Compare funeral plans: the best funeral plans comparison

The rising cost of funerals in the UK means prepaid funeral plans, particularly for direct cremations, are becoming more and more popular. Paying for your own funeral in advance means cremation costs are covered and your family won’t be left to foot the bill. This means it’s important to compare funeral plans so that you know exactly what is covered, and what you may need to pay extra for.

The UK’s largest independent cremation services provider
A caring and attentive team here for you and your family 24/7
Nationwide provider operating throughout mainland UK

To help you find the best & cheapest funeral plan on the market, in the table below you can see what's included in the plans of 5 funeral providers.

With so many options out there to choose from, we know how difficult it can be to compare funeral plans and work out what’s best. So in the table below we look at the price, what’s included in each plan and additional extras to make finding the perfect funeral plan that bit easier.

Alternatively, if you need to arrange a funeral today or in the near future, you can compare direct cremation costs.

Interested in an attended funeral plan? Compare our attended funeral plan with other providers.

Unattended Cremation Plan Product Feature Pure Cremation Memoria Affordable Funerals Avalon Funeral Plans Celebration of Life
Price £1,595 £1,795 £1,490 £1,785 £1,450
Cancellation fee ✔️
£95 fee
✔️
£350 fee
✔️
£299 fee
✔️
£395 fee
✔️
£350 fee
Bringing deceased into care during office hours ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ✔️
Bringing deceased into care 24 hours a day ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ✔️
Bringing deceased into care from any place of death, throughout mainland Great Britain ✔️

✔️


£250 extra
✔️

✔️

Doctor's fee for medical cause of death certificate ✔️

✔️


£82 extra

£82 extra
✔️

Removal of pacemaker, medical implants or artificial limbs ✔️

✔️


£100 extra


✔️

Provision of standard coffin ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ✔️
No charge for oversized coffin ✔️

✔️


£250 extra
✔️

✔️

Transport of deceased ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ✔️
Notification of the date of the cremation ✔️ ✔️ ✔️
Unattended cremation fee ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ✔️
Viewing of the deceased
Multiple crematoriums throughout England, Scotland & Wales ✔️ ✔️ ✔️
Choice of cremation time
Hand delivered return of ashes included ✔️ ✔️ ✔️
Ashes return guaranteed within 14 days ✔️

✔️







All information correct as of 07/09/2023

Get your free guide now

Distinct Cremations are specialists in fuss-free, dignified farewells. Our free guide reveals how you can reduce the stress and expense of a traditional funeral.

The guide outlines what is included in the plan, payment options, how to take one out and what will be included in your customer pack.

Alternatively, call us for free on 01543 212 000 and our team will help you get started and answer all your questions.
Get Your Free Guide

What is a funeral plan?

A prepaid funeral plan allows you to pay in advance for the exact services you want while you are still able to do so and avoids leaving your family with any unexpected costs when the time comes.

What are the benefits of a funeral plan?

The major benefit of having a funeral plan in place is that costs are frozen at the current market rate. This means your funeral is protected against any price increases and can be paid off in plenty of time.

The cost of a funeral has increased by 45% since 2010*. But with a funeral plan, you can secure today's prices for the future.

Funeral plans are perfect for those looking to safeguard their future. It removes the uncertainty around your wishes and relieves some of the pressure your loved ones may feel when arranging a funeral.

* Increase is based on the cost of a basic funeral in 2010 (£2,713) and the cost of a basic funeral in 2022 (£3,953) (SunLife Cost of Dying Report 2023, sunlife.co.uk/funeral-costs)

What costs are covered in a funeral plan?

No two funeral plans are the same. Although there are many similar things covered, what you want to include in your funeral plan and what you want to spend is down to you and your family. The first thing to decide on is the type of service you need and which package you'd like.

With Distinct Cremations, you have two options. Our Unattended Direct Cremation Plan and our Private Cremation Plan.

Both of our prepaid funeral plans cover the essentials - a coffin, a simple urn, the cremation, doctor's fees, return of the ashes and much more. By choosing our Unattended Direct Cremation Plan at £1,595 you'll be opting for a simple, no-fuss unattended cremation. Or you can choose to have up to 20 attendees with a 20 minute service by choosing our Private Cremation Plan at £2,145. The funeral plan costs can be broken down into monthly payments and acceptance is guaranteed if you are over 18.

At Distinct Cremations, we offer the best direct cremation funeral plan on the market for the best price. To get your plan in place, you can speak to our expert team 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Alternatively, if you need to arrange a funeral today or in the near future, you can compare direct cremation costs.

Distinct Cremations

Why choose a Direct Cremation with Distinct?

Find Peace of Mind

We’ll take care of everything, so your family don’t need to - from collection to the paperwork and right through to cremation

Highest Quality

We have the Distinct advantage of only investing in the best funeral and mortuary care at our state of the art facilities

24/7 Support

Our highly experienced, attentive customer service specialists are here for you & your family 24/7. We’re here whenever you need us

Available Nationwide

No matter where you live in the UK mainland, our specialist direct cremations are available for the same price

Dedication to Direct Cremation

We focus solely on direct cremations across mainland England, Wales and Scotland, offering the highest quality nationwide for the best price

We offer the highest level of support, but don't take our word for it

Below are a selection of reviews from those who have purchased a funeral plan with Distinct Cremations.

"Easy to purchase and it was peace of mind if anything happens to my wife, in the future, knowing it's all sorted and paid for. Although I have spoken to the reps over the phone they have been friendly and helpful. I have purchased the 1 year plan and it's knowing by November 2024 it will be bought and paid for and definitely a weight off my mind. Touch wood, nothing will happen for a while, but when it does, it will be all sorted."

"I spent a lot of time reading, researching, and looking at several funeral plan provider websites, but this one stood out for the following reasons:

(1) A well laid out website and very informative and comprehensive literature sent in the post.

(2) Good emphasis on how the funeral scheme is protected by the FCA and easy to trace the FCA registration through to the FCA website to see that it is genuine and without any red flags. Also easy to look up the funeral company and its parent companies at Companies House to see that they are all financially healthy and solvent. I really liked the fact that there is also a link to the funeral scheme's trust accounts on the website - very transparent, which is good [and not many competitors do this].

(3) The application process was very easy to follow and complete. Extremely prompt processing of the application [all set up in 24 hours, even though I chose to post mine] and very courteous and polite staff at customer services when I spoke to them.

All in all, just good customer service."

"Easy to organise based on information received which answered all our questions. Delighted with follow up phone call which was very much appreciated providing the human face to internet service."

"Exceptional service, everything was taken care of by kind and considerate staff making a very difficult time easier to bear by removing the stress of organising and planning a funeral. We can now plan how to celebrate my fathers life together as a family and at a time of our choosing."

"They are the most economical when you take out a monthly plan. Very easy to understand and very nice people. Easy to set up direct debit and economical. All very professional"

"The whole process was a lot easier than I expected. Every question that I had was answered thoroughly, and there was no compulsion to proceed until I was totally satisfied. I have since referred other family and friends to Distint Cremations. The Unattended Cremation Plan fitted my brief of a simple, cost effective funeral. I have no family nearby, so this plan made perfect sense for me."

"I talked to the people at Distinct Cremations. They told me these days many of us don’t want to spend large sums of money on an elaborate funeral."

Sue Cook, TV Presenter

Sue bench with funeral plan guide

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