There’s never a good time to think about your funeral, or someone else’s. But there’s many good reasons to explore options, make decisions or start a difficult conversation early.
- Funeral plans with clear choices make it easier for those who will be overseeing the arrangements.
- Removing the burden of doubt at a difficult time gives them – and you – peace of mind.
- It saves families money – the UK average funeral cost £335* less where decisions were known in advance.
*Sun Life Cost of Dying Report 2026
Here’s three ways we can help:
1. It costs nothing to talk
We don’t charge for professional funeral advice. Your local team can guide you through the essentials as well as other funeral possibilities based on your needs. We’ll provide accurate costings and local insight to help you shape a funeral that’s just right. We can meet you in the comfort of your own home or in a branch that’s convenient for you, and have the discussion solo or with your family and friends/executor as required.
Let us help you tailor a funeral that’s as individual as you need it to be, rather than a package or a ‘one size fits all’ solution.
2. Free Plan of Wishes
We’ll create formal Plans of Wishes that record your choices to store with important papers or share with loved ones for when the time comes. We don’t charge for this service and you can update plans as life’s circumstances change. A Plan of Wishes can be as simple as one or two preferred choices through to an elaborate set of instructions. We’ll keep a copy so when the time comes, your loved ones just need to contact us knowing your decisions can be honoured. Here are three ways you can do this:
Get in touch
We can meet you in our branch or in the comfort of your own home.
My Funeral Wishes
A free template to complete for you or on behalf of someone else.
Start your plan now
Click here to begin creating your own plan of wishes.
3. Prepaid funeral plans
Putting money aside that is protected and designed to cover the main costs of your funeral, or for someone else, is best achieved through our Golden Charter* pre-paid funeral plans. Funeral plans are an excellent way to beat rising costs as our funeral director fees included in the plan are fixed and guaranteed at today’s prices.
We start by identifying what you want: direct cremation, traditional send-off or an elaborate celebration of life (and everything in between). Each one is tailored to your requirements so you only pay for the funeral you want; nothing more, nothing less. When the time comes, your family can add to the plan with extra options or, if not all the elements are used, a refund is provided.
*Based on Golden Charter analysis and independent research of funeral plan market size as at November 2025
Guaranteed
Funeral Director Services
- Professional services: coordinating and making funeral arrangements
- Transportation from place of death to our premises
- Care of the person who’s died and preparation for family visiting
- Advice on certification, registration of death and related documentation
- Digital Obituary and Social Media Notices
- Coffin or casket requested
- Collection of clothes and keepsakes if requested
- Family visiting
- Bereavement after-care
- Return of ashes
- Provision of funeral vehicles requested
- Extra attendance on the day
allowance towards
Third Part Costs
- Crematorium, cemetery or hydrolysis fees
- Purchase of burial plot
- Cemetery fee: opening of new or existing grave for burial or interment of ashes
- Officiant
- Newspaper notice
- Flowers
- Hire of church, hall or other venue
- Fees of organist, musicians or other contributors
- Catering
- Memorial headstones
- Ashes urns, caskets or designed scatter tubes
- Memorial jewellery or keepsakes
Choose between one of the three flexible payment options:
- Single payment which offers immediate cover
- 12 monthly payments
- Instalment payment option spreading the cost of your plan between 2 and 15 years.
William Purves (Funeral Directors) Limited trading as William Purves funeral directors is an appointed representative of Golden Charter Limited trading as Golden Charter Funeral Plans which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN:965279).
Frequently asked questions
Do you offer direct cremations?
We cater for every type of funeral. Direct cremations are also known as unattended funerals as there is no service arranged. There are pros and cons to direct cremations and we strongly advise speaking to a funeral director to explore if this option is right for you and your loved ones.
Can we have someone walk in front of the hearse?
Paging is where a funeral director will lead the hearse and cortege. Usually this is done on arrival to the cemetery or crematorium, leaving a family home, passing a place of significance, particularly where mourners are gathered to pay their respects. We can page at any time, multi-times on a last journey. Speak to us about possibilities especially if this will make the experience more personal for those left behind.
This may sound silly…
There’s no such thing as a silly question. We’re here to listen and help you to arrange a funeral with knowledge, insight and guidance. In fact, sometimes it’s that very question that helps shape a funeral that’s “just right”.
We're not sure if embalming is for mum.
Embalming is optional. It’s recommended if you anticipate a delay before the funeral takes place. This may be to allow family members to travel and say goodbye first. Or if the funeral itself takes more than a few days to arrange: registration turnaround times may be longer, venue or officiant availability may mean booking a later date than expected or a large event could require longer to arrange. It’s also recommended if you plan to spend time to say goodbye as embalming delays the natural process allowing your loved ones, and those who are caring for her, to be safe in doing so.
What is the major cost difference between a burial and cremation?
There are various factors to consider when choosing burial or cremation. Urban areas where ground is scarce often have higher burial fees and there may be out-of-area considerations. Cremation options may be limited and consequently cost more overall for those who live far away from a facility, but the purchase of ground may be more affordable. Burials will also incur cemetery fees to open existing graves, or to purchase new ground. There are also memorial costs likely to be related to burials for adding inscriptions or to purchase new stones. Cremations are one cost: unattended options do not include a service and attended cremations will include service costs. Ashes are returned within this fee but there may be additional costs to inter or bury these in a grave along with any storage or memorial keepsakes.
Can you help with a later celebration of life after the funeral?
We’re here to assist with any funeral, memorial or celebration of life which can take place at any time as suits you and your loved ones.
How long should we keep the ashes?
There’s no right or wrong answer for how long to keep a loved one. It’s a very personal thing and we can explore options and advice to support you. It’s possible to use our Ashes Library (Lothian only) and we can offer a range of memorial keepsake solutions.
Who’s responsible for organising a funeral?
Arrangements for a funeral fall to the next of kin or executor who is named, often listed in a Will, funeral Plan of Wishes or prepaid plan. Chosen by the person who’s died, an executor does not necessarily have to be a relation. If there is any doubt as to who the next of kin is, we have a summary of the legal process followed in England and Scotland to determine responsibility.