Pure Cremation sales of funeral plans rise signalling desire to move away from traditional funeral

UK / AGILITYPR.NEWS / July 13, 2020 / PURE CREMATION REPORTS RISE IN PRE-PAID DIRECT CREMATION PLANS

Pure Cremation has seen an increase in demand for its pre-paid funeral plans, proving that direct cremation is being more widely embraced as an alternative to traditional funeral services.

Pure Cremation is a pioneer in direct cremation, where the deceased is collected, cared for, and then cremated without a service or mourners present.

The rise in the sale of plans, which has seen an average month on month increase of 21% between January and April, is a signal that direct cremation is increasing in popularity amongst the British public and clearly demonstrates their willingness to break away from tradition.

The £1,595 direct cremation plan is 100% guaranteed to cover the cost of this simple service in the future, so no extra fees will be incurred at the time of death. The low cost also means the plan purchaser and their family can choose what to do with the money they’ve saved, including setting aside a sum for a more personal celebration of life where, when, and how they choose or perhaps a legacy for a good cause.

Pure Cremation’s co-founder and director Catherine Powell said: “The COVID-19 pandemic has affected our whole society in different ways, but something positive has come out of it - a greater willingness to talk about death and the need to plan for it.

“People have become more aware of their mortality and we’ve seen a significant increase in the number of people taking steps to make arrangements for retirement and beyond. Just like a will, powers of attorney or life insurance, a funeral plan creates a clear set of instructions so the people left behind can make confident decisions while protected from financial worries too.

“It is a caring and prudent step to take, and some people have even found that considering your life and how you want to be remembered is a wonderful opportunity to make positive changes right now.”

The issue of pre-paid plans recently hit the headlines when the Treasury opened an investigation into the way these products have been sold, with some providers and their agents pressurising vulnerable people into buying a plan that that didn’t suit their wishes or means.

The UK Government has pledged to clamp down on those using the current pandemic to spread misinformation about rising funeral costs. The facts show that the money spent on a funeral has actually gone down as more people have chosen the simplest option, direct cremation, because of the restrictions on the number of mourners at more traditional style services.

“Pure Cremation already adheres to Financial Conduct Authority regulations and we welcome further regulation to root out unscrupulous sales practices and to strengthen the safeguards around managing plan holders’ funds until the funeral is needed,” Catherine added.

“We believe that our plan – both the way it is offered and the way the money is managed – offers a model that others should follow. Our approach centres on listening to the customer, clearly describing what is and isn’t included and making sure they want what we offer.”