Funeral Zone study makes headlines in the Telegraph

Funeral Guide’s research into funeral planning in the UK has made headlines in the Telegraph, highlighting the number of people who have not made plans for the end of life.

The Telegraph, Britain’s most popular broadsheet newspaper, ran the story ‘UK behind the rest of Europe for funeral planning’, featuring Funeral Guide’s research.

Funeral Guide, which is now the UK’s number one funeral website, commissioned the YouGov study into funeral planning. The results of the study showed that less than six per cent of Brits have a pre-paid funeral plan.

People in Wales were least likely to have a plan, while people in Northern Ireland were most likely to pay for their funeral costs in advance.

The research also showed that the death of a spouse has a big impact on end of life planning, with nearly one third of widowed people taking out a funeral plan.

While people in later life were more likely to have made plans, fewer than one in six retirees had taken out a funeral plan to cover the cost of their funeral when they died.

Compared to some European countries, relatively few Brits plan for the end of life. In the Netherlands, up to 70 per cent of people have taken out funeral insurance or pre-paid for their funeral in advance, according to some estimates.

“It’s great to see respected voices like the Telegraph using our research to highlight the importance of planning financially for the end of life,” said Gary Moyle, Funeral Guide’s head of digital.

“Our study showed that most Brits aren’t making financial plans for the future and that is worrying. Funeral plans help cover costs in advance and save money in the long-run.”

Funeral plans are designed to let you secure the cost of a funeral at today’s prices, meaning that when the time comes your loved ones will have less planning to do and fewer expenses to cover.

The expenses covered by funeral plans can vary depending on the provider and specific package you choose. The Funeral Planning Authority recommends shopping around and checking carefully what expenses are covered before committing to a funeral plan.

Find out more about funeral plans and compare funeral plan providers near you.