can't find your nominated funeral director, please call our friendly team on 0808 169 7090. They’ll help you find the business you’re looking for.

If you don't have a Golden Charter funeral plan, but are thinking about purchasing one

If you're thinking about purchasing a Golden Charter funeral plan and have a specific funeral director in mind to carry out your wishes when the time comes, you can use the Find a Funeral Director tool on our website to search for them. If you can't find this funeral director online, please call our friendly team on 0808 169 7090. They’ll help you find the business you’re looking for. Please note that if you choose our Direct Cremation Plan, a local funeral director will be chosen for you to take care of everything. Either way, you’ll still be looked after close to home.

While we’ll always do our best to match you with the funeral director you want, this isn’t always possible. However, with a Golden Charter funeral plan you’ll always have a trusted, local funeral director to give you and your loved ones the quality care and support you deserve.

Your plan documents folder contains the contact details for your funeral director. When the time comes, your family or trusted person simply contact the funeral director and quote your plan number. The funeral director will liaise with your family or trusted person and take care of your funeral arrangements.

Our plans do not cover repatriation back to the UK should you die overseas. We recommend that your travel or medical insurance includes cover for transportation back to a UK mainland port or airport.

UK law requires that a body must be placed in a coffin or appropriate rigid container for cremation. However, the coffin can be simple and eco-friendly, such as a cardboard or biodegradable coffin, depending on the crematorium’s policies.

Crematoria in the UK operate under strict regulations set by the Federation of Burial and Cremation Authorities (FBCA) and The Cremation (England and Wales) Regulations 2008. These guidelines are designed to ensure that every cremation is carried out respectfully and securely, with the utmost care.

When a deceased person is brought into the care of a crematorium, they are assigned a unique identification number. This number is checked at every stage of the cremation process.

Moreover, crematoria only cremate one person at a time and the cremation chamber is thoroughly cleaned in between each use. Finally, after cremation, ashes are carefully transferred into the chosen container, which is labelled with the deceased’s unique identification number. All these strict procedures are in place to ensure that the ashes you receive are those of your loved one. For more information, we encourage you to contact your chosen funeral director.

There are several options for taking care of ashes following a cremation. Most crematoria have a Garden of Remembrance where people choose to have their ashes scattered. Some people want their ashes to be interred in a burial plot or returned to their family. You can tell us your preferences when you’re taking out your plan.

You can transfer the benefit of your funeral plan to a nominated family member or friend who dies before you, once the total cost of the plan has been paid. Any change of arrangements following such a transfer (for example, a change of address for the nominated family member or friend leading to increased transportation costs) may mean that we have to appoint a different funeral director. It may also mean that you need to pay additional sums. This is something that we would agree with you at the time.

Your plan documents folder contains the contact details for your funeral director. When the time comes, your family or trusted person simply contact the funeral director and quote your plan number. The funeral director will liaise with your family or trusted person and take care of your funeral arrangements.

Yes, it’s possible to purchase a plan for someone with diminished capacity. If you’re paying for the plan using your own money, then you would be named as the plan representative. A plan representative is someone who can take out a plan on the plan holder’s behalf. They will have the authority to make changes to the plan and will receive the plan documents rather than the plan holder.

If you’re paying for the plan using the plan holder’s funds, then we would need to see a Power of Attorney or similar documentation unless you have a debit card in the plan holder’s name. If you’d more information on buying a funeral plan for someone with diminished capacity, please feel free to get in touch.

It’s not a legal requirement to include your funeral plan (the product you’ve paid for) in your Will, however people do choose to mention the details of their funeral plans in their Will to make certain their loved ones or the executor are aware of their wishes. This can help ensure that your arrangements are respected when the time comes.

No, a funeral plan is not considered part of your estate. Since it is a pre-paid arrangement for services rather than an asset, it does not form part of the assets distributed under probate. This means that your funeral can be arranged without waiting for the estate to be settled.

If you suspect someone had a funeral plan, check their personal records, will, or any documents related to funeral arrangements. You can also contact Golden Charter with their full name and details to check if a plan is registered in their name.

Additionally, you can use Find My Plan, a simple and free online search tool, to help locate a pre-paid funeral plan by checking with funeral plan providers nationwide.

Yes. If you want a friend or relative to know that you have a plan, you can add them as a Nominated Representative. This means they are told that you have a plan, but cannot make any changes or speak to us on your behalf.

We will also send them a letter to let them know that they have been added as your Nominated Representative.

If you need to look after a friend or relative's plan because they have reduced capacity, there are a couple of options:

1. Power of Attorney

We need to see the Property and Financial Power of Attorney. This is the part of the Power of Attorney that shows you are allowed to look after someone’s money and accounts. If you have this document for your relative, please either send us a clear picture, scan or copy or give us the online access code that lets us safely look at your Power of Attorney online. This shows that you are allowed to make decisions for them and can be added as their Plan Representative. Please do not send us the original document.

2. Plan holder send a letter of authority

If your loved one is able to send a signed letter you can be added as their Plan Representative. This means you can talk to us about their plan and help manage it.

3. Plan holder gives permission over phone

If the plan holder is able to speak on the phone for a few minutes then we can make you their Plan Representative in this way. We can help you decide which option is right for your situation. If you’re unsure please call our friendly team on 0808 169 7090. Copies of Powers of Attorney or letters of authority can be sent to Customer Services at contact@goldencharter.co.uk.

If you have appointed a representative for your plan, we’ll send all correspondence to them, including plan statements. You can add a representative at any time by emailing contact@goldencharter.co.uk or calling 0800 090 2505. Our office is open from Monday to Friday, between 9am and 5pm.

If the deceased had purchased a pre-paid funeral plan with Golden Charter then one phone call to the funeral director will activate the plan. Following this, the funeral director will carry out your loved one’s wishes. Golden Charter offers a range of funeral plans with different services depending on the needs of the plan holder. If you’re unsure which plan was purchased and the details of what is included in this plan, the appointed funeral director will be able to share this information and will also be on hand to guide you through this process.

Your plan documents folder contains the contact details for your funeral director. When the time comes, your family or trusted person simply contact the funeral director and quote your plan number. The funeral director will liaise with your family or trusted person and take care of your funeral arrangements.

Our plans do not cover repatriation back to the UK should you die overseas. We recommend that your travel or medical insurance includes cover for transportation back to a UK mainland port or airport.

If you suspect someone had a funeral plan, check their personal records, will, or any documents related to funeral arrangements. You can also contact Golden Charter with their full name and details to check if a plan is registered in their name.

Additionally, you can use Find My Plan, a simple and free online search tool, to help locate a pre-paid funeral plan by checking with funeral plan providers nationwide.

A common concern is whether direct cremation plans come with unexpected fees later on. At Golden Charter Funeral Plans, our Direct Cremation Plan is fully guaranteed — which means everything that’s included is covered, with nothing more to pay when the time comes. That includes cremation fees, transportation, care of the deceased, and the return of ashes to your family.

In the unlikely event that Golden Charter ceased trading, your money would continue to be held in the Golden Charter Trust until the time of need. You would also retain the right to cancel your plan and receive a refund subject to the terms and conditions of your plan. The Trust would continue as long as is necessary to make payments to funeral directors for all plans as they mature.

The Golden Charter Trust is run by a Board of Trustees, completely independent of Golden Charter. Their role is to hold your payments and ensure that the funeral director services in your plan can be paid for at the time they’re required – however far into the future that may be.

A Golden Charter funeral plan is not an investment product that fluctuates in value or on which you earn interest. When you buy a plan, you receive a guarantee of the funeral director services contained within the plan being provided at the time they are required, however far into the future that may be. The overall value of the Trust Fund can rise or fall but this does not impact on the guarantee of the funeral director’s services under your plan, or on your cancellation rights.

Although it’s unlikely, if the Golden Charter Trust ceased to exist, your payments would be covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). This means you may be entitled to compensation subject to FSCS limits (currently £120,000 per individual plan holder with some exceptions) or the FSCS may instead arrange for continuity of your plan through another authorised funeral plan provider as an alternative to compensation. Please visit the FSCS website www.fscs.org.uk for further information

Yes, Golden Charter is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) as a provider of funeral plans.

Since 29 July 2022, the FCA has regulated the funeral planning market to bring higher standards and boost customer protection. This regulation also ensures that customers have access to the Financial Ombudsman Scheme and the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.

For more details, visit the FCA website