What Do Funeral Plans Cover?

What’s Included & What Isn’t

A funeral plan lets you arrange and pay for specified funeral services in advance.

People put them in place for many reasons: to get organised, spare loved ones difficult choices, or secure today’s prices for the future.

But what does a Funeral Plan cover?

The answer depends on the provider and the plan you choose.

A plan could provide a simple unattended direct cremation, while another could include an attended funeral service, hearse, pallbearers and funeral procession.

That’s why it’s important not to assume that every funeral plan covers the same things.

Here’s what to look for.

What do funeral plans cover?

Depending on the provider and plan, a prepaid funeral plan may cover services such as:

• Collection of the person who has died
• Care before the funeral
• A coffin
• Funeral director services
• Cremation fees
• An attended or unattended cremation
• Use of the crematorium chapel
• A funeral service
• Music or readings
• A hearse
• Pallbearers
• A funeral procession
• Arrangements for the ashes

Some plans will include only some of these services; others may provide considerably more.

The most reliable way to know what’s covered is to check the individual plan documentation and ask questions if you’re unsure.

Does a funeral plan cover collection when someone dies?

Many plans include collection of the person who has died, but the terms can vary considerably.

Remember to check:

• Where collection is available from
• Whether collection is available 24 hours a day
• Whether homes, hospitals and care homes are included
• The geographical area covered
• If there are additional charges in certain circumstances

This is an easy detail to overlook when comparing plans but an important one for families when the plan eventually needs to be used.

At Funerals with Grace, collection from mainland UK is included as standard across all our plans. That includes hospitals, residential addresses, and care homes, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Do funeral plans cover the coffin?

Many funeral plans include a coffin, but the type provided can differ depending on the plan.

If the appearance, material or style of coffin is important to you, check exactly what’s included.

If you or your family later choose something different from the coffin provided by the plan, there may be an additional cost.

Funerals with Grace plans include a suitable coffin, with the type varying by plan. Our plans also include provision for an oversized coffin where required.

Do funeral plans cover cremation fees?

Some prepaid cremation plans include crematorium fees. It’s important to check this specifically because a plan that appears inexpensive could be less attractive if important third-party costs sit outside the advertised price. Funerals with Grace plans include the necessary cremation and crematorium fees.

Do funeral plans cover an attended service?

Not all of them – and this is one of the biggest differences between funeral plans.

A direct cremation plan usually provides an unattended cremation. Nobody attends the cremation itself, and there is no funeral service at the crematorium. An attended plan allows loved ones to be present. But attended plans can differ too.

One might provide a simple committal for a small number of people, while another could provide more time, greater flexibility and a fuller funeral service.

So don’t stop at: “Can people attend?”

Also ask: “What will they actually be able to do when they’re there?”

Does a funeral plan cover a hearse?

Not necessarily; a traditional hearse isn’t automatically included with every funeral plan – particularly simpler direct or attended cremation options.

If travelling behind a hearse or having a traditional funeral procession matters to you, look for a plan that explicitly provides those services.

Our Violet plan, for example, is our more traditional option and includes a hearse, bearers, and a procession route.

Do funeral plans cover music and readings?

This depends on the type of service provided. Some attended cremation plans let you choose music and readings, while an unattended direct cremation doesn’t include a funeral service for them to form part of. Think about how important personalisation is to you.

If you have a particular song, reading, prayer or other element that you’d like incorporated into your funeral, check whether your chosen plan allows for it.

What happens to the ashes?

This can be an easy one to overlook. After a cremation, the ashes need to be returned, collected or respectfully laid to rest according to the arrangements offered by the provider and the family’s wishes.

Check whether:

• The ashes are returned to your family
• Collection is required
• Delivery is available
• There’s a charge
• Committing the ashes to a garden of remembrance is an option

With our plans, ashes can be hand delivered within 28 days of the cremation or respectfully committed to a garden of remembrance.

Do funeral plans cover medical-device removal?

Some medical devices need to be removed before cremation.

It’s worth checking whether this is included in your plan rather than assuming it will be.

Removal of medical devices is included as standard in Funerals with Grace plans.

Do funeral plans cover larger coffins?

This can vary between funeral plan providers.

People come in different shapes and sizes, so it’s worth checking whether a plan contains restrictions or additional charges where a larger coffin is required.

Funerals with Grace includes oversized coffin provision as standard across our funeral plans.

What isn’t usually included in a funeral plan?

A funeral plan doesn’t necessarily cover every expense associated with somebody’s death or every choice a family might make around a funeral.

Depending on the provider and plan, things outside the plan could include:

• Flowers
• Catering or a wake
• Memorial stones
• Newspaper notices
• Additional limousines
• Additional products or services selected by the family
• Embalming
• Other personal extras not specified in the contract

Always check the specific plan rather than treating this as a universal list.

What do the four Funerals with Grace plans cover?

Our four cremation plans provide different levels of funeral service.

Direct – £1,595*

Our simplest option.

It provides an unattended direct cremation, meaning there are no mourners or funeral service at the crematorium.

It may suit someone who would prefer a simple cremation and for their family to remember them separately.

Rose – £2,295*

Rose provides an attended committal, giving a limited number of loved ones the opportunity to be present and say goodbye.

It sits between direct cremation and a fuller funeral service.

Bluebell – £2,895*

Bluebell provides an attended cremation with greater flexibility around the service.

It may suit someone for whom having time for family and friends to gather, music, readings and a more personalised service is important.

Violet – £3,595*

Violet is our more traditional funeral option.

It provides additional traditional elements, including a hearse, bearers and funeral procession.

(*T&C’s apply)

Before choosing any of these plans, check the full current plan documentation for the precise inclusions, exclusions and terms.

How do I compare what funeral plans cover?

Create a simple checklist of what matters to you and place each provider’s plan alongside it.

For example:

What matters to me?	Plan A	Plan B
Collection arrangements	✓/✗	✓/✗
Cremation fees included	✓/✗	✓/✗
Oversized coffin included	✓/✗	✓/✗
Medical-device removal included	✓/✗	✓/✗
Loved ones can attend	✓/✗	✓/✗
Choice of crematorium	✓/✗	✓/✗
Music/readings	✓/✗	✓/✗
Hearse	✓/✗	✓/✗
Pallbearers	✓/✗	✓/✗
Ashes returned	✓/✗	✓/✗

Suddenly, two funeral plans with similar prices can look very different.

The goal is to find a plan that covers what you value.

What should I ask before buying a funeral plan?

Before deciding, ask:

• What exactly does the plan cover?
• What doesn’t it cover?
• Are there restrictions on collection?
• Can my family attend?
• Which crematorium will be used?
• Are cremation fees included?
• What coffin is provided?
• Are there charges for an oversized coffin?
• Is medical-device removal included?
• What happens to my ashes?
• Could my family face additional costs?
• What happens if I change my mind?
• How is my money protected?

If the answers aren’t clear, ask again.

What do funeral plans cover? Frequently asked questions

Do funeral plans cover all funeral costs?

Not necessarily. A funeral plan covers the services specified in its contract. Additional products or services chosen outside the plan may need to be paid for separately.

Do funeral plans cover direct cremation?

Funeral plans are available that cover direct cremation. These usually provide an unattended cremation without a funeral service at the crematorium.

Do funeral plans cover a wake?

A wake and associated catering aren’t generally part of the core cremation service and aren’t included as standard in Funerals with Grace plans.

Do funeral plans cover the ashes being returned?

Some do. Check the particular plan for how the ashes are handled, whether they’re delivered or collected and whether any restrictions or charges apply.

Do funeral plans cover bariatric or oversized coffins?

This varies between providers. Funerals with Grace includes oversized coffin provision within its funeral plans.

Choose what’s right for you

The most comprehensive funeral plan isn’t necessarily the right one – and neither is the cheapest. Start by thinking about the funeral you’d actually want.

• Would you like people there?
• Do you want a service?
• Do traditional elements matter?
• What would you like to happen to your ashes?

Then find the plan that covers those things, and check carefully what isn’t included too.

At Funerals with Grace, our team can explain what’s included in each of our four plans and answer your questions without telling you which one you should choose.