Planning your funeral in advance

Planning your own funeral can bring real peace of mind - for you, and for the people who'd otherwise have to make every decision at a difficult time. You can plan as much or as little as you like: a few notes about music and readings, or every detail paid for in advance.

It isn't only for people who are older or unwell. Anyone can do it.

Write down your wishes

Things you might want to decide:

• burial or cremation, and where
• a religious service, a non-religious ceremony, or no service at all
• music, readings, and who you'd like to speak
• flowers, or donations to a charity instead
• what should happen to your ashes
• whether you'd like a headstone or memorial - woodland burial sites often allow only a tree or plant

Sign and date your wishes, and keep them somewhere your family can find easily.

Tell your family

The most important step is making sure the people who'll arrange your funeral know what you want, and where to find it written down.

Don't rely on your will alone

A will is often not read until after the funeral has taken place. In England and Wales, funeral wishes in a will aren't legally binding - your family will be guided by them, but they don't have to follow them. You don't need to change your will to record funeral wishes; a separate letter is simpler.

If you've bought a funeral plan, tell your family who it's with and keep the paperwork with your wishes. If they don't know about it, they may arrange - and pay for - a different funeral.

Reserving a grave

You can often reserve a grave space in advance at a cemetery or churchyard. Ask the local council or the church.

Pre-paid funeral plans

A pre-paid funeral plan lets you pay for your funeral in advance, in one payment or in instalments.

Since July 2022, pre-paid funeral plans have been regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)

Only providers authorised by the FCA can sell them.

Check the provider is authorised

Before you buy, search for the provider on the FCA's Firm Checker, select "Funeral plan", and check it's authorised. With an authorised provider you can:

• complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service if something goes wrong
• be protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) if the provider fails

It's also worth checking the FCA's Warning List of unauthorised firms.

Questions to ask before you buy

What exactly is included - and what isn't?

Some plans don't cover everything, such as burial fees, a minister's fee or the wake, so your family may still have something to pay.

• What happens if you move to another part of the country?
• Can you cancel, and would you get your money back?
• What happens if you die before you've finished paying by instalments?

If you already have a plan

If your plan's provider is no longer on the FCA register, your plan will usually have been transferred to an authorised provider, or the business will have been wound down. The National Association of Funeral Plan Providers can help you trace a plan.

Over-50s life insurance is different

Over-50s life insurance pays a fixed sum when you die, which your family can put towards the funeral. It isn't a funeral plan, and it doesn't pay for a particular funeral. Compare carefully - for free, impartial guidance, see MoneyHelper, the government-backed money advice service.

Find out more

• The FCA's guide to funeral plans: fca.org.uk/consumers/funeral-plans
• Find funeral directors near you

Reviewed by the Arranging a Funeral team - September 2026. Checked against the FCA.

See also Natural and woodland burial.