Pre-Paid Funeral Plans
Why choose a
Golden Charter Funeral Plan from
S. Stibbards & Sons?
A unique combination of benefits....
A THOUGHTFUL DECISION
A Golden Charter plan will bring you peace of mind
Consideration for others is the most frequent reason for buying a Golden Charter funeral plan. With Golden Charter you know that your loved ones will be spared some of the burden of bereavement. You will have specified every detail of the funeral in advance, selected the funeral director and made provision for the costs.
More than 160,000 people in Great Britain have planned their funerals with Golden Charter, an independent company that is British-owned and run. They know that their money is secure and their funeral director's services are fully guaranteed.
A GUARANTEE
A Golden Charter plan covers all your independent funeral director's services
Once you've paid for your Golden Charter plan, you can be sure that neither your loved ones nor your estate will be asked for a penny more for the services within the control of your funeral director - no matter how much these costs may rise in years to come.
FINANCIAL SECURITY
Your payment will be held in an independent trust fund
Your payment will go directly to the Golden Charter Trust, which will hold the money for your funeral on behalf of participating funeral directors. Your funeral director is able to provide a legally binding contract, guaranteeing that your selected arrangement will be carried out when required.
The Trust Fund is a legally separate entity from Golden Charter. In the unlikely event of something untoward affecting the company, the Fund would continue until every plan has been carried out.
An allowance for disbursements
Some costs are paid on your behalf by the funeral director but are not within his control. Known as disbursements, they include the fees of cemeteries, crematoria, doctors, clergy, newspaper notices and memorials. Only if the increase in these costs were to exceed the disbursements amount allowed for in the plan might there be a balance to pay at the time of need.
PROVEN VALUE
On past evidence a Golden Charter plan is better value than high-interest building society accounts and insurance-based funeral expenses policies.
A *recent survey shows that the UK national average cost of a funeral increased by 6.6% over the past twelve months. The average cost of a funeral in the UK is now £2549, cremation being £2287 and burial (excluding the price of a grave) £2811. Over a period of four years the average cost of a funeral rose by 32.8%. If this trend continues a funeral costing £2500 today will have increased to £3320 in four years time.
If, in 1991, you'd invested £640 (then the price of Golden Charter's basic plan) in a building society, it would have grown to £991.46† over the next 18 years. Yet the same funeral has more than trebled in cost to £2299. The difference would be £1307.54. Such a dramatic shortfall demonstrates the wisdom of taking out a Golden Charter plan.
A LEGACY THAT WILL LAST A LIFETIME
A beautiful way to be remembered
When you purchase a plan Golden Charter will make a donation of £2.00 to help the Woodland Trust, the UK's leading woodland conservation charity, create woodland across the UK. You will receive a certificate to record the donation. Since 1995 Golden Charter have helped the Woodland Trust plant 200,000 trees through this unique partnership. Your decision to choose Golden Charter will benefit you and future generations. If you would like details of the Woodland Trust sites in the UK and information on memorialisation options please visit www.woodland trust.org.uk.