Planning your funeral now may be the last thing that you want to be thinking about but planning in advance can help to ease the emotional and financial strain on friends, family and loved ones at a very difficult time.

What kind of funeral do you want?

Not wanting to talk about the death of a loved one or your own funeral is understandable, but not doing so can cause considerable distress for loved ones when the time comes, whether thats uncertainty as to what the person who has died would have wanted, family friction over what kind of funeral it will be or concerns over how much to spend.

It can be tricky to get the conversation started but our guide to setting out your funeral wishes can really help.

The NAFD has collaborated with Dying Matters on the My Funeral Wishes leaflet which is designed to encourage conversations about funerals. To find out more and download a copy of My Funeral Wishes, please click here.

Many funeral directors hold events in their communities to help people to start conversations too. These include open days, participation in community events or drop-in sessions.

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Taking out a funeral plan

Funeral plans come in different shapes and sizes, just like all financial products and its important to choose one thats right for you, that meets all your needs and is offered by an authorised funeral plan provider.

Funeral planning companies are now regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and have a strict set of rules to abide by. The FCA has authorised 26 providers and you can check which firms are authorised on the Financial Services Register.

FCA regulation of funeral plans means that:

  • Customers get the plan they have paid for and it meets their needs
  • Customers money is looked after and used responsibly
  • Consumers get the information they need to make an informed decision
  • Those selling plans meet FCA rules

The FCA has also introduced a ban on cold calls. Unless the consumer has been in contact with the firm before, and theyd expect to receive a call from them as part of this relationship, the firm cannot call them.

Customers of plans with authorised firms can make a complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service, even if the issue happened before July 2022, as long as the firm was registered with the Funeral Planning Authority at the time the issue occurred.

Things to think about when buying a funeral plan

Below is our guide to some of the steps you might wish to take when buying a funeral plan.

  1. Talk to those closest to you about what kind of funeral you would like for yourself. This will ease their uncertainty when the time comes.
  2. Explain that you are considering taking out a funeral plan as it will be important for them to know this information, and tell them where they will be able to find the plan, when the time comes.
  3. Research funeral plan providers and check your chosen provider is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority.
  4. Talk to a funeral director that is an authorised representative of a funeral plan provider. They will be the ones to carry out the funeral when the time comes and can help you understand the options available to you.
  5. Do not feel under any pressure to make a decision until you are satisfied with the answers to your questions and that you have all the information you need to make a decision.

Once youve chosen a plan, dont forget to leave the details with your Will, or tell someone close to you where to find it.

Find out more on
their website:

National Association of Funeral Plan Providers

They can also help if you have concerns, or need help tracing a funeral plan

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VISIT WEBSITE

Find out more on
their website:

National Association of Funeral Plan Providers
They can also help if you have concerns, or need help tracing a funeral plan

VISIT WEBSITE
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