Prepaid Funeral Plans
When it comes to planning a funeral, it can be a sensitive topic to navigate – especially if you are a loved one planning a service or ceremony for the deceased. That’s why it may be beneficial to consider the option of a prepaid funeral plan – as you can help to alleviate the emotional and financial burdens from your family and loved ones by planning and paying for a funeral ahead of time.
Prepaid Funeral Plans from Open Prepaid Funerals
We at, Special Send Offs have chosen to become an Introducer Appointed Representative of Open Prepaid Funerals, who offer fair, clear and transparent funeral plans. The experienced team at Open will guide you through the process of taking out a prepaid funeral plan and look after the financial aspects of the plan, whilst keeping us on hand to ensure your personal preferences can be met and that we maintain our relationships with the families we serve.
This relationship allows Special Send Offs to provide Open with our expertise and guidance on how the funeral is conducted whilst they set up a plan to suit your needs and preferences.
You can jump straight to our page on Open’s website to see the standard plans and prices, simply click here.
About Open Prepaid Funerals
Open Prepaid Funerals Limited was formed in 2003 with the aim of providing a financially secure and ethical method of planning a future funeral by specialising in prepaid funeral plans. We offer a range of prepaid funeral plans, from a low-key unattended cremation to attended services designed to suit a variety of requirements. You can also create almost anything you require in our very detailed and unique bespoke plan.
The cost of your prepaid funeral plan depends entirely on the plan you choose, your personal preference and the level of service that you require. The expert team of Open Advisers will talk you through this on the telephone, online using a webcam, or if required, face to face.
Once set up, your payment is made into The Open Prepaid Funerals Trust Fund, where it is managed by professional fund managers, overseen by a board of trustees and independently audited annually. The trust deed has been created in such a way that its purpose is to offer greater protection to you the plan holder and your family or estate. We here at Special Send Offs will have the responsibility for the provision of your funeral on behalf of you through Open Prepaid Funerals.
Why Choose a Prepaid Funeral Plan
By choosing a prepaid funeral plan, this is a simple and practical way to let your loved ones know that everything is taken care of. Some of the main benefits include:
• Reduces financial burden – as the funeral plan will be paid up front or in monthly instalments, this can reduce the financial burden on loved ones when the time comes.
• Can alleviate emotional stress – planning your funeral beforehand helps to alleviate added stress, but also provides a caring solution to decrease emotional stress on your loved ones.
• Funeral Director professional fees are fixed – although funeral plan prices may fluctuate due to inflation, the price of the funeral directors professional services is fixed at the time the plan has been bought – meaning that your plan is safe for years to come.
• Contribution to disbursements – your plan can include a contribution to third party costs, such as; the crematorium cost, a minister or officiant to carry out the service, flowers or obituary notices. Your contribution to disbursements is not guaranteed to be covered and your family or estate may have to make an additional contribution at the time of need. A list of potential disbursements are available in our terms and conditions.
• Individual personalisation – by choosing a prepaid funeral plan, you can decide on the theme of your own funeral yourself and ensure that everything is to your taste and personal preference ahead of the time.
By choosing a local independent funeral director with Open Prepaid Funerals, you can receive a high-quality experience along with the expertise required – allowing you to be safe in the knowledge your funeral is taken care of when the time comes. Simply get in touch with us and we will arrange an appointment with an Open Adviser or you can contact Open directly on 0330 660 0072 to get the process started.
Special Send Offs is an Introducer Appointed Representative of Open Prepaid Funerals Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Firm Reference Number 962403
Important Questions
Firstly, how to compare pre-paid funeral plans: Sometimes the answers are hidden in the fine-print so I have put them at the top of the page!
1 What are the cancellation charges? Ours = £0
2 What are the admin fees? Ours = £195
3 What is the average yearly interest rate on the plan over 10yrs? Ours = £3.3%
4 Do you pay interest on the FD costs and the 3rd Party Costs? Ours = Both
5 What is the 3rd party Contribution? Ours = £1,174 (2020)
6. Can plans be personalised? Ours = Yes, completely
Below are the commonly asked questions pretty much in the order I get asked them. I am also asked why our Funerals and Funeral Plans cost less than many other Funeral Directors. The answer to that is mostly because we keep our overheads down through careful spending and make less profit than many of the bigger companies.
There are some companies that may cost less than we do BUT this comes at a risk to you and also them! Some offer such low prices that someone in your family will inevitably have to pay a top-up fee come the time the funeral is needed. The low price is to tempt you to make a purchase. Do your homework first and avoid the cheapest and also the most expensive!
What happens to my money if your business closes or changes hands?
Your money is safe within a Trust Fund; you don’t pay the money into Special Send-Offs for this very reason! It is paid into a Funeral Planning Authority approved Trust fund operated by Open PrePaid Funerals.
Can I get all my money back if I decide to cancel the plan?
Yes. You can cancel and get all of your money back apart from the £195 admin fee. You get ALL the money you put in back. Details in our terms https://www.openprepaidfunerals.co.uk/terms
How much interest do I earn per year?
In the last 10 years the average interest rate has been 3.3%. Its important to note this is on the whole plan value! If you are comparing plans ask if you earn interest on the total plan value!..and at what rate, many are just CPI.
What if you put your prices up?
The Funeral Director costs in your plan become fixed and they can’t be increased therefore you are protected from price increases.
What are Third Party Costs and what do you contribute to these?
Third party costs are sometimes called Disbursements. These are cremation / burial costs, Dr’s fees and Celebrant / Vicar’s fees. These costs are not within our control. At the time of writing we put £1,174 into the plan. Please call to confirm. Scarborough 01723 267 346.
What if we want to add or change things on the plan?
This can be done by us, or by you, at anytime either by phone or by email. Payment additions can be made if you want to also. There are no admin charges for making changes to your plan
Can I change my plan from my existing company to you?
Yes you probably can dependent on what type of plan you have. If you are in a scheme paying into a plan for your lifetime then you may lose everything if you stop payments! Always check the fine-print! We won’t advise you to change plans until the key checks have been made. Call us and we will help you to find out.
What if we move? Is our special Send-Offs pre-paid funeral plan still valid? Will there be additional charges?
The plan is still valid. There may be additional travel costs but these will be sensible and based on a mileage rate and hourly rate. Different area crematoria have varying prices compared to Woodlands Crematorium, Scarborough; these may increase or decrease the cost.
We use Open Pre-Paid Funerals. www.openprepaidfunerals.co.uk.
They are a registered provider of the FPA (Funeral Planning Authority) and are the only funeral plan provider to be recommended by the www.goodfuneralguide.co.uk The UK’s only not-for-profit independent funeral information resource for funeral advice.