If you’re comparing funeral providers for a cremation service, the range of prices and packages can be difficult to navigate. Whether you need to arrange a funeral now or are planning ahead with a prepaid plan, what looks like a small difference in headline price can mask significant gaps in what’s actually included.
This guide compares four of the UK’s leading cremation funeral providers: Memoria Funerals, Co-op Funeralcare, Distinct and Golden Charter. We look at both prepaid funeral plans and funerals arranged after someone has died, covering what each price includes, where costs can escalate, and the practical differences that matter when you’re making a decision.
When comparing providers, look beyond the headline price. Check:
All four providers offer prepaid plans for attended cremation funerals. Here is how their standard plans compare:
| Provider | Plan | Price | Fees guaranteed? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Distinct Cremations | Funeral Service Plan (30-minute service) | £2,295 | Yes, fully guaranteed |
| Memoria Funerals | Personal Plan (30-minute service) | £2,495 | Yes, fully guaranteed |
| Co-op Funeralcare | Simple Plan | £3,145 | No (£850 cap on third-party fees) |
| Golden Charter | Standard Plan | £3,800 | No (£1,100 third-party allowance) |
*Prices correct as of August 2026.
Distinct Cremations offers the lowest headline price at £2,295, followed by Memoria Funerals at £2,495. Both fully guarantee all included fees as standard, meaning your family will not face a shortfall when the time comes. Co-op’s Simple Plan (£3,145) limits third-party fees to £850, and Golden Charter’s Standard Plan (£3,800) uses a £1,100 allowance. With either of those, families would be asked to pay the difference if costs rise.
Each provider also offers premium plans with more flexibility. Memoria Funerals Celebration of Life Plan (priced at £3,095) includes a service at any time, hand delivery of ashes, and a coffin in larger sizes, if required. Co-op’s first fully-guaranteed plan is the Silver at £4,295. Golden Charter’s Select Plan costs £4,150 and still uses a capped allowance for third-party fees.
You can compare all three Memoria Funerals plans in detail on the funeral plans page.
Third-party fees are charges for services provided by organisations or individuals other than the funeral director. These costs usually need to be paid before the funeral can take place.
The funeral provider does not control these fees or any future increases. For a cremation, third-party fees may include:
Some funeral plans place a cap on the amount they will contribute towards third-party fees. If these costs rise above the capped amount, your family will need to pay the difference.
This means a plan with a lower headline price could lead to additional costs later. For greater peace of mind that your family will not be asked to pay more, look for a fully- guaranteed plan. Memoria Funerals offers this as standard across all of its funeral plans.
| Feature | Memoria Funerals Personal Plan (£2,495) | Co-op Simple Plan (£3,145) |
|---|---|---|
| Cremation and third-party fees | Funeral Directors fees, services and cremation fees included | £850 cap (family pays any shortfall) |
| Service time | Off-peak (morning) | Chosen by Co-op |
| Crematorium choice | Any in mainland UK | Chosen by Co-op |
| Coffin | Quality wood | Basic |
| Collection | Anywhere in mainland UK | Included within a 50-mile radius |
| Hearse | +£400 optional | Hearse or suitable vehicle chosen by Co-op |
| Limousine | +£300 optional | Not included |
| Officiant | +£250 optional | Covered by the £850 third-party cap |
| Cancellation fee | £95 (after 30 days) | £125 (after 30 days) |
Memoria Funerals is £500 cheaper and includes funeral directors fees, services and cremation fees included as standard. Co-op’s Simple Plan caps third-party fees at £850, which means your family will be asked to pay the difference if costs rise between now and when the plan is needed. To get fully-guaranteed fees with Co-op, you would need the Silver Plan at £4,295, which is £2,250 more than Memoria Funerals Personal Plan.
Both plans restrict service times to keep costs down. Memoria Funerals lets you choose any crematorium in mainland UK, while Co-op selects one for you.
| Feature | Memoria Funerals Personal Plan (£2,495) | Golden Charter Standard Plan (£3,800) |
|---|---|---|
| Cremation and third-party fees | Funeral Directors fees, services and cremation fees included | £1,100 allowance (family pays any shortfall) |
| Service time | Off-peak (morning) | Choice of date and time (weekdays, during working hours) |
| Crematorium choice | Any in mainland UK | Via independent funeral director |
| Coffin | Quality wood | Simple |
| Collection | Anywhere in mainland UK | Within 25 miles (working hours) |
| Hearse | +£400 optional | Included to a local crematorium or cemetery |
| Limousine | +£300 optional | Not included |
| Officiant | +£250 optional | £1,100 allowance towards officiant fees |
| Cancellation fee | £95 (after 30 days) | £350 (after 30 days) |
Memoria Funerals is £1,305 cheaper than Golden Charter’s Standard Plan, which offers more flexibility on service times, but comes at a significantly higher price. The £1,100 third-party allowance means families would still face additional costs if fees rise in the future.
Collection of the person who has died is also limited to within 25 miles during working hours, while Memoria Funerals collects from anywhere in mainland UK.
| Feature | Memoria Funerals Personal Plan (£2,495) | Distinct Funeral Service (£2,295) |
|---|---|---|
| Cremation and third-party fees | Funeral Directors fees, services and cremation fees included | Fully guaranteed |
| Service time | 30-minute, off-peak (morning) service | 30-minute service, at selected service times, Monday-Friday, upgrade to a full-length service, Monday-Saturday within working hours for an extra cost |
| Crematorium choice | Any in mainland UK | Choice of 42 Westerleigh crematoriums only |
| Coffin | Quality wood | Classic coffin |
| Collection | Anywhere in mainland UK | Anywhere in mainland UK |
| Hearse | +£400 optional | Not available |
| Limousine | +£300 optional | Not available |
| Officiant | +£250 optional | +£250 optional |
| Cancellation fee | £95 (after 30 days) | £275 (after 30 days) |
Distinct is £200 cheaper and does not restrict your service to a morning slot. Both providers fully guarantee all included fees, and both operate their own crematoriums with their own staff. This makes them the two most comparable providers in this guide.
The key difference is crematorium choice. Memoria Funerals lets you use any crematorium in mainland UK, Distinct limits you to its network of 42 Westerleigh Group sites.
If you need to arrange a funeral now, without a prepaid plan in place, here is how the providers compare. Golden Charter only sells prepaid plans through independent funeral directors.
| Provider | Entry price | Service type |
|---|---|---|
| Distinct Cremations | from £1,950 | Funeral Service (30-minute service) |
| Memoria Funerals | from £2,045 | Personal Funeral (30-minute, off-peak morning service) |
| Co-op Funeralcare | From £2,195 | Essential Funeral (varies by location) |
| Golden Charter | Not available | Plans only |
*Memoria Funerals and Distinct funeral prices are national. Co-op prices vary depending on the funeral home location. Prices correct as of August 2026.
| Feature | Memoria Funerals Personal (from £2,045) | Co-op Essential (£2,195 to £2,995) |
|---|---|---|
| Cremation and third-party fees | Funeral Directors fees, services and cremation fees included | Does not include third party fees |
| Service time | Off-peak (early morning) | Date and time agreed with funeral director |
| Crematorium choice | Yes (extra charges may apply at non-Memoria sites) | Not specified |
| Coffin | Quality wood – Standard sized coffins are included, but larger sizes require specialist equipment which has an additional cost. | Basic |
| Cortege | Private ambulance included | Within 20 miles (their choice of vehicle) |
| Hearse | +£400 optional | Included (ceremonial vehicle) |
| Limousine | +£300 optional | Not included |
| Officiant | +£250 optional | Varies based on location |
| Non-hospital collection | +£250 | Not specified |
| Hand delivery of ashes | +£100 | Not specified |
At £2,045, Memoria Funerals Personal Funeral is less expensive than Co-op’s Essential Funeral. Co-op’s Essential Funeral starts at £2,195 but can cost more depending on your location, making the actual cost difficult to predict until you enquire.
Co-op includes their choice of a hearse or private ambulance in the Essential Funeral, depending on the location. Memoria Funerals includes a private ambulance as standard and offers a hearse upgrade for £400. For families who want a traditional hearse, it is worth comparing the total cost in your area.
| Feature | Memoria Funerals Personal (from £2,045) | Distinct Funeral Service (from £1,950) |
|---|---|---|
| Cremation and third-party fees | Funeral Directors fees, services and cremation fees included | Included |
| Service time | Off-peak (early morning) | Not restricted |
| Crematorium choice | Any in mainland UK | Choice of 42 Westerleigh crematoriums only |
| Coffin | Quality wood | Classic |
| Cortege | Private ambulance included | Private ambulance included |
| Hearse | +£400 optional | Not available |
| Limousine | +£300 optional | Not available |
| Officiant | +£250 optional | +£250 |
| Standard collection | Hospital or coroner, mainland UK | Hospital or coroner, weekdays 8am to 6pm, mainland UK |
| Non-hospital collection | +£250 | +£250 |
| Hand delivery of ashes | +£100 | Personally returned or scattered (included) |
Distinct’s funeral service is £95 cheaper than Memoria Funerals standard Personal Funeral. Both providers offer transparent national pricing, and both include a private ambulance, coffin, and cremation and third-party fees as standard.
As with prepaid plans, the main difference is crematorium choice. Memoria Funerals can arrange a funeral at any crematorium in mainland UK, which is particularly useful if your family has a specific location in mind. Distinct uses its own 42 Westerleigh crematoriums only. Families who want a traditional hearse should note that Distinct does not offer this option, while Memoria Funerals makes it available as an extra service for £400.
Whether you are buying a prepaid plan or arranging a funeral today, there are several things worth checking before you commit:
Have any questions? Speak to the Memoria Funerals team for a no obligation chat.
Of the major providers compared in this guide, Distinct Cremations offers the cheapest prepaid plan for an attended cremation funeral at £2,295 (Funeral Service Plan). This includes fully guaranteed fees and a service at one of 42 Westerleigh Group crematoriums. Memoria Funerals is next at £2,495 (Personal Plan), which also includes fully guaranteed fees but adds the flexibility to choose any crematorium in mainland UK.
A prepaid funeral plan is arranged and paid for in advance, allowing you to lock in the cost of the services included in the plan. If you don’t have a prepaid plan, the funeral is arranged after someone has died and is charged at the funeral provider’s prices at that time.
Prepaid plans may cost more than the equivalent funeral today because the price of the included services is guaranteed against future increases. For example, Memoria Funerals’ prepaid Personal Plan is £2,495, compared with £2,045 for an equivalent funeral arranged following a death.
Third-party fees (sometimes called disbursements) are costs the funeral provider pays on your behalf to other organisations, such as the crematorium fee and officiant’s fee. Some plans fully guarantee these fees, meaning your family will not pay extra regardless of future price rises. Others cap the amount or set an allowance, which can leave your family with a shortfall if costs increase between now and when the plan is used.
The most common extras for an attended cremation funeral include a hearse, limousine, and officiant or celebrant. If the death occurred at home or in a care home rather than a hospital, there may be non-hospital collection costs. These costs vary between providers, so it is worth adding up the total for your specific situation rather than comparing headline prices alone.
A prepaid plan makes sense if you want to fix the cost now, spare your family from making financial decisions when they are grieving, and ensure your wishes are followed. Paying at the time of need costs less today but means your family will pay whatever the going rate is when the funeral is needed.
Competitor pricing sourced from providers’ published standardised price lists and websites, correct as of August 2026. Prices may change without notice. Memoria Funerals is not responsible for the accuracy of third-party pricing.
Last reviewed: August 2026.
