Pre-Paid Funeral Plans

Making plans for the future brings mixed feelings. It is right to concentrate on the good things, but sometimes, perhaps when you are deciding about your Will, there are things that you would rather not think about!
For example, you may not have considered planning a funeral in advance, but there are several reasons why it can bring great peace of mind.

Future costs may be a worry, so it makes good sense to guard against unknown price rises in the future. The cost of many funerals has more than doubled in the last ten years, and prices are set to continue to rise in the future. If you have savings set aside for your funeral, you can never be sure that there will be enough - and that can lead to you setting aside more than you may really need to. The Society of Will Writers Guaranteed Funeral Plan is the way to be absolutely certain that the services of the funeral director will be provided and that there will be nothing more to pay for these services.

Bereaved relatives usually arrange a funeral. It helps to ‘do something’ at times of sadness, but it is not a good time to make important decisions - which, if wrong, cannot be put right later.

People may worry that their wishes will not be carried out. Relatives may be unsure what was actually wanted. Pre-planning really helps.

Those responsible for elderly relatives find that planning ahead actually helps reduce the inevitable stress of bereavement.

How Does The Society of Will Writers Guaranteed Funeral Plan Actually Work?

1. You choose the plan that best suits you from three plans. If you have any special requirements, just let us know and we will do all we can to ensure that your wishes are carried out. If you have preference for a particular funeral director please mention this when you apply.
2. You pay for the funeral of your choice. This secures a guarantee that the services of the funeral director will be provided as specified and there will never be more to pay for these services.
3. You then complete the application form and The Society of Will Writers will deal with Funeral Planning Services Limited. You will be sent a guarantee certificate showing details of the funeral arrangements you have stipulated, together with other information to help your family or executor at the time of the funeral.

Is There Anything Else I need To Know?
Some of the most common questions asked are:

Q. Is the money for my funeral safe - what if The Society of Will Writers or Funeral Planning Services Limited go out of business?
A. HSBC Trust Company (U.K.) Ltd. as custodian trustee for Funeral Planning Trust holds the money. This is an independent fund established to pay for clients’ funerals when required. In the unlikely event of either The Society of Will Writers or Funeral Planning Services Limited ceasing to exist, the funeral would still be carried out according to your Guaranteed Funeral Plan and the funeral director would be paid from the trust fund.

Q. What if I move?
A. Your guarantee is simply re-located to another funeral director convenient to your new home. If you decide to live abroad, you may apply for a refund.

Summary - Why Buy A Funeral Plan?

• Your wishes will be carried out.
• Costs are fixed from outset so family will be spared financial obligations.
• Your requirements are specified in a guarantee.
• You can pay to suit your own circumstances.
• You can specify your own ‘extras’.
• You relieve the family from difficult decisions.
Your finances may be improved (housing benefit, income support, etc.)
• You won’t worry about the safety of your money.
• Those you leave behind will remember you’re your thoughtfulness.