A personal send-off, a thoughtful decision

Planning your own funeral has so many benefits for both you and your family. You can create the most meaningful and personal send-off, from the choice of music and your chosen flowers, to your final journey and what you may wish to take with you in your coffin. You can also rest easy knowing that you have eased any financial burden on your next of kin. 

Does it make financial sense?

As well as peace of mind, paying in advance or over a period of time for your funeral could be a shrewd financial move. In 2008 the average cost of a funeral arranged by Beckfords Funeral Services was £2,434 compared to £4,505 in 2022. That's an increase of 85%, a vast difference when compared to the RPI of 38.3% over the same period. A value which has been sourced from The States of Guernsey Data and Analysis Department.

Cemetery, cremation, doctors’ certificates and other costs continue to rise. If your funeral has been paid via one of our plans, we guarantee that there will be no extra charges for the funeral director’s services.

How do I take out a plan?

If you are interested in taking out a plan or would like to convert your Expression of Wishes into a pre-paid plan, simply contact us and we can arrange an informal chat to take you through the process. 

It is easy to arrange, there are no medical checks required and you can pay by instalments (subject to health status).

How is your plan safeguarded and how are your funds managed?

We are affiliated with Golden Leaves Funeral Plans and have been appointed by them to sell funeral plans on their behalf in Guernsey.

Golden Leaves’ Story

The company was initially formed by a highly regarded family of funeral directors in Croydon, South London, to satisfy the demand of the community its family had served since 1875. It has since been shaped to support the growing numbers of independent funeral directors who wanted to offer a funeral plan specific to their own communities and requirements.

Golden Leaves has been at the forefront of the development of funeral planning since its foundation in 1984.

Golden Leaves was a founding member of the NAPFP (The National Association for Pre-paid Funeral Plans) and played a major role in the development of FPA (The Funeral Planning  Authority). The FPA provided an extensive level of financial monitoring for all registered funeral plan providers, to ensure there were sufficient funds in the trust to cover the services of every funeral plan we hold with our customers.

Golden Leaves Trust

When you buy one of Golden Leaves pre-paid plans, they ensure that your money is safeguarded.

Whether you purchase your plan by way of single payment or 12 monthly instalments, all Golden Leaves funeral plan funds once received are paid into the Golden Leaves Trust less the £249 administration fee.

The independent Golden Leaves Trust manages these funds to achieve stable long-term growth, specifically to cover the increasing cost of funeral services. The Trust is regulated in compliance with The Financial Services and Markets Act 2001, and is overseen by a board of trustees, who have appointed various fund managers to meet the investment objectives.

Additionally, the fund is independently audited and subject to strict actuarial reporting on an annual basis.