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Written by Mitch Tapner.
21 minute read
When planning ahead, it is natural to want clarity about your options. Many people come across British Seniors when researching funeral costs and assume they offer prepaid funeral plans, but they do not. British Seniors provides Over 50s Life Insurance, which works differently.
In this guide, we explain the difference between life insurance and funeral plans, including what each covers, how they are paid for, and what to think about when deciding which option is right for you. We will also look at how British Seniors’ product works, what it includes, and how it compares to a fully guaranteed Aura funeral plan.
Our aim is to help you understand how each option works, from what is included and how much it costs, to the peace of mind it can offer. This way, you can make your decision with confidence.
No. British Seniors does not offer a funeral plan. They provide Over 50s Life Insurance, which pays out a fixed amount of money when you die. Your family can use this money however they choose, including to help with funeral costs, but no specific services are included.
Some policies allow you to choose a benefit amount, for example between £1,000 and £10,000, depending on your age. This is the amount paid to your loved ones when the policy ends.
Unlike a funeral plan, this cover does not arrange or guarantee any part of the funeral. If funeral costs have increased or if your family chooses a more expensive service, they may need to cover the difference themselves.
That said, British Seniors offer an optional Funeral Benefit Option. If you choose this, the payout can go directly to a funeral director through their partner network (Golden Charter / Willowbrook Funeral Services). This means your next of kin can make a single call to arrange the funeral, and the funeral director will receive the funds directly, helping to simplify the process at an already difficult time. If the payout doesn’t cover the full cost of the funeral, your family or estate would need to pay the difference. If the funeral costs less than the payout, any remaining money would go to your estate.
A funeral plan allows you to plan the funeral in advance, choosing the services you want and paying for them at today’s prices. The arrangements are agreed ahead of time, giving your family clarity and removing financial pressure later on.
To be clear, British Seniors offers life insurance, not a prepaid funeral plan. Here is how their Over 50s Life Insurance works:
Important things to know:
If you’re weighing up funeral plans vs life insurance, it’s essential to understand how each option works and what they’re designed to cover. Below is a side-by-side comparison showing how a British Seniors Over 50s Life Insurance policy differs from an Aura Prepaid Funeral Plan.
| Feature | Aura prepaid funeral plan | Insurance payout (British Seniors) |
|---|---|---|
| Type of product | Prepaid funeral plan with services secured in advance | Life insurance or over-50s policy with a cash lump sum |
| What it covers | Funeral services such as cremation, transport and coffin, agreed in your plan | A cash sum for your family to use, for example towards a funeral or something else |
| Cost certainty | Funeral costs are locked in at today’s prices | The payout is fixed but may not keep up with inflation |
| Regulation | Regulated as a funeral plan by the FCA | Regulated as life insurance by the FCA and PRA |
| Risk of shortfall | No shortfall, services covered in full according to the plan | If used for funeral costs, life insurance may not cover everything if prices have gone up |
| Peace of mind | Everything is arranged and paid for in advance | Family must arrange the funeral and manage costs |
This highlights the key difference between the two. British Seniors provides life insurance rather than a funeral plan, offering flexibility in how the payout is used but less certainty if your goal is to specifically cover funeral costs.
In contrast, a prepaid funeral plan like Aura’s gives reassurance that the funeral you’ve arranged will be carried out as planned, with the agreed services covered in full and no extra cost to your loved ones.
A funeral plan allows you to plan and pay for your funeral in advance, giving you control over your arrangements and helping to spare your family from financial or emotional strain later on.
With Aura, you can make a single payment upfront or spread the cost through affordable instalments.
When the time comes, Aura appoints a trusted funeral director to carry out your wishes exactly as outlined in your plan. Your loved ones won’t have to pay anything extra for the services covered.
Every Aura funeral plan is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), with customer funds protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). All payments go into an independently managed trust to ensure your funeral is fully funded when needed.
Select a plan that meets your needs from our range of highly-rated and fully-secure funeral plan options.
Speak to one of our lovely expertsℹ to secure your plan, or purchase your plan securely online in a few simple steps.
We’ll place your money into a secure, independently-managed trust, so that it’s ready to be used for when the time comes.
After you’ve died, we’ll bring you into our care and support your loved ones through the initial paperwork with patience and compassion.
We’ll let your loved ones know the date and time of your cremation, and on the day, transport you privately to the crematorium.
Within 21 days of the cremation, we’ll arrange to hand-deliver your ashes to your chosen person at no additional cost, or we’ll scatter them on their behalf.
*You’ll receive a clear funeral plan summary document with all key features, exclusions, and rights before you buy.*
A funeral plan helps manage the practical side of a funeral. It allows important decisions to be made in advance, which can ease both emotional and financial pressure for those closest to you. While what’s included in a funeral plan can vary between providers, the following are always guaranteed with Aura:
What’s included with Aura?
What’s not included with Aura?
Aura’s funeral plans are designed to cover the essential, practical parts of a cremation. Some elements are not included as standard, but can often be arranged separately or added to a different type of plan if needed.
Funeral plans aren’t all the same, and what’s included can vary. Taking the time to understand what a plan covers can help avoid any uncertainty or extra costs later on – offering a bit of reassurance to those left behind.
Aura has a variety of prepaid funeral plans to match different budgets and personal preferences. Whether your choice is attended or not, we’ll either scatter your ashes in the crematorium’s garden or deliver them by hand to someone close, usually within 21 days.
Our simple Direct Cremation Plan offers a simple and understated unattended direct cremation.
The cost of a funeral plan depends on the type of service you choose, your location, and how you decide to pay – whether in full or through instalments.
With Aura, an unattended direct cremation plan is available for a fixed price of £1,695, regardless of where you live. This covers all the essentials, including cremation fees, collection and care of the person who has died, a simple coffin, and the return of ashes. If you’d rather spread the cost, Aura offers flexible monthly payment options over 12 to 24 months, with no extra charges.
For those who want a more personal farewell, Aura also provides attended direct cremation options. Prices start from £2,395 for a short, private 10-minute gathering with up to 15 people. A larger attended direct cremation service starts from £2,995, offering a 40-minute service at one of Aura’s partner crematoria, accommodating as many guests as the venue allows.
Choosing a prepaid funeral plan lets you lock in today’s prices and secure your chosen services in advance. Once the plan is fully paid and active, there’s usually nothing more for your loved ones to pay for the included arrangements, helping to protect them from rising funeral costs.
Whether a funeral plan is right for you depends on your personal situation and what matters most to you. For many people, it’s a thoughtful and practical choice, especially if you want to make arrangements in advance and protect your loved ones from the emotional and financial stress of organising everything later. A prepaid funeral plan can offer both financial security and peace of mind.
By fixing the price today, you can help protect against potential rising funeral costs, a trend highlighted in SunLife’s 2025 Cost of Dying Report, which shows funeral prices continuing to increase year after year.
Here are some key benefits to consider:
A funeral plan might not suit everyone, but it’s a popular option for those who want reassurance, cost certainty, and the comfort of knowing everything is already arranged.
Prepaid funeral plans can be an important part of end-of-life planning, helping you make thoughtful decisions now to ease the burden on your loved ones later. Compared with simple life insurance, funeral plans offer key advantages:
*Funeral plans may not be suitable for everyone. Some services are not included as standard. Please check the plan summary before purchase*
Prepaid funeral plans are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which means there are strong protections in place to keep your money safe and ensure you’re treated fairly. This funeral plan regulation sets clear standards that all providers must follow.
For example, they’re required to keep your money secure, by placing it in a dedicated trust or through an insurance policy, so it’s there when it’s needed.
They also have to be clear and upfront about what’s included in your plan, how cancellations work, and how services will be delivered. These rules are designed to give you peace of mind and help you make informed choices.
Your money is also protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). This can provide an extra layer of reassurance, particularly if the provider were to go out of business.
A common issue with life insurance is that the payout may not cover the full cost of a funeral. For example:
*Please note, these figures are for illustrative purposes only and may not reflect your circumstances.*
With an Aura funeral plan, the services you select are fully guaranteed, with no shortfall for the agreed arrangements. It offers a straightforward and reliable way to pay for funeral expenses ahead of time, ensuring everything is covered when it’s needed.
There isn’t a single provider that suits everyone. The best funeral plan for you will depend on your personal preferences, budget, and how much involvement you want your family to have when the time comes.
That said, Aura is often recognised as one of the leading choices for several key reasons:
 |  | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | £1,695 | £2,095 | £1,700 | £1,700 | £1,885 |
| Trustpilot | 4.9/5 stars | 4.8/5 stars | 4.6/5 stars | 4.8/5 stars | 4.4/5 stars |
| Fairer Finance | |||||
| All-Inclusive Pricingℹ | |||||
| Transparent Pricingℹ | |||||
| Free Cancellation Anytimeℹ |
It’s completely understandable to wonder what would happen if your funeral plan provider were to stop trading in the future.
The good news is that, from July 2022, all providers of prepaid funeral plans must be regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). This regulation helps protect you and your money. It means your plan should be honoured wherever possible, even if the provider runs into difficulty, and there are clear rules in place to make sure your money is kept safe.
FCA-authorised companies are required to safeguard customer payments by holding them in a dedicated trust or by using a regulated insurance policy. This means your money is ring-fenced and ready to cover your funeral, regardless of the company’s financial position.
At Aura, all customer payments are placed in an independently managed trust, supported by additional insurance for extra peace of mind. You can find full details about how we keep your money safe on our website.
If a provider does go out of business, there are procedures in place to protect customers. In many cases, your plan would be transferred to another approved provider so that your chosen funeral arrangements can still be fulfilled. If a transfer isn’t possible, you would receive a refund, and in some situations, you could also claim compensation through the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS).
These safeguards exist to ensure that your money, and the funeral you’ve planned, remain secure no matter what happens to the provider.
Everyone’s situation is unique. While British Seniors provides life insurance, Aura offers prepaid funeral plans, meaning the two options serve very different purposes.
If your goal is to arrange and secure the details of a funeral in advance, including the services and costs, a prepaid funeral plan from Aura may be the better fit. However, the right choice depends on your personal wishes and circumstances. It’s always worth taking the time to explore your options and think about what matters most to you and your family before deciding.
Here’s a quick summary of what Aura offers:
If you’re unsure which option best suits your needs, we can help you compare funeral plans in detail. Whether you prefer a direct cremation or a more traditional service, we’ll guide you through your options clearly and with care.
At Aura, we believe in treating every person that turns to us as if they were our own family. This dedication has earned us an exceptional 4.9/5 Trustpilot rating, making us the highest rated ‘Cremation Services’ provider on the platform.
We’re honoured to be a trusted partner for families across the UK. Read their stories below.
Some companies offer funeral insurance, which pays out a lump sum when someone dies. The money can be used in any way the family chooses – including towards funeral costs. However, it doesn’t guarantee that a funeral will be arranged or that all costs will be covered.
British Seniors Over 50s Life Insurance isn’t a funeral insurance policy. It’s a form of life insurance, which works a little differently.
A funeral plan is different again. It allows specific funeral services to be arranged and paid for in advance. Everything is agreed ahead of time, so when the time comes, those services are carried out as planned. This can ease financial pressure and provide clarity for the people left behind.
Not for the services covered in the plan. Once a prepaid funeral plan is fully paid and active, it includes the main elements such as cremation fees, professional care, and a standard coffin. This means there will be no extra cost for those agreed services.
If your family chooses to add anything that is not part of the plan, such as flowers, a wake, or extra vehicles, they would need to cover those additional expenses separately.
Yes, in most cases you can cancel your funeral plan, but the refund terms depend on the provider. Many companies offer a cooling-off period, often lasting around 30 days, during which you can cancel for a full refund. After this time, some may deduct a cancellation fee or only return part of the amount you’ve paid.
With Aura, cancellations are simple and flexible. You can cancel your plan whenever you wish, and there are no cancellation or admin fees. As long as no services have been carried out, the full amount you’ve paid will be returned to you.
Before taking out any plan, it’s worth reading the provider’s terms carefully, but Aura aims to keep the process clear and transparent from the very start.
Yes, you can have both, and many people choose to do so because they serve different purposes. A funeral plan allows you to arrange and pay for the funeral services you want in advance, locking in today’s prices and ensuring everything is organised when the time comes.
Life insurance pays out a cash lump sum to your loved ones, which they can use however they wish, including to help with funeral costs.
If your goal is to secure the details of your funeral and protect against rising prices, a funeral plan is often the better option. Life insurance provides wider financial support, but it doesn’t guarantee that your funeral arrangements or costs will be fully covered.
If funeral costs increase over time, the effect will depend on the type of product you have. With British Seniors Over 50s Life Insurance, the payout is a fixed cash amount, so it may not keep up with potential inflation or rising funeral prices. This means your family might need to pay the difference if the cost of the funeral ends up being higher than the amount paid out by the policy.
In comparison, a prepaid funeral plan from Aura locks in today’s prices for the services you choose. Once your plan is fully paid, the agreed arrangements such as cremation fees, care of the deceased, and transport are guaranteed with no shortfall for those covered services. This helps protect you and your family from the impact of rising funeral costs, giving peace of mind that everything will be taken care of when the time comes.
If you’d like to know more about how to plan a cremation with Aura, our brochure is a helpful place to begin.
Our funeral plans are a helpful way to put everything in place for you or someone else.
When the time comes, our experienced team will be here to guide you through each step, offering support and advice whenever you need it.
To find out more about how our plans work, what’s included, and our story, you can request a brochure by clicking the link below. We will then send you a copy by email or First Class post—whichever you prefer.