No fuss cremations
Discussion
I've not seen this crop up and am pretty sure it's my wish. I am aware of what's involved and have made my wishes known.
I would like to prepay but as I'm only 62 in theory that gives a company hopefully 20+ years to rip me off.
Any experience of using these companies.
My mother has also decided that she wishes to do this, fortunately she's in her 80s and will see me out, Mr G. Reaper would be too f
king scared to go anywhere near her.
I would like to prepay but as I'm only 62 in theory that gives a company hopefully 20+ years to rip me off.
Any experience of using these companies.
My mother has also decided that she wishes to do this, fortunately she's in her 80s and will see me out, Mr G. Reaper would be too f
king scared to go anywhere near her.Speak to a local independent funeral director, they will give you decent advice and provide a much more personal service for no extra cost. They will have pre pay services that will cover the costs and you won't end up stored for a few weeks in a fridge on an industrial estate somewhere.
This is from a thread in the business section I mentioned above:
All these types of plans - Service Plans, Christmas Clubs, and the like cost more money and expose you to the risk that the company may not be there when you need them.
Stick a bit of money aside in a savings account. Tell your family what you want and make sure they will have access to the account when you go toes up.
ADJimbo said:
I own and run a number of businesses within the UK Funeral Sector but have never sold nor recommended funeral plans to any associate or family member. Funeral Plans service a market which could be better served by placing the funds in a bank account and the NOK drawing-down as and when needed.
It’s an insurance product when all said and done and needs to be treated as such. - there are no guarantees of payouts when needed, for some strange and often, non-sensical reasons. The older generation want to make it ‘easy as possible’ for the family left behind, but from experience it frequently causes more rifts, issues and fall-outs among the family than having a plan in place solves.
Others have said similar.It’s an insurance product when all said and done and needs to be treated as such. - there are no guarantees of payouts when needed, for some strange and often, non-sensical reasons. The older generation want to make it ‘easy as possible’ for the family left behind, but from experience it frequently causes more rifts, issues and fall-outs among the family than having a plan in place solves.
All these types of plans - Service Plans, Christmas Clubs, and the like cost more money and expose you to the risk that the company may not be there when you need them.
Stick a bit of money aside in a savings account. Tell your family what you want and make sure they will have access to the account when you go toes up.
blingybongy said:
I've not seen this crop up and am pretty sure it's my wish. I am aware of what's involved and have made my wishes known.
I would like to prepay but as I'm only 62 in theory that gives a company hopefully 20+ years to rip me off.
Any experience of using these companies.
My mother has also decided that she wishes to do this, fortunately she's in her 80s and will see me out, Mr G. Reaper would be too fking scared to go anywhere near her.
I would strongly suggest that you do not prepay.I would like to prepay but as I'm only 62 in theory that gives a company hopefully 20+ years to rip me off.
Any experience of using these companies.
My mother has also decided that she wishes to do this, fortunately she's in her 80s and will see me out, Mr G. Reaper would be too f
king scared to go anywhere near her.Stick the dough in some sort of bank savings account, or Premium Bonds even.
Yes my dad had one of the (prepaid in full) no fuss plans from Pure Cremations to fix the cost, unfortunately cancer took him considerably sooner than expected so it was only prepaid a few months prior to being needed. It's obviously becoming a far more popular service by the number of times I see their vans trundling up / down the M3 on my commute.
blingybongy said:
Some excellent advice there.
I think what I'll do is bung a few thousand into premium bonds and give my daughter access, if you can, either way that seems like a good idea and I might win a million in the meantime. ??
FWIW funerals etc are for the living, so I'd talk it through with family and at least save a bit for a wake as well.I think what I'll do is bung a few thousand into premium bonds and give my daughter access, if you can, either way that seems like a good idea and I might win a million in the meantime. ??
ARHarh said:
Speak to a local independent funeral director, they will give you decent advice and provide a much more personal service for no extra cost. They will have pre pay services that will cover the costs and you won't end up stored for a few weeks in a fridge on an industrial estate somewhere.
I hate to burst your bubble but this is the reality for the vast majority of people whichever route you choose to go. Waiting times of weeks for a service and bodies have to go somewhere. ARHarh said:
Speak to a local independent funeral director, they will give you decent advice and provide a much more personal service for no extra cost. They will have pre pay services that will cover the costs and you won't end up stored for a few weeks in a fridge on an industrial estate somewhere.
What happens if your "local independent funeral director" goes broke and all your money has vanished?No. Just make sure that you keep the money SAFE somewhere.
Any road, how many people can't lay their hands on, say, £3,000 when they need to. Very few, I would suggest.
Alickadoo said:
ARHarh said:
Speak to a local independent funeral director, they will give you decent advice and provide a much more personal service for no extra cost. They will have pre pay services that will cover the costs and you won't end up stored for a few weeks in a fridge on an industrial estate somewhere.
What happens if your "local independent funeral director" goes broke and all your money has vanished?No. Just make sure that you keep the money SAFE somewhere.
Any road, how many people can't lay their hands on, say, £3,000 when they need to. Very few, I would suggest.
blingybongy said:
Some excellent advice there.
I think what I'll do is bung a few thousand into premium bonds and give my daughter access, if you can, either way that seems like a good idea and I might win a million in the meantime. ??
The funeral is one thing your estate can pay for before probate is complete. If you’re concerned about family fronting the bill, as long as you have the funds in an account when you toddle off it should be ok. I think what I'll do is bung a few thousand into premium bonds and give my daughter access, if you can, either way that seems like a good idea and I might win a million in the meantime. ??
Premium bonds might be more of an arse to access actually.
Lo-Fi said:
Where do you actually live? Because it certainly isn't in the real world.
Who are you asking?My better half works for an independent funeral directors, and if you knew what the likes of the co op or direct cremations do with the deceased and the hassle the funeral directors have getting paid for collection of the deceased, you would think twice. Most of the plans you see advertised on TV end up not quite covering the real costs involved.
Not all funeral directors are equal though as with anything in this world.
ARHarh said:
Who are you asking?
My better half works for an independent funeral directors, and if you knew what the likes of the co op or direct cremations do with the deceased and the hassle the funeral directors have getting paid for collection of the deceased, you would think twice. Most of the plans you see advertised on TV end up not quite covering the real costs involved.
Not all funeral directors are equal though as with anything in this world.
I'm asking from a position of complete ignorance on the matter. My better half works for an independent funeral directors, and if you knew what the likes of the co op or direct cremations do with the deceased and the hassle the funeral directors have getting paid for collection of the deceased, you would think twice. Most of the plans you see advertised on TV end up not quite covering the real costs involved.
Not all funeral directors are equal though as with anything in this world.
Do local funeral directors offer a very basic no frills cremation service?
My wife and I both agree that we want nothing more than the body taken away and returned as a jar of ashes. No church, celebrant or plates of stale sandwiches.
The direct cremation approach appeals to us but we are keen to support local businesses if they would offer the same (lack of) service.
Desiderata said:
I'm asking from a position of complete ignorance on the matter.
Do local funeral directors offer a very basic no frills cremation service?
My wife and I both agree that we want nothing more than the body taken away and returned as a jar of ashes. No church, celebrant or plates of stale sandwiches.
The direct cremation approach appeals to us but we are keen to support local businesses if they would offer the same (lack of) service.
We've very sadly had to go through this with my Dad and father in law in the past couple of years.Do local funeral directors offer a very basic no frills cremation service?
My wife and I both agree that we want nothing more than the body taken away and returned as a jar of ashes. No church, celebrant or plates of stale sandwiches.
The direct cremation approach appeals to us but we are keen to support local businesses if they would offer the same (lack of) service.
For my Dad we used a local undertaker who outsourced it to Pure Cremation, for my FIL we used Pure Cremation directly.
The local undertaker offered varying options regarding cremation, each of which cost more. I think we could have had my Dad cremated locally if we wished.
Both times the service was truly excellent and we sprinkled both sets of ashes in a place which meant a great deal to both of them which, to us, meant a lot more than a church service (neither were religious).
I wouldn't pay in advance I don't think. The basic cremation wasn't ridiculously expensive.
Desiderata, my best friend died , aged 62, in October of last year. Before he passed we discussed funeral arrangements. He wanted the absolute bear minimum at the least cost. I was charged with managing the whole process. I used Alexander & Dry in Basingstoke and they were excellent. The cost, consisting of picking up the body from a local Hospice, storing it, preparing it for viewing, placing it in the most basic coffin and an unattended cremation was £1600. As it happened nobody actually viewed the body after it had been collected from the crematorium. My friend's wife stood outside whilst he was actually being cremated whilst they played "The Ace of Spades" for her !!
I was quoted earlier up in this post for my advice given on the thread running in the business section. I own and run a number of businesses within this industry.
There is a division on this thread so please allow me to clear something up…
Funerals are divided into two needs known as ‘pre-need’and ‘at-need’. Pre-need is the purchase of a funeral before it’s needed. This can encompass funeral plans, life insurance policies etc. At-need is just that - death has occurred and prompt disposal is now required.
The OP was questioning the details of a basic funeral service. This is known in the industry as a ‘Direct Cremation’ and essentially, the deceased is prepared and taken to a crematorium, cremated and the cremated remains (ashes) are returned to the NOK. There is no service, families / friends cannot attend the funeral etc. and this suits some people but not others - it’s horses for courses. Any FD - be that a high street brand or a small independent can offer this as an option and most will happily do so.
Pre-need is the purchase of a funeral before it’s needed - basically you’re still living. My personal view is that this approach has pitfalls. You’re purchasing an insurance product and like all things insurance, you’ll only find out how good and effective the product you’ve purchased is until you need to claim on the policy. I’ve never advocated these funeral policies, never sold them, never recommended them nor would I ever do so. They’re a stain on my industry and whilst they’re now - allegedly - regulated - my personal view remains the same - proceed with caution. I still advocate that families should ring-fence funds, be that premium bonds, post-office savings or in a shoe-box under the bed if needs be but where it can be accessed.
Whilst Funerall plans are now regulated there is still opportunity for FD’s to defraud the system, has as been happening for years and years. Another poster warned against using high-street big branded FD’s snd this is not a view I’d share - I see many, many breaches in standards from ‘one-man-bands’ than I’ll ever see in big, branded organisations.
I hope this clears the confusion up. To the OP - you’re asking about a Direct Cremation and to answer that question, any FD will perform that service to your family when it’s needed. Be cautious about buying anything funeral plan related where it might pay out further down the line.
There is a division on this thread so please allow me to clear something up…
Funerals are divided into two needs known as ‘pre-need’and ‘at-need’. Pre-need is the purchase of a funeral before it’s needed. This can encompass funeral plans, life insurance policies etc. At-need is just that - death has occurred and prompt disposal is now required.
The OP was questioning the details of a basic funeral service. This is known in the industry as a ‘Direct Cremation’ and essentially, the deceased is prepared and taken to a crematorium, cremated and the cremated remains (ashes) are returned to the NOK. There is no service, families / friends cannot attend the funeral etc. and this suits some people but not others - it’s horses for courses. Any FD - be that a high street brand or a small independent can offer this as an option and most will happily do so.
Pre-need is the purchase of a funeral before it’s needed - basically you’re still living. My personal view is that this approach has pitfalls. You’re purchasing an insurance product and like all things insurance, you’ll only find out how good and effective the product you’ve purchased is until you need to claim on the policy. I’ve never advocated these funeral policies, never sold them, never recommended them nor would I ever do so. They’re a stain on my industry and whilst they’re now - allegedly - regulated - my personal view remains the same - proceed with caution. I still advocate that families should ring-fence funds, be that premium bonds, post-office savings or in a shoe-box under the bed if needs be but where it can be accessed.
Whilst Funerall plans are now regulated there is still opportunity for FD’s to defraud the system, has as been happening for years and years. Another poster warned against using high-street big branded FD’s snd this is not a view I’d share - I see many, many breaches in standards from ‘one-man-bands’ than I’ll ever see in big, branded organisations.
I hope this clears the confusion up. To the OP - you’re asking about a Direct Cremation and to answer that question, any FD will perform that service to your family when it’s needed. Be cautious about buying anything funeral plan related where it might pay out further down the line.
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