How we work with funeral directors to provide local funeral plans
You may have looked at our funeral plans before and seen that we work with independent funeral directors. But what does that mean for you?
Golden Charter is a funeral plan provider. We’re authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, also known as the FCA, to sell funeral plans. We set up your plan, manage it, and look after your payments until the plan is needed.
The funeral itself is then arranged and carried out by one of the independent funeral director partners in our UK wide network.
This means families get compassionate, professional support from a local funeral director when they need it most.
In this article, we explain how we work with funeral directors and what each of us does.
In short, Golden Charter looks after the plan and the payments. The funeral director offers you their local support and knowledge and looks after the funeral when the time comes.
Who owns Golden Charter funeral plans?
We don’t just work with independent funeral directors – they're the ones who own us too. Golden Charter is owned by SAIFCharter, an association made up of hundreds of independent funeral directors.
This means we're closely connected to these local, independent funeral directors and the communities they serve.
In fact, we work with over 3,000 trusted funeral director branches across the UK*. You can tell when a funeral director is one of our partners when you see the Golden Charter seal proudly displayed in their premises or on their website.
Setting up your plan: can you choose a local funeral director?
If you’re looking into funeral planning, you may already have a trusted local funeral director in mind. With most of our funeral plans, you can choose your preferred local funeral director when you set up your plan.
If you choose our Direct Cremation Plan, we’ll choose a local funeral director for you who will take care of everything. All of our other plans let you choose your funeral director. Either way, you’ll be looked after close to home.
For a closer look at our range of plans, check out our funeral plans page.
Important note
The role of the funeral director is to arrange the funeral and support your loved ones before, during, and after the funeral. They will listen to and advise families without judgement and listen to their needs.
For more help choosing a funeral director, read our blog: How to choose a funeral director: a simple guide.
After the plan is set up: how we protect your payments
One important part of our job is to protect your money until it is needed. Here is how we do that:
- Your funeral plan payments go into the Golden Charter Trust. The Trust is completely separate from Golden Charter.
- The Trust has £1.265 billion under management*. It’s managed by an independent Board of Trustees, experienced people from a wide range of business backgrounds.
- The Trustees keep your payments safe until the plan is needed. When that happens, the Trust pays the funeral director for the services included in your plan.
For more information on how we protect your payments, please visit our FAQs page.
When the plan is needed: what your family needs to do
We know how hard it is when someone you care about passes away. That’s why we’ve made it simple for loved ones to set things in motion when the worst happens.
Your family only needs to call the funeral director named in the plan documents and give them the plan number.
From that moment, the funeral director will take over the arrangements. They’ll support your family and make sure the funeral follows your wishes and your family’s needs.
Next steps for your funeral planning journey
If you want to learn more about funeral planning with us, there are two simple ways to get started:
- Speak to one of our independent funeral director partners. You can find your closest Golden Charter funeral director partner using our free search tool.
If the funeral director partner is an Appointed Representative, they will talk through the plan with you.
If they are an Introducer Appointed Representative, they will refer you to us and we’ll talk through the plan with you. If you decide to go ahead, you’ll buy the plan through us. The funeral director you first spoke to will one to carry out your plan when the time comes.
- Speak to us directly by calling us free on 0808 169 7090. Our team is available Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Alternatively, visit our funeral plans page to find out more about our range of plans.
We want you to learn about our funeral plans at your own pace, in the way that feels right for you.
Whatever you decide, we and our funeral director partners will be here to support you every step of the way.
Frequently asked questions
Can I choose my own funeral director?
With most of our funeral plans, you can choose the local funeral director you’d like to carry out your plan. If you choose our Direct Cremation Plan, we’ll choose a local funeral director for you.
What does Golden Charter do?
We set up and manage your funeral plan. We also protect your plan payments until they’re needed.
What does the funeral director do?
The funeral director arranges and carries out the funeral when the plan is needed. They’ll support your family and help with the next steps.
How does my family use the plan when the time comes? Your family only needs to call the funeral director named on the plan documents and quote the plan number. The funeral director will then help arrange the funeral.
