How it works

 

At Kevin Lownds Funeral Services our focus is on giving a quality bespoke service.

How a funeral plan works is that you, with the help of us plan a funeral, with full knowledge of all the cost.

We help you with the plan so that you know what needs to be included and what options are available to you. We add all the components you would like, which gives a price, which you can adjust according to your needs, if necessary.

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.

Planning Ahead

 

Then, the company we work with Golden Charter can offer a payment plan or you can pay them outright. We have examples of options for payment to show you. We, your funeral director do not receive any funding until the time of need (the time of the actual funeral). The Golden Charter keeps the funds invested until the time of need so that it grows throughout that time. The funeral directors’ costs are locked in at today’s prices and do not go up even if the funeral is 20 years from now.

What’s included in a pre-paid funeral plan?

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.

Guiding you along the way

 

A payment plan can be over 1 – 20 years depending on the age of the person for whom the plan is being taken.

We can send you details if you like, or you can arrange a no obligation visit to discuss. That would either be us visiting you or you coming into our funeral home premises, whichever you prefer.

A funeral plan with golden charter

 

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 our 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 Kevin Lownds Funeral Services, we work in partnership with Golden Charter to provide you with a safe and reliable way to plan ahead. As one of the UK’s largest funeral plan providers*, Golden Charter has helped 900,000people 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.

Contact Us

Ready to take the next step? Get in touch 

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?

 

Kevin Lownds Funeral Service 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).

Registered in England No. 02511598 Registered Office: One Fleet Place, London EC4M 7WS.

 

When someone close to you dies, having to arrange their funeral will probably be one of the most difficult challenges you have to face in life. We’re here for you in your time of need day or night. We are available 24 hours a day, every day of the year offering a personal service to the families of Newcastle-under-Lyme and Stoke-on-Trent.