GOLDEN LEAVES
FUNERAL PLAN REVIEW
| Average Cost of Plan | £3020.50 |
| FCA Regulated | Yes |
| Funeral Inspirations Funeral Plan Ranking | 1st |
| Monthly Payments Available | Yes |
| Choice of Funeral Director | Must use one of Golden Leaves’ funeral director partners. |
Golden Leaves Funeral Plan Reviews – 18th December 2025
Golden Leaves was founded in 1984 and has grown to become a prominent and highly regarded provider of funeral plans both within the United Kingdom (‘UK’), and abroad.
Golden Leaves is a founding member of The National Association for Pre-paid Funeral Plans, an association which represents the majority of funeral plan companies in the UK, and has played a significant role in the establishment of the Funeral Planning Authority (FPA).
The FPA financially monitors all registered funeral plan providers to check that there are sufficient funds held by the company to cover providing the services of every plan they have sold to their customers.
Golden Leaves are regulated by the FCA (from 29th July 2022)
FI has rated Golden Leaves plans 4 / 5 stars.
Everything You Need To Know About A Golden Leaves Funeral Plan
Below is a detailed review, along with everything you need to know about taking out a funeral plan with Golden Leaves in the UK.
If you are visually impaired, please listen to our overview below and contact us with any questions you might have.
We also have a video walkthrough to help you navigate the Golden Leaves’ website
Golden Leaves Funeral Plan Costs
Golden Leaves have been shortlisted for a number of awards such as for the SME National Business of the Year Awards 2020 and for the UK Customer Experience awards 2020.
They are the first independent funeral plan provider to have been awarded BSI ISO:9001 for Business Excellence. In the 2019 New Years’ Honours List, the company’s founder, Tony Rowland, was awarded an MBE for services to Undertaking and the community after a career spanning 65 years.
Their plans are designed to suit a range of budgets and situations, with the company also offering a range of plans to suit expatriates living in the UK and abroad.
What sets Golden Leaves apart from other providers is them being the only funeral plan provider to provide a repatriation plan to both British expatriates living abroad and foreign expatriates living in the UK.
Different Golden Leaves Funeral Plans On Offer
Golden Leave Funeral Plans for UK residents
 | Copper | Zinc | Silver | Gold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,450 | £3,089 | £3,594 | £3,949 |
| Monthly payment options available NOTE: payment plans between 24 months and 96 months are financed with a credit agreement between the customer and Funeral Safe Ltd. Interest is payable on these plans. | 12 monthly payments – £116.75 p/m £1,450 total. 24 monthly payments – £66.24 p/m£1,589.76 total. 36 monthly payments – £46.29 p/m £1,666.44 total. 48 monthly payments – £36.78 p/m. £1,765.44 total. 60 monthly payments – £30.99 p/m£1,859.40 total. 72 monthly payments – £27.24 p/m£1,961.28 total. 84 monthly payments – £24.65 p/m£2,070.60 total. 96 monthly payments – £22.59 p/m £2,168.64 total. | 12 monthly payments – £253.33 p/m £3,089 total. 24 monthly payments – £141.12 p/m£3,386.88 total. 36 monthly payments – £98.61 p/m £3,549.96 total. 48 monthly payments – £78.36 p/m. £3,761.28 total. 60 monthly payments – £66.03 p/m£3,961.80 total. 72 monthly payments – £58.03 p/m£4,178.16 total. 84 monthly payments – £52.51p/m£4,410.84 total. 96 monthly payments – £48.13 p/m £4,620.48 total. | 12 monthly payments – £295.42 p/m £3,594 total. 24 monthly payments – £164.19 p/m£3,940.56 total. 36 monthly payments – £114.73 p/m £4,130.28 total. 48 monthly payments – £91.17 p/m. £4,376.16 total. 60 monthly payments – £76.83 p/m£4,609.80 total. 72 monthly payments – £67.52 p/m£4,861.44 total. 84 monthly payments – £61.09 p/m£5,131.56 total. 96 monthly payments – £56.00 p/m £5,376.00 total. | 12 monthly payments – £325.00 p/m £3,949 total. 24 monthly payments – £180.41 p/m£4,329.84 total. 36 monthly payments – £126.06 p/m £4,538.16 total. 48 monthly payments – £100.18 p/m. £4,808.64 total. 60 monthly payments – £84.41 p/m£5,064.60 total. 72 monthly payments – £74.18 p/m£5,340.96 total. 84 monthly payments – £67.13 p/m£5,638.92 total. 96 monthly payments – £61.53 p/m £5,906.88 total. |
| Coffin included | Basic coffin. | Basic coffin. | Basic coffin. | Standard coffin. |
| Constraints on date and time of funeral? | No funeral service included, this is a direct cremation plan. | More flexibility than the Simple plan, but still restricted times and dates. | No, the family can decide any time or date available. | No, the family can decide any time or date available. |
| Access to a Chapel of Rest for family and friends to visit? | No. | Yes. | Yes. | Yes. |
| Cortege included? | Not applicable. | No. | No. | Yes. This plan provides the funeral cortège from the home to the service. |
| Pallbearers included? | Not applicable. | Conductor and four pallbearers provided. | Conductor and four pallbearers provided. | Conductor and four pallbearers provided. |
| Limosine included? | Not applicable. | No. | No. | Yes. |
| Hearse included? | Not applicable. | Yes. | Yes. | Yes. One limousine to transfer the mourners and family to and from the service provided. |
| Cremation and/or burial fees included? | Only cremation fees. | Cremation or Burial. | Cremation or Burial costs guaranteed. | Cremation or Burial costs guaranteed. |
| Any extras? | Bereavement counselling | Bereavement counsellingAllowance towards disbursementsThank-you cards | Bereavement counsellingAllowance towards disbursementsThank-you cards Unlike Copper or Zinc plans, cremation or burial costs are guaranteed at Today’s price. | Bereavement counsellingAllowance towards disbursementsThank-you cardsUnlike Copper or Zinc plans, cremation or burial costs are guaranteed at Today’s price. |
Plans provided to Golden Leaves International to Expatriates:
 | Simple Funeral Plan | Traditional Funeral Plan | Repatriation Funeral Plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £3,348 if you live in Spain or Portugal £2,705 if you live in Cyprus | £3,696 if you live in Spain or Portugal £2,974 if you live in Cyprus | £7,827 if you live in Spain or Portugal £6,914 if you live in Cyprus |
| Monthly payment options available | If paying in pounds you can pay in one payment, 12 monthly instalments or via a credit finance agreement. If paying in Euros you can pay in one payment or using a 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84 or 96 monthly payment method. | If paying in pounds you can pay in one payment, 12 monthly instalments or via a credit finance agreement. If paying in Euros you can pay in one payment or using a 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84 or 96 monthly payment method. | If paying in pounds you can pay in one payment, 12 monthly instalments or via a credit finance agreement. If paying in Euros you can pay in one payment or using a 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84 or 96 monthly payment method. |
| Countries this plan is available in | Spain, Portugal and Cyprus | ||
| Coffin included | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| What else? | Administration of the plan Arranging of the funeral Funeral Director’s services Transport of the deceased to a mortuary 3 days of mortuary expenses Hearse to the local crematorium Cremation fee and Doctor’s certificate A basic urn Cremation certificate to allow ashes to be taken on an aircraft Death certificate translated to English Dual plan cover with the UK 24 hour helpline | Administration of the plan Attending to funeral arrangements Funeral director’s services Transport of the deceased to a mortuary 5 days of mortuary expenses hearse to a local crematorium or cemetery Religious or non religious service cremation fee and doctors certificate cremation certificate to allow ashes to be taken on an aircraft Death certificate translated to English Dual plan cover with the UK 24 hour helpline | Administration of plan Funeral directors expenses Care of the deceased Simple coffin for transport purposes Flight to destination country (£1,000 freight allowance) Delivery from airport to UK funeral directors (must be within 100km) Advice on registration of death 24 hour emergency helpline £2,000 disbursement allowance to use towards visits in the Chapel of Rest A wooden coffin cremation and burial costs. |
| What’s not included? | Contribution to the repatriation of ashes Mortuary expenses for over 3 days Embalming Burial of the deceased Religious or non-religious funeral service | Mortuary expenses for over 5 days Repatriation of the ashes | Additional church service in country of passing |
Is there an admin fee?
Golden Leaves do not charge any administration fees for setting up or making changes to a plan.
Golden Leaves Direct Cremation Plan
Do Golden leaves offer a direct cremation/cremation-only plan?
Golden Leaves do offer a direct cremation plan, and the costs are outlined above.
Golden Leaves International Direct Cremation Plan
Golden Leaves International also offers a direct cremation plan for expats living in Spain and Portugal. The cost is £2,018 and it includes the following:
- Administration of the plan and the making of funeral arrangements.
- Funeral director’s services.
- An unattended cremation service.
- Transport of the deceased to a mortuary.
- 24 hours of mortuary expense.
- Preparation and care of the deceased.
- A coffin.
- Cremation fee and doctor’s certificate.
- A simple urn.
- Returning of ashes to the family within the mainland of Spain or Portugal.
- Certificate to allow the ashes to be taken on board an aircraft.
- A death certificate translated into English.
- Dual plan cover with the UK.
- Access to a 24 hour helpline.
The following are not included:
- Contribution to the repatriation of ashes
- Extra mortuary expenses for more than one day
- Burial of the deceased
- Attendance or viewing of the deceased
- Religious or non-religious funeral service
Golden Leaves funeral plan offers and deals
There are currently no special offers or deals available for Golden Leaves funeral plans.
How Do Funeral Plans Work?
A funeral plan is a way of paying in advance for services that will be required after you pass away. You pay for the specific services agreed under the plan that you select and this guarantees you the service that you choose at today’s prices.
Are Golden Leaves plans Safe, Reliable and secure?
For protection, all funds paid under your Golden Leaves funeral plan is held securely in an independently managed Golden Leaves Trust. Investment managers of this trust act as trustees and are responsible for managing the long-term growth of the fund in order to meet the increasing cost of funeral services.
If you have opted to pay by fixed monthly payments, a whole of life insurance policy will be taken out on your behalf with Phoenix Life Ltd and the payout from the insurance policy will cover the cost of the funeral.
Under UK law, trustees (like those of the Golden Leaves Trust) are required to act in accordance with what is called their ‘fiduciary duty’. It represents the highest standard of care required under law.
A fiduciary duty can be broken down into several elements – most importantly, a fiduciary:
- Cannot put themselves in a position where they are in a conflict of interest; and
- Cannot profit from their position.
To add further security, Golden Leaves are authorised and regulated by the FCA and are a member of the Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors (‘SAIF’).
What happens if Golden Leaves goes bust?
In the event that Golden Leaves go out of business and are not able to provide your funeral, the money held under your plan will be protected by the trust outlined above.
The money will be released to the Golden Leaves Trust when you pass away, who will then return the payments made to your Estate after paying their own costs.
The amount paid to the Estate would depend upon the plan at the time of death.
The Trust’s costs will be paid from these funds. Your Estate can then use the remaining money to pay for a funeral with another provider.
Depending on the cost of the funeral, your Estate may receive more or less money than is needed to pay all funeral costs.
Refund & Cancellation terms
You have a right to cancel any plan, whether you paid in full upfront or by monthly instalments, within 30 days or within 7 days of being told who your allocated funeral director is, if this is later than 30 days. On cancellation within these times you will receive a full refund.
If you pay for your plan in a single lump sum or you finance this via Funeral Safe, you can still cancel after this time and get your money back, but Golden Leaves will keep £249 which represents a charge for administration.
Contacting Golden Leaves
| Address | Golden Leaves 16 Floor No1 Croydon 12-16 Addiscombe Road Croydon CR0 0XT |
| Phone | 0800 85 44 48 for UK calls, or 020 8684 3464 if you are calling from outside of the UK |
| info@goldenleaves.com |
What happens to my money?
If you have paid in a lump sum then your money will be placed in the trust outlined above, which will be protected under UK law.
Golden Leaves Funeral Plans Vs Other Plans
There are a huge variety of plans available which cater for a variety of budgets, which is why we have created a useful guide to show you some alternatives.
This year we have reviewed a number of plan providers. The most similar to Golden Leaves would be Golden Charter, an established funeral plan provider that offers five plans to suit a range of budgets. Their plans range in price from £1749 for their basic plan all the way up to £4099 for their premier plan.
Golden Leaves funeral plan final thoughts
We have been impressed by the flexibility of the Zinc, Silver and Gold plans. Unlike some other providers, it is possible to cherry pick elements that you like from more premium plans and add these to the Zinc or a Silver plan if you pay the difference.
For all plans other than the Copper plan (as this is a direct cremation plan offering no Chapel of Rest viewing), it is possible to request the funeral director that provides the service, provided of course that they agree to enter into an agreement with Golden Leaves.
If this is not possible then you can cancel your plan and receive a full refund if you cancel within 7 days of being informed of the director that Golden Leaves has appointed.
This flexibility coupled with an average rating of 4.7/5 stars on Trustpilot (based on 2,931 reviews), has lead us to award Golden Leaves 4/5 stars in our Funeral Inspirations Awards.
Funeral Inspirations would recommend Golden Leaves’ funeral plans. They are a smaller but trusted provider with excellent customer reviews. We find their flexibility in being able to customise a plan to the customer’s needs refreshing, and are impressed at the plans offered to the expat community as well. The following are some reasons why we did not provide 5/5 stars in our awards:
- The funeral plans are more expensive than some we have seen on offer.
- Golden Leaves charges a high cancellation fee of £249 if a customer changes their mind in certain circumstances. Other providers that we have reviewed offer a much longer ‘cooling off’ period.
- Golden Leaves charges high interest per annum if a customer chooses to pay in more than 12 monthly installments, whereas some competitors offer interest free plans.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Yes. Since 29th July 2022.
You have a number of options. Plans include everything from a basic service with no attendees to a full service, with transport, funeral notices and flowers included.
Yes, but depending on how you have chosen to pay for your plan and the cancellation date a fee may be payable. Please refer to the ‘Refund u0026 Cancellation terms’ section above for more information.