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• 94% of people have decided whether they want to be buried or cremated
• New research shows disparity among people’s last wishes and how their funerals are carried out
• Less than two per cent of people pre-plan their funeral in Britain
• Planning in advance with Age Concern Funeral Plans will ensure final wishes are made known

New research shows that 94%¹ of people have decided what they would like once they have passed away reveals Age Concern Funeral Plans today.  However‚ less than two per cent² of the British public has acted on this and made their arrangements.  Many have decided whether they would like to be cremated or buried‚ although these last wishes are not always carried out as so few have pre-planned their funeral.  

Further research also shows that 54% of the British public would like to be cremated and 36% buried. However the number of cremations in the UK (72%) overwhelmingly outweighs the number of burials (28%)‚ which demonstrates the vast disparity between people’s preferences and how they are finally laid to rest³.  

Sharon Dobson‚ Age Concern Funeral Plans Manager said‚ “Planning in advance ensures people know their arrangements are settled and that their wishes are understood.  Even personal choices such as selecting hymns for the service‚ preferred flowers‚ and the route for the cortege can be arranged. 

“Pre-planning can relieve the organisational burdens and stresses from family and loved ones when the time comes‚ as well as help avoid unnecessary financial distress during a particularly difficult time‚” she added.

Regional preferences for cremation and burial also vary.  Cremation is preferred by people in the South East and Anglia (61%) closely followed by those in the North West (55%) and those living in Greater London (50%).   Forty-two per cent of people in the South West and Wales say they would prefer to be buried‚ compared with 31% in Scotland4. 

Age Concern Funeral Plan services recognise that while pre-planning your funeral may not be something people think about everyday‚ it does make good financial sense.  With the latest figures showing average cremation funeral costing £2‚2175 and this figure predicted to rise to £3‚3506 by 2012‚ it is important for loved ones to know they are arranging the send off that their nearest and dearest would have wanted.

The Age Concern Funeral Plan is designed to appeal to all with no age restrictions‚ no medicals required and guaranteed acceptance.  There are three Funeral Plan packages available offering a choice of arrangements and individual requests.  Age Concern’s Funeral Plan provides flexible plans and payment methods to suit different requirements and is provided in collaboration with Dignity Caring Funeral Services.

Since Age Concern launched Funeral Plans a decade ago‚ it has sold over 120‚000 plans.  To find out more about Age Concern Funeral Plans‚ call 0800 731 0651 or visit your local Age Concern.

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For further information please contact Derya Filiz‚ Elly Kestenbaum or George Morrison at Trimedia Harrison Cowley on 020 7025 7500

Notes to editors:
1. Source: Dignity‚  Age Concern Funeral Plans from 1997 - 2007
2. Dignity Caring Funeral Services‚ 2006
3. Source: Mintel Funerals‚ Market Intelligence‚ January 2007 “The proportion of older persons that prefer burial is in excess of the current levels of burial ceremony suggesting that the wishes of some older people are not met when the event occurs‚” source: Mintel Funerals‚ Market Intelligence‚ January 2007
4. Source: Mintel survey of Consumer Funerals Wishes‚ October 2006

Region Would like to be buried % Would like to be cremated  % Other
Greater London 35 50 15
South East / East Anglia 34 61 5
South West / Wales 42 48 11
East and West Midlands 38 49 13
North West / Yorkshire and Humberside 37 55 8
North / Scotland 31 59 11

5 Source: Mintel Survey of Average Funeral Pricing‚ 2006
6. Source: Dignity Caring Funeral Services

About Age Concern:

Age Concern is the leading charity in the UK concerned with ageing and older people‚ and works to improve the quality of life for all older people. Nationally‚ it is involved in campaigning‚ policy guidance‚ research and information‚ and through its trading arm‚ Age Concern Enterprises (ACEnt)‚ offers a range of products and services specifically designed for older people.

ACEnt incorporates: Age Concern Energy Services‚ Age Concern Insurance Services‚ Age Concern Funeral Plans and Charity Flowers Direct.

Age Concern & why it trades: 

At a local level‚ Age Concern offers a range of services for older people‚ such as day centres‚ luncheon clubs‚ and advice and information services.

At a national level‚ Age Concern campaigns with and for older people: developing policy; influencing Government; training care professionals; supporting local Age Concern bodies‚ financially and professionally.

To fund this work‚ Age Concern needs a constant flow of independent income. It seeks to achieve this through a balance of traditional fund raising and trading activities.

Age Concern’s trading activities enable it to meet the needs of older people‚ through products specifically designed for them; quality products at fair prices such as General Insurance.

About Dignity Caring Funeral Services:
Dignity plc is Britain’s largest single provider of funeral related services and is the market leader in the provision of pre-arranged funeral plans.  Dignity has a network of over 500 funeral homes throughout Britain.  For more information visit www.dignityfunerals.co.uk

For general enquiries about our products please contact us.

Journalists contact:

Trimedia
Derya Filiz
Elly Kestenbaum
Imogen Davies

Telephone:
0207 025 7500