Pre-paid funeral plans can provide people with peace of mind that their funeral arrangements have already been taken care of when they die. Legitimate providers of such plans can help individuals to make informed choices about the arrangements they would like as well as ensure that the costs of a funeral are covered so that they are not passed onto family and friends.
This month it has been announced that there will be a review of the regulations covering funeral plans to try and protect customers from potential harm when taking out these prepaid packages from providers. The aim of the consultation is to provide greater protection to vulnerable people who may be mis-sold plans, as well as for their families who are often the ones left to deal with the situation when things go wrong.
Whilst many providers are members of The Funeral Planning Authority, which sets out a strict code of conduct regarding the way plans are sold, not all providers are. This means that some act outside the body’s jurisdiction and are not accountable to the same regulations as members are. Funeral directors are calling for this situation to be rectified. One solution under consideration is to put the pre-paid funeral market under the control of the Financial Conduct Authority. It is felt that the review, which will run until August, will help determine an appropriate proposal to affect change as well as improve the reputation of the sector and the services they provide to families.
Joseph C Roberts are an independent family funeral director based in Harrogate, North Yorkshire. We offer fixed price funeral plans as well as bespoke arrangements. For more information about any of the services we provide, please get in touch at any time by calling 01423 887824.