An Honest and Detailed Low Cost Funerals Review
As part of our commitment to helping families understand their choices, we have thoroughly researched the Direct Cremation market.
This detailed Low Cost Funeral review will help you understand if the service they offer is right for you and your family.
| Price | |
| Inclusivity | |
| Flexibility | |
| Speed of Service | |
| Customer Satisfaction | |
| Overall |
*Conditional upon presenting a cheaper quotation for like-for-like services from an alternative provider.
A Note About Low Cost Funeral
Low Cost Funerals is the holding company of Affordable Funerals. They also operate an identical service / product under the name of Memoria so this review will cover Low Cost Funerals aka Affordable Funerals but also the Memoria product, which is exactly the same.
Low Cost Funerals Cremation Overview
HOW DOES IT WORK?
If you are looking to combine a low cost, flexible service with a reputation for customer service, Affordable Funerals may be the option for you.
Direct Cremation Service – Their unattended, Direct Cremation Service is available for the headline price of £990, with all of the essentials included. Additional services such as doctors’ fees, priority collection of the deceased and the delivery of the ashes are each available as an optional extra. Compared to more inclusive providers, this means that you won’t pay for a service you either do not wish to have or do not end up using.
Low Price – Affordable Funerals could be the ideal choice if you are especially keen on keeping an eye on your budget. For their services, they promise to not only match a like-for-like quote from another provider, but to beat it by £50.
Memoria – A cremation with Low Cost Funerals / Affordable Funerals will be carried out at one of the eleven memorial parks owned by their parent, the Memoria Group, all of which are attractive, modern facilities located throughout England and Wales. New parks in Faversham, Kent and Doncaster, South Yorkshire, are due to open in 2023.
Flexible Options – Affordable Funerals can arrange attendance of the cremation for up to twenty guests at a Memoria crematorium. It’s worth bearing in mind that this option is not available with many other direct cremation providers.
Funeral Plans – In addition, Low Cost Funerals / Affordable Funerals offers two types of pre-payment plan for their direct cremation service:
- A Single Price Plan payable immediately or in instalments of up to twelve months. Alternatively, if you are aged between 50 and 74, you may spread the cost over five or ten years for an additional, age-based price.
- A Fixed Monthly Payments Plan available to plan holders between 50 and 74, with the same, monthly premium payable until your 90th birthday or date of death (whichever is earlier).
Customer Satisfaction – Low Cost Funerals has earned a very high degree of customer satisfaction, suggesting that a commitment to offering a first class service isn’t sacrificed when opting for affordability.
Low Cost Funerals Cremation Cost
What’s Included in the £990 Direct Cremation Funeral Price?
Affordable Funerals/Low Cost Funerals will provide the following services in their direct cremation funeral. Everything is included in the headline price, except for the optional extras for which there will be an additional, specified charge:
Paid Extras Include
*Attendance of the cremation is offered as part of a separately listed Personal Funeral Service. The additional price shown is the price differential between the unattended Direct Cremation and the attended Personal Funeral services.
THINGS TO REMEMBER ABOUT YOUR CREMATION SERVICE
1. The ashes will be delivered by private courier after twenty-eight days if you select this option. You will need to bear this timescale in mind if you wish to have the ashes present at a separate memorial service of your choosing. Alternatively, the ashes may be collected from the crematorium.
2. Attendance of the cremation is available for up to twenty mourners. A thirty-minute service at either 8:30am or 9:00am will be held at a Memoria crematorium, offering you the opportunity to deliver a eulogy and for moments of private reflection.
3. If you opt for delivery of the ashes, they will be returned in an eco box or poly urn.
4. Unless you hold an Affordable Funerals Prepayment Plan, payment for the cremation service will be due in full prior to the cremation – there is no credit option or payment plan available. This is in line with the service offered by most other providers.
Low Cost Funerals Direct Cremations Vs Pure Cremation
Here’s how the Affordable Funerals Direct Cremation Funeral Service compares to direct cremations offered by a selection of other providers:
| Service |  |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| List Price | £990 | £995 | £1,295 | £895 |
| Coverage | Great Britain | Great Britain | UK | Great Britain |
| Hospital or Public Mortuary Collection | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Residential Address or Care Home Collection | £250 | £250 | £250 | £200 |
| Out-of-Hours Collection | £250 | £195 | £250 | £250 |
| Doctors’ Fees | £82 | Yes | Yes | £82 |
| Dress for the Deceased | Clothing worn by the deceased at the time of collection | Simple Gown | Clothing worn by the deceased at the time of collection | Clothing worn by the deceased at the time of collection |
| Option for Own Clothes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Removal of Medical Devices | £100 | Additional cost, subject to details | Yes | Yes |
| Removal of Jewellery | Yes | No | Yes | £50 |
| Coffin | Wood Effect | Dark Wood Effect | Solid Wood | Unvarnished Veneer Chipboard |
| Max. time between Collection and Cremation | Unspecified | Within a few days | 14 Days | Unspecified |
| Option to Attend | £405 | +£400-£900 | +£250-£400 | £400 |
| Option to be Informed of Cremation Date | Unspecified | No | Yes | Yes |
| Choice of Crematorium | Attended Only | Attended Only | No | Attended Only |
| Delivery of Ashes | £100 | £75 | Yes | Yes |
| Max. Time for Ashes Delivery following Cremation | 28 Days | 28 Days | 21 Days | 14 Days |
Closest Competitor Service
Below we have listed the closest comparable product to the direct cremation service offered by Low Cost Funerals
| Competitor | DirectCremation.co.uk |
| Service | A similar low-cost service, DirectCremation.co.uk covers only England and Wales. |
| Difference | Affordable Funerals is part of the larger Memoria Group; DirectCremation.co.uk is an independent, smaller company, with the founder/director often delivering the ashes personally |
| Review | Read our DirectCremation.co.uk Review |
Low Cost Funerals Pre Paid Funeral Plans
In addition to an, ‘at need’ direct cremation service, Low Cost Funerals offers two types of pre-payment plan, which are suitable for those that are planning their own funeral:
1. Affordable Funerals Single Price Plan
2. Affordable Funerals Fixed Monthly Payments Plan
| Headline Price | |
| Safety | |
| Payment Flexibility | |
| Guaranteed Coverage | |
| Customer Satisfaction | |
| OVERALL |
*Available to plan beneficiaries under the age of 84 on the date of the loan’s maturity. Subject to separate terms and conditions.
Low Cost Funerals Single Price Plan: How Much Will I Pay?
Pricelist for Lump Sum and Twelve Monthly Instalment Payments
| Number of Instalments | Direct Cremation Plan | Personal Funeral Service Plan | ||
| Per Month | TOTAL | Per Month | TOTAL | |
| Single Payment | – | £1,490.00 | – | £1,894.00 |
| 12 | £124.16 | £1,489.92 | £157.83 | £1,893.96 |
Prices for Five and Ten Year Monthly Instalment Payments
Currently Low Cost Funerals do not offer an easy way to look at their prices for 12+ months instalments
THINGS TO REMEMBER ABOUT YOUR CREMATION PLAN
1. If paying in full, redemption for the plan benefits is available if the beneficiary dies at any time – there is no waiting period or restriction..
2. If paying by instalments over twelve months, redemption for the plan benefits is available after the plan is paid for in full. If death occurs before the plan is paid for in full the estate of the deceased has the option of paying the difference for the cost of a direct cremation, or requesting a full refund.
3. If paying in monthly instalments over five or ten years, redemption is available after the first twelve months of payments. Redemption is available within the first twelve months if death of the beneficiary is accidental. If death is not accidental within this timeframe, the estate of the deceased has the option of paying the difference for the cost of a direct cremation, or requesting a full refund.
4. You have the right to cancel the plan free of charge within thirty days following the date of purchase.
5. After thirty days, cancellation of a plan paid in full or over twelve monthly instalments is subject to a £299 administration charge. Cancellation of a plan paid over five or ten years will result in no refund.
6. If you have purchased your funeral plan with a loan from Funeral Safe and you decide to cancel your plan before you have finished paying for your loan, then Affordable Funerals will pay the outstanding balance of the loan directly to Funeral Safe. The amount paid will be deducted from your refund in addition to the administration fee.
7. The plan benefits are not transferable to another beneficiary, although somebody else may pay for the plan costs.
8. There is no requirement to disclose medical conditions.
Low Cost Funerals Fixed Monthly Payments Plan: How Much Will I Pay?
Pricelist
Affordable Funerals do not offer an easy way to compare their Direct Funeral Plan or the Personal Funeral Service Plan costs.
THINGS TO REMEMBER ABOUT YOUR PLAN
1. Redemption for the plan benefits is available after the first twenty-four months of up to date payments.
2. If the plan holder passes away within the first twenty-four months of payments, all instalments will be refunded to the estate of the beneficiary or to the representative.
3. You have the right to cancel the plan free of charge within thirty days following the date of purchase.
4. Cancellation after thirty days will entitle you to no refund.
5. The plan benefits are not transferable to another beneficiary, although somebody else may pay for the plan costs.
6. There is no requirement to disclose medical conditions.
7. If you live long enough, it’s possible for the total of your monthly payments to exceed the cost of either the fixed price plan or a direct cremation funeral service purchased at-need.
Low Cost Funeral Cremation Only Funeral Plan Vs Other Providers
The tables below show only the Direct Cremation plan. Please note that not all plans may offer precisely the same benefits.
| SERVICE | |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| List Price | £1,490.00 | £1,499.00 | £1,795.00 | £1,795.00 |
| Deposit | No | No | £249.00 (refundable) | No |
| Minimum Age | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| 6 Month Payment Plan | – | – | – | £1,794.96 |
| 1 Year Payment Plan | £1,489.92 | £1,498.92 | £1,795.00 | £1,866.84 |
| 2 Year Payment Plan | – | – | £1,887.76 | £1,941.36 |
| 3 Year Payment Plan | – | – | £1,986.09 | £2,019.24 |
| 4 Year Payment Plan | – | – | £2,090.31 | £2,100.00 |
| 5 Year Payment Plan | Varies* | £1.782.60** | £2,200.79 | £2,184.00 |
| 6 Year Payment Plan | – | – | – | – |
| 7 Year Payment Plan | – | – | – | – |
| 8 Year Payment Plan | – | – | – | – |
| 9 Year Payment Plan | – | – | – | – |
| 10 Year Payment Plan | Varies* |