Our funeral plans
As everyone has different needs when it comes to funeral planning, we make sure our plans are as flexible as possible. Compare our plans below.
Our plans & prices at a glance
Choose between three plans — whether an unattended cremation or a full traditional service — your loved one will be cared for with dignity, respect and professionalism throughout.
Direct Cremation Plan
For those looking for a dignified cremation with no service to attend
{icon:fa-regular fa-building-columns}Cremation only
{icon:fa-regular fa-lock-keyhole}Fully guaranteed cremation costs
{icon:fa-regular fa-coffin}A coffin suitable for cremation
{icon:fa-regular fa-regular fa-hand-holding-heart}Cared for with dignity, respect and professionalism
Pay monthly
from just
£20.77*
Or a one-off
payment of
£1,950.00
Standard Plan
A traditional funeral with a service for family and friends
{icon:fa-regular fa-building-columns}Choice of burial or cremation
{icon:fa-regular fa-users}A traditional funeral service
{icon:fa-regular fa-coffin}A simple coffin
{icon:fa-regular fa-calendar-check}Choice of date & time for the funeral
Pay monthly
from just
£30.56*
Or a one-off
payment of
£3,800.00
Select Plan
A more comprehensive funeral with additional features included
{icon:fa-regular fa-building-columns}Choice of burial or cremation
{icon:fa-regular fa-users}A traditional funeral service
{icon:fa-regular fa-coffin}A high-quality coffin
{icon:fa-regular fa-calendar-check}Choice of date & time for the funeral
{icon:fa-regular fa-car}One limousine
Pay monthly
from just
£33.35*
Or a one-off
payment of
£4,150.00
Want to see everything that's included? Compare our funeral plans in more detail below.
You can also choose to pay in 12 monthly payments at no extra cost. Learn more about payment options
Compare our funeral plans in detail
Compare the features included in each funeral plan, making it easier to compare your options.
| What's included: | Direct Cremation Plan | Standard Plan | Select Plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type of funeral | Cremation only | Choice of burial or cremation | Choice of burial or cremation |
| Funeral service for family and friends | No service | A traditional funeral service | A traditional funeral service |
| Collection & transportation of the deceased | Within 25 miles (working hours) | Within 25 miles (working hours) | Within 25 miles (24 hours) |
| All arrangements handled by the funeral director | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Care of the deceased | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| A hearse to transport the deceased | Not applicable | Yes | Yes |
| Advice on death certification and registration | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ability to update your funeral plan | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Choice of date & time for the funeral | No | Yes | Yes |
| A limousine for family and friends | Not applicable | No limousine | One limousine |
| Family viewing (at a pre-arranged time) | No | Yes | Yes |
| Coffin type | A coffin suitable for cremation | A simple coffin | A high-quality coffin |
| Use of chapel of rest or service room | Not applicable | Yes | Yes |
| Funeral staff provided as required (e.g. pallbearers) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Third party costs (e.g. cremation or burial fees) | Fully guaranteed cremation costs | £1,100 allowance towards third party costs | £1,100 allowance towards third party costs |
| Care and return of the ashes | Ashes returned to the family, or scattered in a garden of remembrance | Ashes returned to the family, or scattered in a garden of remembrance | Ashes returned to the family, or scattered in a garden of remembrance |
| Support for loved ones | 24-hour telephone support | 24-hour telephone support | 24-hour telephone support |
| Monthly price from | £20.77 * | £30.56 * | £33.35 * |
| Single payment price | £1,950.00 | £3,800.00 | £4,150.00 |
|
Buy this Direct Cremation Plan plan online
Secure online checkout - quick and simple Learn more about this Direct Cremation Plan plan |
Buy this Standard Plan plan online
Secure online checkout - quick and simple Learn more about this Standard Plan plan |
Buy this Select Plan plan online
Secure online checkout - quick and simple Learn more about this Select Plan plan |
|
Good to know for the future
Life can change, so it makes sense that your funeral plan can change too — giving you flexibility as circumstances evolve.
Update your wishes anytime Just call us to review or update your wishes - we’ll guide you through the options.
Your plan moves with you * If you move home, we can transfer your funeral plan to a local funeral director nearer your new house.
Transfer your plan to a loved one If your plan is fully paid, you can choose to transfer it to a loved one at no extra cost.
Why People choose us
Here are some of the things people value when choosing a Golden Charter funeral plan.
Your payments are protected * Your payments are held securely in the Golden Charter Trust, guaranteeing the funeral director services in your plan can be paid for when needed.
Chosen by over 1 million people * Over 1 million people have already chosen Golden Charter to help plan ahead and reduce uncertainty for their loved ones.
Local funeral directors nationwide * We work with over 2,900 independent funeral directors across the UK, many of them family-run and trusted in their local communities.
Helpful information about our funeral plans
Here you'll find helpful information about what's included in our plans, additional costs to consider, and how to request our free funeral plan brochure.
What's included in our plans:
What's included in our funeral plans?
All of the following features are included in our funeral plans as standard and at no extra cost. Please note, features marked with a * are not included within the Direct Cremation Plan.
Provision of professional services and making all arrangements for the funeral
Advice on the certification and registration of the death and related documentation
The coffin*
Collection and transportation of the deceased to the funeral director's premises within a 25 mile radius (collection time frame is dependent on the plan you choose)
Care of the deceased prior to burial or cremation
Use of chapel of rest or service rooms*
Family viewing at any pre-arranged time (Costs may apply if out-of-hours viewing is required.)*
Arrangement of the funeral service at a local cemetery or crematorium*
Funeral held on a normal weekday, during working hours*
Hearse to local crematorium or cemetery*
Provision of sufficient staff to attend to the coffin as required (e.g. pallbearers)
Built-in allowance towards third party costs (amount dependent on the plan you choose)
24 hour funeral director telephone support for the bereaved
Transportation to the funeral director’s premises if death occurs whilst on holiday in mainland UK
What's not included in our plans:
What's not included in our funeral plans?
The following features are not included in our funeral plans as standard, but you can express your wishes when you purchase and add on as appropriate.
Embalming
Burial plot (our plans don’t include the purchase of a burial plot. Should you choose burial, the plans include an allowance towards the opening of a new or existing grave)
Headstone or memorial
Catering / wake
Medical certificates
Minister or officiant fees
Flowers
Order of service
Newspaper / online notices
What's included in our funeral plans?
All of the following features are included in our funeral plans as standard and at no extra cost. Please note, features marked with a * are not included within the Direct Cremation Plan.
Provision of professional services and making all arrangements for the funeral
Advice on the certification and registration of the death and related documentation
The coffin*
Collection and transportation of the deceased to the funeral director's premises within a 25 mile radius (collection time frame is dependent on the plan you choose)
Care of the deceased prior to burial or cremation
Use of chapel of rest or service rooms*
Family viewing at any pre-arranged time (Costs may apply if out-of-hours viewing is required.)*
Arrangement of the funeral service at a local cemetery or crematorium*
Funeral held on a normal weekday, during working hours*
Hearse to local crematorium or cemetery*
Provision of sufficient staff to attend to the coffin as required (e.g. pallbearers)
Built-in allowance towards third party costs (amount dependent on the plan you choose)
24 hour funeral director telephone support for the bereaved
Transportation to the funeral director’s premises if death occurs whilst on holiday in mainland UK
What's not included in our funeral plans?
The following features are not included in our funeral plans as standard, but you can express your wishes when you purchase and add on as appropriate.
Embalming
Burial plot (our plans don’t include the purchase of a burial plot. Should you choose burial, the plans include an allowance towards the opening of a new or existing grave)
Headstone or memorial
Catering / wake
Medical certificates
Minister or officiant fees
Flowers
Order of service
Newspaper / online notices
Additional information
Other funeral costs you need to think about
Whilst the cost of the funeral director’s services are included in your plan, there are other costs you need to consider.
Third party costs
All our plans include an allowance towards third party costs. These are costs for essential, non-funeral director services required to carry out a cremation or burial. Funeral directors cannot control these costs and these fees need to be paid at the time of the funeral. These costs are paid by us or by the selected funeral director to other suppliers or professionals to carry out funeral services.
All our plans include an allowance towards third party costs, with the exception of our Direct Cremation Plan which guarantees that the cremation fee will be fully covered. Our Standard and Select Plans include a £1,100 allowance. This allowance can be used towards cremation fees, burial or interment fees as well as the minister or Officiant’s fee to conduct the service. The built-in allowance will not be used towards certain third party costs such as doctor’s fees (if applicable) or the purchase of the burial plot.
The value of the allowance included in your plan may grow over time. There will only be more to pay at the time of the funeral if the third party costs exceed the allowance when you buy your plan, or if the costs increase by more than the growth of your plan.
Please refer to our Key Features and Terms & Conditions (PDF) document for more information.
Optional services
You can choose to add extra services such as flowers, newspaper notices, a reception, catering and orders of service. These costs are not covered by your plan, you can choose to add these as an additional cost or your funeral director can help to organise these at the time.
Our Fees
The retail price of your funeral plan is representative of the equivalent cost of a funeral today plus an arrangement fee of £350 which we retain to help cover the costs of setting up your plan.
FAQs
If you'd like to know more about Golden Charter or our funeral plans, you can find answers to our most frequently asked questions in our FAQs section.
If you have further questions, please contact us and we'll be happy to help.
Got questions? Talk to us!
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