Have peace of mind with
Pre-Paid Funeral Plans
A funeral plan is an easy way to arrange the funeral you want in advance. A plan allows you to specify your wishes and pay for the funeral director’s services included in your plan. As customers often tell us, that can bring peace of mind to you and your family. A plan from Golden Charter also includes an allowance towards third party costs. These are essential, non-funeral director services such as the cremation or burial fees, plus the minister or officiant’s fee to perform the service.
At Sturrock Comb & Davidson, we work in partnership with Golden Charter to provide you with a simple way to plan ahead. As one of the UK’s largest funeral plan providers*, Golden Charter has helped 900,000 people make funeral provisions** so we’re completely confident in offering their plans to you.
Everyone has different needs when it comes to funeral planning, so we make sure the plans we offer are as flexible as possible. When you get in touch, we’ll be happy to discuss your funeral requirements and tailor a plan to suit you. Rest assured a plan from Golden Charter is available to all UK residents regardless of age or state of health.
*Based on a Golden Charter analysis and independent research of the funeral plan market size as at January 2023.
**Correct at March 2023.
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As an independently owned funeral director, we’ll take the time to understand your wishes and tailor a plan to suit you. We can discuss these at our premises or in your home, at a time that is convenient for you. If you’d prefer to discuss this over the phone or via email, we can assist with this too. You can tell us about any preferences you have in mind – the type of funeral you would like to have, hymns, music or any other personal touches – and we’ll make sure your plan takes these into account.
Our funeral director’s services will be covered in your funeral plan, which means our fees will be fixed at today’s prices. These services typically include:
-Professional services and making arrangements for the funeral
-Transportation of the deceased from the place of death to our premises, chapel of rest or other suitable location
-Care of the deceased and preparations for family viewing if requested
-Advice on the certification and registration of death and related documentation
-Provision of funeral vehicles
-Advice on bereavement counselling
-Coffin or casket requested
Although a pre-paid funeral plan can cover all of the services above, there are some additional third party costs to consider. These are the costs for essential, non-funeral director services required to carry out a cremation or burial which need to be paid at the time of the funeral. These costs are outside our control. Depending on the plan type chosen, a Golden Charter funeral plan can include a contribution towards some third party costs. They may include:
-Crematorium fee
-Minister or officiant’s fee
-Cemetery fee: the opening of a new or existing grave for burial or interment of cremated remains
Other third party costs that may be associated with a funeral include:
-Purchase of grave or lair
-Hire of church or other venue
-Fees or organist or soloist
-Memorial, such as a headstone, entry in a book of remembrance, or the planting of a tree
-Catering, floral tributes and newspaper announcements
There will only be more to pay at the time of the funeral if the third party costs exceed the allowance when you buy your plan, or if the costs increase by more than the growth of your plan. Even if prices rise in the future, once your plan is paid for, you’ll have the reassurance of knowing there’ll be nothing more to pay for our services included in the plan – guaranteed.
With a Golden Charter funeral plan, you can pay for your plan in several ways. Spread the cost or make a one-off payment – simply choose the one that’s right for you. We will provide you with the information you need to make an informed decision.
The retail price of your funeral plan is representative of the equivalent cost of a funeral today plus an arrangement fee of £285 which is retained by Golden Charter to help cover the costs of setting up your plan.
Your payments are held within the Golden Charter Trust. With £1.2 billion under management,1 the Trust is operated by a Board of Trustees, completely independent of Golden Charter. Their role is to hold your payments and ensure that the funeral director services in your plan can be paid for at the time they are required – however far into the future that may be. For more information on how your payments are protected, please visit goldencharter.co.uk/faqs
As a Golden Charter plan holder, you’ll receive personalised plan documents, which include a summary of your plan, our details, your plan holder certificate and a personal membership card for you to carry in your purse or wallet. You can add a nominated representative to your plan if you wish to do so. Your nominated representative will receive a letter which will provide details of your plan and our details, as your chosen funeral director. They will have no authority to make changes to your plan.
You’ll also receive a statement from Golden Charter every three years which will be sent via your preferred contact method.
As your funeral director, we’ll hold full details of your funeral plan. When the time comes, one phone call is all it takes to activate your plan and get the arrangements underway.
Ready to take the next step? Get in touch today
As well as the comfort of having a plan in place, you’ll have the peace of mind that comes with being able to help save your family from worry and expense in the future. So why not take the next step?
Sturrock Comb & Davidson Ltd is an appointed representative of Golden Charter Limited trading as Golden Charter Funeral Plans which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN:965279).
Confirmed by Golden Charter Trust’s audited accounts at 31 March 2022.
Many ordinary folk, just like you, perhaps, who have given some thought to the future and through losing loved ones, have known the pain of bereavement - and the distress of selecting the funeral arrangements, as well as the financial anxiety. Sometimes they worry about how their sons, daughters or even grandchildren will cope at the time of their own funeral. That's why so many people trust us to pre-arrange their funeral, giving you and your loved ones peace of mind.
Sturrock Comb & Davidson Ltd is an appointed representative of Golden Charter Limited trading as Golden Charter Funeral Plans which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN:965279).
The price of funerals, like everything else, keeps going up. But no matter how much the cost of our services may rise in the future, once your plan is fully paid, you can rest assured that your loved ones will not be asked for a penny more for our services.
There are some costs that are paid on your behalf by the funeral director. They are known as disbursements, for example the fees of cemeteries, crematoria, and clergy. These costs are not within our control and are not guaranteed.
Each plan includes a sum towards these costs and only if these costs increase faster than the growth in the Trust might there be a balance to pay.
Most plan holders pay in full for their plan in a single payment.
The benefits of this include that your plan is in place as soon as the relevant paperwork is complete and accepted by the plan provider.
It is possible to pay for your plan (at no extra cost) over a period of 12 months by Direct Debit. If you choose this option, your plan will not be in place until the final payment is made. Should you die before making the final payment, your family or estate would be asked to pay the remaining balance.
You can be sure your money will always be secure. Your payment goes directly to The Funeral Planning Company Trust, which holds the money for your funeral on behalf of participating funeral directors.
That is why the funeral director is able to provide a legally binding contract, which guarantees that your funeral arrangements will be carried out exactly as you wish when required. The Trust Fund is a separate legal entity from Sturrock Comb & Davidson. In the unlikely event of something untoward affecting the company, the Fund would still continue indefinitely, until every plan had been carried out and payment made to the funeral director.
Consideration for others is the most common reason for buying a Sturrock Comb & Davidson Plan. Peace of mind is the most common benefit. With Sturrock Comb & Davidson you know that your loved ones will be spared much of the burden of bereavement. You'll have specified every detail of the funeral in advance, selected the funeral director and taken care of the costs for your funeral as arranged.
The most common questions about Pre- Paid Funeral Plans, and the answers:
WHAT IF I MOVE TO A DIFFERENT AREA?
You may select a different funeral director or amend the existing arrangements.
WHAT IF I'M NOT IN GOOD HEALTH?
We promise to accept your application, regardless of your age or state of health.
WHAT IF I CHANGE MY MIND ABOUT THE ARRANGEMENTS?
No problem. Your wishes are what count most. Simply speak to Sturrock Comb & Davidson.
WHAT IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO Sturrock Comb & Davidson?, WHAT HAPPENS TO MY MONEY?
The Funeral Planning Company Trust provides financial security. As a separate legal entity, it would still continue even if something were to happen to the company, and it would pay for your funeral as and when required.
WHAT IF I CAN'T PAY NOW FOR ALL OF MY PLAN?
You may pay over twelve months at no extra charge, or even up to 60 months on other flexible payment terms. If you prefer, you may pay for a simple funeral to begin with, and change it later to a more elaborate one. The choice is yours.
WHAT IF I DIE BEFORE MY INSTALMENT PAYMENTS ARE COMPLETED?
Most importantly, your funeral will be carried out. The funeral director would receive all of the money you had paid into the plan and any remaining balance would be paid by your family or from your estate.
WHAT IF DEATH OCCURS AWAY FROM HOME, PERHAPS WHEN VISITING FRIENDS OR RELATIVES OR ON HOLIDAY IN THE UK?
The Funeral Planning Company Trust will pay the removal charges if death occurs away from home but still within the UK. If you intend to travel overseas, we recommend that your travel or medical insurance policy includes full cover for repatriation costs.
WHAT IF I WANT TO TAKE OUT A PLAN FOR SOMEONE ELSE?
Complete the appropriate box on the application form, and we'll arrange for all correspondence to be sent to you. Complete confidentiality is assured.
WHAT IF I LIVE TO BE 100?
No matter how old you are, no matter how much funeral costs may rise, you and your loved ones will never be asked for a penny more for the costs within your funeral director's control.