The best send off needs a good plan!

With costs rising your family will thank you for thinking ahead.

We all know that nothing is certain in life except death and taxes, but you can also be sure of a hefty funeral bill.

With the average funeral now costing between £2,000 and £5,000 – and rising at 7 per cent year on year – it is certainly worth considering planning ahead. But, according to new research from Confused.com, 80 per cent of Britons have no financial plans in place to cover their send-off, thus risking following the 100,000 people who were given a pauper's funeral in the past five years after dying alone, penniless or with no financial support from their families.

Pre-paid funeral plans are one way to go, locking in today's prices to ensure your family doesn't have to dig deep to cover the shortfall. The big attraction is that acceptance is guaranteed and health and medical histories are not taken into account. Plans typically cost from £2,000 up to £4,000 depending on the package you choose.

Many will allow you to add personal touches such as favourite readings, newspaper notices, stationery for the funeral and flowers. Payment is flexible so you can usually make a one-off payment now, or pay in monthly instalments for up to 10 years,.

"Compared to other options, pre-paid funeral plans are a cost-effective measure as consumers can freeze costs at today's prices and are paid in line with the inflation rate," says Leanne Squires, the product manager at Confused.com.

"Ultimately, they provide peace of mind that loved ones are protected against the added stress, expense and worry of funeral planning."