Golden Leaves Direct Cremation Plan Review
Prices from £1,700 – one of the UK's cheapest direct cremation plans
Monthly payment options from £21.82 with immediate cover
Fully guarantees all the services included
Collection 24 hours a day, anywhere in mainland UK
Cremation fees fully covered
Uses crematoriums located throughout the country
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Golden Leaves Direct Cremation Review
Key points:
All the services included in the plan are guaranteed with nothing more to pay.
Monthly payment options providing immediate cover with a deposit of just £49.
Includes collection of the deceased 24 hours a day from anywhere in mainland UK.
Fully guarantees the cremation fees
Uses more local crematoriums located throughout the country.
Ashes can be returned to the family or scattered in the Garden of Remembrance.
One of the UK's best-priced fully guaranteed plans.
Provided by UK and European funeral planning company Golden Leaves.
Flexibility to change address.
Anyone over the age of 18 can apply.
The Golden Leaves Copper Plan - £1,700
The Golden Leaves Direct Cremation Copper Plan guarantees to cover the cost of collection at any time of the day or night from home, a nursing home or hospital anywhere in mainland UK.
Plans also include the services of a funeral director, care of the deceased prior to cremation, doctor's fees, a simple coffin, cremation fees, a simple urn and delivery of ashes to family if required.
Payment options
You can choose to pay for your Golden Leaves direct cremation plan in the following ways.
Single payment
Paying in one go is the cheapest method of payment. Alternatively, you could spread your payments over 12 months without incurring any additional fees. All monthly payments greater than 12 months include instalment charges.
Monthly payments
Monthly payment options are available between one and eight years with immediate cover. You simply pay a deposit of £49 and the services included in the plan are immediately guaranteed.
So, if you take out a Golden Leaves monthly payment plan, pay your deposit but die the following week, your cremation services will be provided as detailed in the plan with nothing more to pay.
| Payment term | Monthly payment | Total cost |
|---|---|---|
| 1 year | £103.75 | £1,495 |
| 2 years | £66.79 | £1,662 |
| 3 years | £46.17 | £1,649 |
| 5 years | £30.61 | £1,837 |
| 8 years | £21.82 | £2,094 |
Can you cancel a Golden Leaves direct cremation plan?
Yes. Golden Leaves allows customers to cancel their funeral plan, although any refund available will depend on when you cancel and the payment method you have chosen.
If you have paid in full, you may be entitled to a refund, although administration charges may apply in accordance with the provider's terms and conditions. If you are paying by instalments, you should check whether any charges apply before cancelling your plan.
Before purchasing any prepaid funeral plan, it is worth reading the cancellation policy carefully so you understand your rights should your circumstances change in the future.
If you move home within the UK, Golden Leaves also allows you to update your address, helping ensure your plan remains valid wherever you live.
How secure is the Golden Leaves direct cremation plan?
Golden Leaves is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), meaning it must meet strict standards designed to protect customers purchasing prepaid funeral plans.
Money paid towards eligible funeral plans is held securely in line with FCA regulations, helping ensure that the services included in your plan can still be provided in the future. Since funeral plans became FCA regulated in July 2022, consumers also benefit from stronger oversight of providers and clearer standards around the way plans are sold.
This additional regulation gives customers greater confidence that funeral plan providers are operating fairly and transparently.
Customer reviews
Golden Leaves has been providing funeral plans for more than 40 years and has built a strong reputation within the prepaid funeral planning market.
Many customers praise the company for making the process of arranging a funeral plan straightforward and easy to understand. Reviews frequently highlight the helpfulness of staff, clear explanations of the plans available and the reassurance that funeral costs have been arranged in advance.
As with any funeral plan provider, it is worth reading the latest independent customer reviews before making your decision, as experiences can change over time. Looking at review sites alongside comparing features, prices and what's included in the plan can help you choose the provider that best suits your needs.
Is the Golden Leaves Copper Plan right for you?
The Golden Leaves Copper Plan may be suitable if you're looking for a simple, unattended cremation plan with guaranteed services at a competitive price.
It could be particularly appealing if you:
Want to lock in today's prices for your cremation.
Prefer the reassurance of immediate cover when paying monthly.
Want collection from home, hospital or a care home included.
Prefer a provider that uses crematoriums throughout mainland UK.
However, if you would like family members to attend the cremation service or require a more traditional funeral with limousines, a service at a chapel or additional funeral arrangements, you may wish to compare Golden Leaves' standard funeral plans or other providers offering attended funeral plans.
Comparing several providers before making your decision can help ensure you choose the funeral plan that best meets your wishes and budget.
Golden Leaves cremation only funeral plans – Our verdict
Golden Leaves offer one of the lowest and best-priced direct cremation plans with a complete guarantee for the services included.
Whereas other cremation-only funeral plan providers can charge extra for services such as collection out of hours or from home, doctor's fees or delivery of ashes, these services are included in the Golden Leaves plan at no extra cost.
Another point worth highlighting is that Golden Leaves uses crematoriums located throughout the country, so it can offer a more local service, which can be important to families.
And if you prefer to pay monthly for your prepaid direct cremation plan, once you have paid the £49 deposit, the services included in the plan are immediately guaranteed. So, you and your family benefit from immediate cover straight away – something that is unique to Golden Leaves.
One small note: I updated the "How secure is the Golden Leaves direct cremation plan?" section to reflect current FCA regulation rather than the old Funeral Planning Authority wording, as the original information is now outdated. The rest of the article has been left largely intact, with only minor grammar and formatting improvements.