Our pre-paid funeral plan records the way you want to be remembered and protects your loved ones from any unnecessary burden and costs Southern Co-operative Funerals
Pre-paid funeral plans Our pre-paid funeral plan records the way you want to be remembered and protects your loved ones from any unnecessary burden and costs
0800 243 380 funeralplans.coop
Pre-paid funeral plans
If you want everyone dancing, a glitter ball on your casket and a camper van hearse, have it. It’s your funeral.
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Pre-paid funeral plans
What is a pre-paid funeral plan? None of us like to think about the end of life, but by planning ahead we can reduce the burden on the people we love, at a painful time. A pre-paid funeral plan allows you to arrange and pay for your funeral in advance of need, providing emotional and financial peace of mind for you and your family.
We’re here to support you We’ll explain all the options available and give you all the time you need to make the right decision for you. We’re here for you every step of the way. Plan it your way Make sure your final wishes are met, meaning less stress for your family and friends. Protection against any rise in costs The products and services you choose on your funeral plan are fully protected against a rise in funeral costs*. Peace of mind As you’ve arranged and paid for your funeral in advance.
Contents What is a pre-paid funeral plan? ............................. 3 Why choose us? ...................................................... 4 Protection against any rise in funeral costs ..... 6 Choose a plan that suits you ..................................... 8 Funeral plan packages ......................................... 9 How to buy a pre-paid funeral plan? ................... 10 Frequently asked questions ............................... 12 Funeral plan key features ................................... 16 Important information about funeral plans for a burial .............................................................. 18 Terms and conditions ........................................... 20
*Please note, burial plot costs are not included with any of our funeral plans and will need to be purchased separately. Excludes our online Simple plan where only a contribution is paid towards the cost of disbursements, any shortfall will need to be paid for at the time of the funeral. Subject to the funeral plan being paid in full or once outside the moratorium period (24 months).
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Why choose us?
With almost 60 local funeral homes across the South, our knowledge and experience enables us to support local families with all of their funeral planning and bereavement needs. We recognise that everyone is unique and we all have different preferences and budgets. That is why we believe in giving you choice, flexibility, and complete control when it comes to planning your funeral.
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Pre-paid funeral plans
Tailored to your individual needs We recognise that making funeral arrangements in advance of need involves making many important decisions. We believe you should have the opportunity to make those important decisions yourself and have the time to think carefully about what you and your family want. No hidden costs A pre-paid, personalised funeral plan is fixed to provide the funeral services paid for with no hidden charges or conditions. Whether the funeral takes place in five or 50 years time, there will be nothing left to pay* - subject to terms and conditions. *Please note, burial plot costs are not included with any of our funeral plans and will need to be purchased separately. Excludes our online Simple plan where only a contribution is paid towards the cost of disbursements, any shortfall will need to be paid for at the time of the funeral. Subject to the funeral plan being paid in full or once outside the moratorium period (24 months). Flexible payment options We offer an easy payment scheme to spread the cost over, 12, 18 or 24 months through monthly instalments, securing the cost for a fixed monthly payment. Monthly instalment fee applies. Local expertise At your time of need, your funeral arrangements will be in the hands of a trusted and experienced Funeral & Memorial Consultant. We work closely with local doctors, nursing homes, hospitals, crematoriums and burial grounds to ensure that all funeral arrangements run as smoothly as possible.
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Pre-paid funeral plans
You’re protected against any rise in funeral costs The price of a funeral, like everything else, keeps going up and has increased 126% since 2004. It is predicted average funeral costs could increase to £4,859 by 2026*. Buying a pre-paid funeral plan helps you beat any rise in costs by paying at today’s price. It protects loved ones from any additional expense for the services included in the plan, no matter when the funeral takes place. Unlike some funeral plan providers, we promise to cover the full cost of all products and services included in your chosen plan**. Once paid for, you’ll have peace of mind knowing that your loved ones will have nothing extra to pay when the time comes.
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Funeral Cost Forecast*
£1,835
£1,884
126% The percentage average funeral costs have risen since 2004.
£2,081
£2,288
£2,432
£2,600
£2,713
Whatever type of personalised funeral plan you choose, the cost of all products, services and third party charges selected in your plan are fixed, therefore there will be nothing more to pay**. If your family wants to add their own personal finishing touches to your funeral, these can be easily added and paid for when the time comes. **Please note, burial plot costs are not included with any of our funeral plans and will need to be purchased separately. Excludes our online Simple plan where only a contribution is paid towards the cost of disbursements, any shortfall will need to be paid for at the time of the funeral. Subject to the funeral plan being paid in full or once outside the moratorium period (24 months).
£2,910
£3,079
£3,225
£3,363
£3,454
£3,649
£3,837
£4,029
£4,115 £4,184 £4,056
£3,953
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£4,141 £4,592
25 Predicted costs 24 Predicted costs
£4,726
£4,859
26 Predicted costs
*Source: Sunlife Cost of Dying Report 2024
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Pre-paid funeral plans Choose a funeral plan that suits you
To make planning your funeral as simple as possible we offer a range of funeral plan options to meet both your wishes and budget.
Personalised Funeral Plan Plan a celebration of your life that perfectly reflects who you are Giving you control over all the choices. We know that it’s the little things that make a funeral special. A personalised funeral plan can be a full expression of your personality, helping you say a unique goodbye. Almost everything can be arranged and paid for in advance, meaning your family do not have to worry about guessing or paying for your final wishes. You can add to or change your funeral plan at any time. No charge will be made for making the changes; you simply pay for any additional services you arrange. Everything will be charged at today’s prices, ensuring there are no additional costs when the time comes. Subject to terms and conditions*. Call us to arrange your plan A personalised funeral plan is unique to you, so can only be arranged with one of our Funeral Planning team. They make sure everything is recorded for you and will give you a detailed breakdown of costs, based on the choices you have made. Our experienced Consultants will be happy to give you a no-obligation consultation to help you plan your funeral exactly the way you want it.
A few ways you can personalise your funeral plan Coffin - a bespoke design can be covered in personal messages, art by loved ones and special poems. Music - if you’re a particular fan of a certain TV show, film or song, choose what you’d like people to associate your memory with. Dress code - request guests to wear your favourite colour for a celebratory funeral service. Journey - specify a particular route, perhaps taking in special places or an unusual hearse to reflect your personality. Location - you may prefer an alternative location for your service in perhaps a woodland or natural burial ground. Our Funeral Planning team can discuss different ways to personalise your funeral.
Funeral Plan packages
Our funeral plan packages include the essential services needed for a cremation or burial. We have various funeral plans, each including a different combination of products and services, so you can choose the one that most closely fits your needs. Our funeral plan packages are only available to purchase online on our website at funeralplans.coop .
*Please note, burial plot costs are not included with any of our funeral plans and will need to be purchased separately. Excludes our online Simple plan where only a contribution is paid towards the cost of disbursements, any shortfall will need to be paid for at the time of the funeral. Subject to the funeral plan being paid in full or once outside the moratorium period (24 months).
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How to buy a pre-paid funeral plan
Buying a personalised funeral plan
Buying a funeral plan package
Due to the individual nature of personalised funeral plans, all plans are arranged via a telephone, video call or face-to-face appointment in one of our funeral homes.
Our funeral plan packages are only available to purchase online on our website funeralplans.coop. If you require assistance with your purchase, please call our dedicated funeral planning team. Details below. Buying a funeral plan for someone else You can buy one of our funeral plans for yourself, relative or a friend. Buying a grave None of our burial plans include the cost of purchasing/leasing a grave. We will be able to advise you on how you go about enquiring and purchasing a burial plot in your area with the local burial authority. Flexible payment scheme We offer an easy payment scheme to spread the cost from a single upfront payment, to a choice of monthly instalment options over 12, 18 or 24 months. Monthly instalment fee applies.
You can discuss your personalised funeral plan, at a time convenient for you (within our working hours).
Funeral Planning Team 0800 243 380 Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm info@funeralplans.coop
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Frequently asked questions
We want to make choosing your funeral plan as simple as possible, so we’ve answered the questions we’re most frequently asked below. If you have a query that we haven’t answered here, don’t worry. Just contact a member of our friendly, knowledgeable funeral planning team and we will be happy to help.
Will a funeral plan cover costs if I die abroad? Our funeral plans do not cover funerals that take place aboard or the cost of repatriation. If you plan to go abroad, you should ensure that your travel or medical insurance policy includes full cover for repatriation costs. Our friendly Funeral & Memorial Consultants can help support you and organise the repatriation if required. What if I die away from home within Great Britain and Northern Ireland? Included in our funeral plans is the collection and transfer of the deceased to a resting place to a specified maximum mile radius. If you need to be transported further than that specified, extra charges will apply. How will the person arranging my funeral know what to do when the time comes? We recommend that every plan holder nominates a representative at time of purchase. It is important to let your nominated representative and/or executor know that you have arranged a funeral plan and where the funeral plan certificate can be found. At time of need, they must contact your nominated funeral home who will organise the funeral arrangements specified in the funeral plan.
Funeral Planning Team 0800 243 380 Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm info@funeralplans.coop
About our plans Who will be providing my funeral?
Y our funeral will be carried out by one of our funeral homes. You will choose your funeral home when you buy your plan (this can be changed at any time). We will record this so we know when the time comes. Who can arrange a funeral plan with us? Our funeral plans are available to anyone aged 18 and over. You can arrange a funeral plan for yourself or on behalf of a partner, relative or friend. Do I need a medical to purchase a funeral plan? No, there is no medical required when applying for a funeral plan, however you should consider whether ongoing ill health could affect your ability to pay for the plan or make decisions. Can more than one person be named on a funeral plan? Two people can be named on a funeral plan, with the option to use it for either the first or the second person that passes away.
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Additional peace of mind
What benefits will I receive as a Southern Co-op member? Please visit southern.coop/membership for the most up to date information on Southern Co-op membership benefit entitlements. To find out more about the benefits of membership and to become a member call 0800 652 0124 , visit us online at southern.coop/membership or email membersupport@southerncoops.co.uk How we keep your All monies paid towards Southern Co-operative funeral plans (excluding admin and instalment fees) are invested in a regulated whole of life insurance policy in accordance with our statutory obligations. When you buy a plan from Southern Co-operative Funerals we buy a whole of life insurance policy with Royal London Mutual Insurance Society Limited (Royal London). Royal London is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. money safe Is my money safe?
What additional safeguards are in place? All of our funeral homes are members of the National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD) and are signed up to the Independent Funeral Standard Organisation. (IFSO). IFSO sets high standards for it’s members, and member firms must abide by the Funeral Director Code. This guides the actions, behaviour and standards of an IFSO funeral home and is designed to help funeral homes aspire to the highest professional standards. In the unlikely event our business is no longer trading, you will be protected via the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS).
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Payment If I die prior to completing the instalment plan, is the fixed price still guaranteed? In the event of payments lapsing due to the death of the plan holder, the prices for the products and services included on the plan will be honoured or a refund of the amounts paid can be returned to the nominated representative or executor. If payments are 24 months or less into the payment schedule then full payment of the outstanding amount must be paid to proceed with the funeral plan. For instalment plans 25 months or over into the payment schedule we will provide the funeral with no further payments being required. This is providing that payments have been kept up to date, any overdue payments at time of death would need to be paid prior to the funeral taking place. Will there be anything else to pay for at the time of the funeral? Subject to the funeral plan being paid in full or the above conditions being met then there will be no further payments due for the products and services recorded on the funeral plan at the time of the funeral. Excludes our online Simple plan where only a contribution is made towards the cost of disbursements, any shortfall will be required to be paid at time of need. Your nominated representative making the arrangements may wish to include additional items in your funeral that are not part of your original funeral plan. We can help to arrange these and they will need to be paid for in full. Can I buy memorial masonry? Yes. Masonry products such as new headstones or additional inscriptions on existing headstones can be added to your plan.
After I’ve bought my plan What happens after I’ve bought my plan? Once your payment plan has been paid in full or after 24 months*, if paying by instalments, you will be sent a funeral plan certificate. This should be retained in a safe place and your nominated representative, executor or solicitor should be made aware of its existence. *Providing instalment payments have been kept up to date. What if I want to make changes to my funeral plan? There is no administration charge for making changes. We outline all of the potential change scenarios and how this may affect your plan in our terms and conditions. Please contact us if you wish to make any changes and we can talk this through with you. You can alter your funeral plan arrangements at a later date, although we would charge for any additional or upgraded products/services at the price prevailing at the time of change. What if I want to cancel my plan? You can cancel your plan within 30 days of taking out the plan and receive a full refund. After 30 days, a cancellation fee may apply. Subject to terms and conditions.
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Pre-paid funeral plans Funeral plan key features
This document summarises the main features and benefits of our funeral plans and details the terms and conditions that apply. Please read this document in conjunction with your Funeral Plan Summary Document. What is a pre-paid funeral plan? A pre-paid funeral plan allows you to arrange and pay for your funeral in advance of need which protects you from price rises in the future and provided you have paid in full or kept up to date with your payment plan, we guarantee to cover the full cost of the funeral products and services included in your funeral plan at the appropriate time How can I buy a plan? • Due to the individual nature of personalised funeral plans, our plans are arranged with one of our specialist funeral planning consultants. This can be done on the telephone or upon prior arrangement in one of our funeral homes or via a video call. If you would like to discuss a funeral plan, please contact our funeral planning team on 0800 243 380 . • Alternatively, funeral plan packages can be purchased via our website at funeralplans.coop Who will be providing my funeral? Your funeral will be carried out by one of our funeral homes or one of our partner funeral homes if you relocate outside of our normal trading area. You will choose your funeral home when you buy your plan (this can be changed at any time). Who can arrange a funeral plan with us? Our funeral plans are available to anyone aged 18 and over. You can arrange a funeral plan for yourself or on behalf of a partner, relative or friend. What type of plans do we offer? We offer personalised funeral plans which allow you to decide exactly what is included to meet your personal wishes in advance to take away the worry and stress from whoever it falls to arrange your funeral. Please note that Southern Co-operative Funerals cannot advise as to the suitability of funeral products or services for you or your circumstances or the person for whom the funeral plan is being purchased. If you need advice in this regard, you should seek this independently. What our funeral plans include A Southern Co-op funeral plan covers all the Funeral Director’s charges as well as third party fees in full for cremation or burial. These could include crematorium, doctor’s, minister and church fees (excluding our online simple funeral plan where only a contribution of £950 is made towards disbursements with any shortfall required to be paid by you at the time of need). What’s not included in our funeral plans Funeral plans which include a burial do not include the purchase/lease of a grave. All funeral plans only cover for the provision of a funeral to take place in the United Kingdom and would not cover the cost of repatriation from abroad or transport beyond the local radius of your nominated Southern Co-operative Funerals Funeral Director. Further details of exclusions and limits on our funeral plans are included in the terms below. Sometimes there
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may be circumstances in the future which mean that for reasons beyond our control we cannot offer some of the products or services exactly as you had expected (including, but not limited to, extreme weather conditions and third-party supplier failure). We will discuss this with you or the person responsible for arranging your funeral at the appropriate time. What’s a Nominated Representative? You will need to choose a person who we will notify of the existence of the funeral plan. This person is known as the Nominated Representative. This ensures that there is an awareness of the funeral plan, it is used and that the plan holder’s choice of funeral on their death is what takes place. Payment options We offer flexible payment options which include paying the cost in a single upfront payment or a choice of monthly instalment options over terms of up to 2 years. Where you choose to pay by instalments the payments may include a charge for the convenience of paying by instalments. Please ask us for details. How we keep your money safe All monies paid towards Southern Co-operative funeral plans (excluding admin and instalment fees) are invested in a regulated whole of life insurance policy in accordance with our statutory obligations. When you buy a plan from Southern Co-operative Funerals we buy a whole of life insurance policy with Royal London Mutual Insurance Society Limited (Royal London). Royal London is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. What if you want to cancel your plan? You can cancel your funeral plan (meaning you are ending the Contract) within 30 days of taking out the plan and receive a full refund. You have an additional 7 days to cancel the plan from the date that your nominated Funeral Director is confirmed by us if this date extends beyond the first 30 days since the plan was taken out. After this you may cancel your plan at any time by contacting us and you will receive a refund of the amounts you have paid. If you have paid in instalments and cancel the plan after the second anniversary of the contract start date, we will refund the amounts you have paid less the element representing the charge applied for the convenience of paying by instalments. Whether you have paid by instalments or not, we also reserve the right to deduct a cancellation fee of £200 from your refund. What if you want to make changes to your plan? You can alter your funeral plan at any time if you change your mind about the type of products and services you would like at the funeral. There are no administration fees for making these changes, but we will charge you the costs for any additional products or services according to our prevailing price list. Any reductions in the price of the products or services in our prevailing price list may result in a refund of amounts already paid. Vulnerable Customer Support Southern Co-operative Funerals operates a Vulnerable Customer Policy. This is designed and implemented to help customers who need extra support at any time during their funeral plan journey. Please telephone us on 0800 243 380 or email us if you would like to discuss what additional support we can offer you. What should you do if you have a query or complaint? If you have a query or complaint, please contact us via the contact details below and we will try to resolve it as soon as possible. We endeavor to come back to you within 8 weeks at the latest. If you are not happy with the way in which your query or complaint has been dealt with, you may be able to refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service or the National Association of Funeral Directors. You also have the right to use the courts to settle any dispute.
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Pre-paid funeral plans Important information about funeral plans for a burial Burial in a cemetery If your funeral plan is for a burial, it will include an interment fee, covering the Local Authority’s (or cemetery owner’s) charge for the grave to be prepared and the burial to take place. Please note that there are several Our funeral plans for burial don’t cover the cost of the purchase/lease of a grave. If you already own a grave, we’ll need the details from you. If you do not have one, then you or your representative will need to buy one from the Local Authority or burial site owner responsible for your chosen cemetery/burial ground before a burial can take place. There are two options available: a. You can buy a grave in advance and choose your ideal resting place. You will pay to buy the grave and may have to pay extra for a specific plot. b. If you do not plan to buy a grave, your representative will need to purchase one before the funeral can go ahead. This will be dependent on the availability of grave spaces at the time. Temporary grave markers Many cemeteries place a temporary marker on the grave after the burial takes place, particularly if a headstone is to be erected later. There’s normally a charge for this, which can be added to your personalised funeral plan. Burial in a churchyard or graveyard: other points to consider: Buying a grave Your funeral plan includes the burial fee and a church fee if a service has been included. If you do not already have a grave arranged, availability in churchyards and graveyards is not guaranteed and will be dependent upon the situation at the time of the funeral. We will do everything possible to make sure your wishes are met and that alternative arrangements are made if necessary.
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Pre-paid funeral plans Terms and Conditions Please read all these terms and conditions; carefully: they are the legal basis upon which we provide our services to you, whether the funeral is for you and you are the plan holder or the funeral is for someone else but you are paying for the funeral plan so you are the plan applicant. These terms and conditions sets out the contract between us. It tells you who we are, how we will provide our services to you, how you or we may change or cancel the funeral plan and what to do if there is a problem together with other important information. If you are not sure about anything, or would like to talk to us about anything at all, just phone us on 0800 243 380 or contact the Funeral Planning Team at 1000 Lakeside, Western Road, Portsmouth, PO6 3FE or email us at info@funeralplans.coop. These terms and conditions will apply to the provision of the funeral plan by us. When we accept your instructions as set out in the Funeral Plan Summary document, you and we will be legally bound by these terms and conditions which forms the contract between us.
Contents 1. Information about us and how to contact us
21 21 21 21 21 23 23 24 25 25 25 26 26 26
2. Our Contract with you
3. Your rights to make changes 4. Our rights to make changes 5. The funeral arrangements
6. Price, instalments, payment and prepayment
7. Your rights to end the Contract between us and charges payable
8. Our rights to end the Contract
9. Circumstances beyond the control of either party
10. Security and Continuity of Your Plan
11. Excluding liability
12 Complaints, governing law and jurisdiction
13. Data protection
.14 Other important items
Southern Co-operative Funerals Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Our Firm Registration Number is FRN 965280 and you can view our entry on the Financial Services Register (https://register.fca.org.uk/s/). You or the person for whose benefit the funeral plan was purchased (or their estate, if the relevant individual has died) may be entitled to compensation from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme should we be unable to meet the funeral liabilities according to the funeral plan. Please visit www.fscs.org.uk for more information.
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1. Information about us and how to contact us 1.1. You (the person paying for the funeral plan and named in the Funeral Plan Summary Document) (“ You ”, “ Your ” and “ Yourself ”) are entering into a contract with Southern Co-operative Funerals Limited trading as Funeralcare, a company registered in England and Wales under number 382640 whose registered office is at 1000 Lakeside, Western Road, Portsmouth, P06 3FE (“ Southern Co-operative Funerals ”). 1.2. Southern Co-operative Funerals is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”). Our Firm Registration Number is FRN 965280 and You can view our entry on the Financial Services Register (https://register.fca.org.uk/s/). 1.3. You can contact us via the contact details displayed on the front page of this document. We may need to contact You and will utilise the contact details You have provided to us during the funeral plan consultation. Please let us know if You change Your contact details or if there are other changes in Your personal circumstances which may affect Your funeral plan. 2. Our Contract with you 2.1. Our contractual relationship will commence upon our acceptance of Your instructions as set out during the funeral plan consultation and detailed in the Funeral Plan Summary Document and receipt of a payment from You (“Contract”). If we cannot accept Your funeral plan, we will inform You of this. This might be because of unexpected limits on our resources or because we have identified a mistake in the price or description of Your plan. 3. Your rights to make changes 3.1 Please contact us if You wish to make a change to Your funeral plan such as in relation to the instructions for Your funeral and we will tell You if the change is possible. If it is possible, we will let You know in writing about any changes to the price, timing or anything else which would be necessary as a result of Your requested change and ask You to confirm You want to go ahead with the change. If You do not want to go ahead with the change You can cancel Your funeral plan (meaning You are ending the Contract), but we reserve the right to charge You in accordance with Clause 7 below. 4. Our rights to make changes 4.1. Given the potential passage of time between the date of the funeral plan and the funeral, it may be necessary to make changes to the funeral services to be provided under the funeral plan, including the appointment of an alternative Funeral Director. 4.2. In the event of significant changes, we will contact You immediately to inform You of the changes and discuss Your options. 4.3. If You do not wish to accept the significant changes referred to in Clause 4.2 then You can contact us to cancel your funeral plan (meaning you are ending the Contract). Ending the Contract in these circumstances will be at no cost to You and a full refund of the amounts You have paid in respect of the funeral plan will take place. 5. The funeral arrangements 5.1. Once You have paid the total charges, we will send You Your Funeral Plan Certificate. Please look after this carefully as it is required to redeem the funeral plan. If You lose it, please contact us for a replacement which we will provide free of charge. We will also send You a funeral plan statement every 3 years, informing You of amounts paid, any amounts remaining and reminding You of the key features of Your plan. 5.2. When You need to redeem the funeral plan, You will need to produce the Funeral Plan Certificate. We will arrange the funeral taking into account the instructions set out in the Funeral Plan Summary Document and any additional instructions as to Your funeral preferences disclosed to us at the time subject to any agreed changes which have been made subsequently. 5.3 Please contact us if You need to redeem the funeral plan. If the total charges have not paid in full at the time of a claim You may either:
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a. pay the balance in full; or b. cancel the funeral plan (meaning You are ending the Contract) and we will, at Your option, either credit the full amount paid to date against the cost of a funeral arranged by us in accordance with applicable prices as at that date, or we will refund You the full amount paid to date less a cancellation fee of £200 (which is a genuine pre-estimate of the costs we incur in cancelling the funeral plan for You, such as the administration involved and the preparation of the paperwork etc). If full payment is not received, we may cancel Your funeral plan (meaning we are ending the Contract). In this case we will refund the amounts paid, less a cancellation fee of £200. If You are paying by instalments and are within 24 months of the date we received Your first payment, then no cancellation fee will be applied on cancellation of the funeral plan. If You have paid in instalments and cancel the contract after the second anniversary of the contract start date, we will retain an amount representing the charge applied for the convenience of paying by instalments. 5.4 In the event of death outside the mainland of England, Scotland and Wales, we may either: a. arrange the funeral as set out in the Funeral Plan Summary Document so far as reasonably possible and invoice Your personal representatives for any difference in cost; or b. cancel your funeral plan (meaning we are ending the Contract) and refund the amounts paid less a cancellation fee of £200. If You are paying by instalments and are within 24 months of the date we received Your first payment, then no cancellation fee will be applied on cancellation of the funeral plan. If You have paid in instalments and cancel the plan after the second anniversary of the contract start date, we will retain an amount representing the charge applied for the convenience of paying by instalments. 5.5 In the event that we apply Clause 5.3.a or 5.4.b in relation to funeral plan and the funeral plan is redeemed within 30 days of the date of the Funeral Plan Summary Document, the cancellation fee shall not be applied. 5.6 The Funeral Director named on the Funeral Plan Summary Document will arrange Your funeral in accordance with the Contract at no additional cost, although You should be aware of the excluded items detailed in clause 5.7. Notwithstanding this, the funeral plan is fully transferable to a Co-operative owned funeral business in the UK with whom we have a reciprocal arrangement. Should we be unable to arrange that the funeral services are delivered by a Co-operative owned business in the first instance in the area of Your choice, we may need to appoint an alternative Funeral Director to deliver the funeral services on our behalf. If You wish to use a different non Co-operative owned Funeral Director, please contact us as there may be additional charges which will apply but we will tell You about these. In these circumstances, You may choose to cancel the funeral plan (meaning You are ending the Contract). We will refund You the amounts paid less a cancellation fee of £200. Please see Clause 7 for details. If You have paid in instalments and cancel the plan after the second anniversary of the contract start date, we will retain an amount representing the charge applied for the convenience of paying by instalments. 5.7 Please note Your funeral plan only covers the services and items as listed on the Funeral Plan Certificate. There may be extra charges for additional services, such as, removal of artificial limbs and pacemakers (may not be required for every burial) and because there is a wide variation in costs and regulations in transportation of the body for a distance of over 50 miles or repatriation from abroad. Our simple funeral plans only include a contribution towards funeral costs which may not cover the full amount. In these instances we would ask You to pay the balance. Additionally, there are a number of items that are not covered by our funeral plans which involve a burial in cemeteries, churchyards, graveyards and crematoria. Items that will not be covered include, but are not limited to: a. the purchase of a grave; b. if You do not meet the criteria for a local resident set out by the Local Authority (charges can apply); c. the cost of memorials and headstones, including the repair, cleaning, re-fixing or additional inscriptions (unless a specific memorial product has been added to the plan and listed on Your Funeral Plan Certificate); and d. a temporary marker on the grave after the burial takes place (many cemeteries place a temporary marker on the grave, particularly if a headstone is to be erected later and there is normally a charge for this). This can be added to Your personalised plan but is not automatically included.
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5.8 Please speak to us about upgrades or additional services which You would like to be included in the funeral plan or, if You are redeeming the funeral plan, the actual funeral. Any additional services or any upgrades of services which are required which are not covered by the funeral plan will be calculated and charged on the basis of the prevailing rates and any difference between the two charges at the time will be invoiced separately. 5.9 We will not refund or credit any monies for products or services included and paid for in the funeral plan which do not form part of the funeral unless their absence is due to a fault on our part or something beyond our control (lack of availability etc). This is to protect the deceased’s wishes and to ensure the funeral we are contractually obliged to deliver takes place. 5.10 It may not be possible to arrange your funeral if you have decided to offer to donate your body to medical science and this offer is accepted by the relevant medical school on your death. In this case, on receipt of the appropriate confirmation from the medical school, we will cancel the Contract and refund all amounts paid as of that date. 6. Price, instalments, payment and prepayment 6.1 Once the Contract has been formed, You are legally responsible for paying for the funeral plan. 6.2 The price You will need to pay is set out in the Funeral Plan Summary Document. The price will vary depending on the services selected but will include a fixed administration fee which is listed separately on the Funeral Plan Summary Document. We will confirm details of Your payment plan in writing. 6.3 If You have elected to pay in instalments, the total price You will pay for the funeral plan will be higher as it will include a charge for the convenience of paying by instalments. We will confirm the details of Your payment plan in writing. If You decide to accelerate Your payments and pay the total charges earlier than originally agreed, You will need to contact us for a final settlement figure which will be Your total contracted charge less all monies paid and less any amount that would have been charged for the convenience of paying in future instalments. 6.4 We undertake that the total charges paid by You, excluding administration and instalment fees, will be applied towards a contract of whole life insurance on Your life (or the person for whom the funeral is to be provided), effected and carried out by an authorised person who has permission to effect and carry out such contracts of insurance, for the purpose of providing the funeral. 7. Cooling off period, your rights to cancel the funeral plan and end the Contract and charges payable 7.1 You can withdraw Your instructions by telling us at any time up to receiving the Funeral Plan Summary Document and before you pay any amounts. If You simply wish to change Your mind, You do not need to give us a reason. 7.2 If You have entered into a Contract, You have a legal right to end the Contract for a period of 30 days from the date we received Your first payment (You have an additional 7 days to end the Contract from the date that Your nominated funeral director is confirmed by us, if this date extends beyond the first 30 days since the plan was taken out) and receive a full refund of all amounts paid unless You have requested services during that period, in which case You will have to pay a reasonable sum for those services. You may exercise this right by contacting us before the 30 days has expired in writing, which includes by email or You can contact us by telephone. Our contact details are set out on the first page of this document. 7.3 You may cancel the funeral plan (meaning You are ending the Contract) at any time without telling us the reason but we may have to charge You as set out below. If You wish to cancel the funeral plan, You must contact us in writing, which includes by email, or by telephone and return the Funeral Plan Certificate to us. Our contact details are set out on the first page of this document. 7.4 If You are cancelling the funeral plan for a reason set out in 7.4.a to 7.4.d below, the Contract will end immediately and we will refund You in full for any amounts paid: a. we have told You about a change we need to make and You do not agree; b. we have told You about an error in the price and You do not want to proceed; c. You have a legal right to end the Contract because of something significant we have done wrong; or
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d. You decide to cancel your funeral plan (meaning you are ending the Contract) because we have told You about a failure on our part caused by something beyond our reasonable control. 7.5 If You are cancelling the funeral plan but it is not because of one of the reasons set out in Clause 7.4, the Contract will end immediately but we reserve the right to charge You a cancellation fee of £200. The circumstances in which we will and will not charge a cancellation fee are as follows: a. if You tell us no more than 30 days after the date we received Your first payment or where we have not confirmed Your nominated Funeral Director within that 30 day period, You tell us no more than 7 days after we have confirmed Your nominated Funeral Director, we will refund You in full the amounts You have paid and not charge a cancellation fee; b. if You tell us more than 30 days after the date we received Your first payment or where we have not confirmed Your nominated Funeral Director within that 30 day period, You tell us more than 7 days from the date we confirm Your nominated Funeral Director, we will refund You in full the amounts You have paid less the cancellation fee of £200; or c. . If You are paying by instalments and are within 24 months of the date we received Your first payment, then no cancellation fee will be applied. If You have paid in instalments and cancel the plan after the second anniversary of the contract start date, we will retain an amount representing the charge applied for the convenience of paying by instalments. 8. Our rights to cancel your funeral plan and end the Contract 8.1 We may cancel the funeral plan and end the Contract and so not have any obligation to provide the funeral plan if: a. You do not pay amounts when due and have not done so within 10 business days of being notified of a second missed payment. b. You have not provided the information we require set out during the funeral plan consultation; c. we decide to end the Contract because You have told us about a failure on Your part caused by something beyond Your reasonable control; or d. the funeral plan has not been redeemed by the 110th birthday of the person to whom the funeral plan relates, or we have reasonable cause to believe the funeral has already taken place and we have not heard from You within 6 months of contacting You at Your last known address. 8.2 If we cancel your funeral plan (meaning we are ending the Contract) for the reasons set out in Clauses 8.1.1 to 8.1.3, we will refund all amounts paid less a cancellation fee of £200. If You have paid in instalments and we cancel the plan after the second anniversary of the contract start date, we will retain an amount representing the charge applied for the convenience of paying by instalments. 8.3 If we cancel your funeral plan (meaning you are ending the Contract) for the reason set out in Clause 8.1.d, we may keep any amounts You have paid unless we hear from You that You wish to cancel the funeral plan and end the Contract. In this case, we may cancel the funeral plan and end the Contract and refund all amounts to You less a cancellation fee of £200. If You have paid in instalments and cancel the plan after the second anniversary of the contract start date, we will retain an amount representing the charge applied for the convenience of paying by instalments. If You miss an instalment payment, we will write to You with a reminder within 5 business days. 8.4 If You miss the next subsequent payment due, we will again write to You with a reminder within 5 business days. If after a further 10 business days of the second reminder letter being sent payment has still not been received, then we reserve the right to cancel your funeral plan (meaning you are ending the Contract) and charge a £200 cancellation fee. If You have paid in instalments and cancel the plan after the second anniversary of the contract start date, we will retain the funding element of the instalment You have paid. Any fees will be deducted from the value of the refund payable to You. We may also charge You any third-party fees if we have incurred these costs and cannot recover them. Any third-party fees that cannot be recovered will be deducted from the value of the refund payable.
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9. Circumstances beyond the control of either party 9.1 If for any reason the funeral cannot be provided in accordance with the Contract, for example, we are unable to provide the services and items as listed on the Funeral Plan Certificate, we will discuss suitable alternatives with You, but this will not affect Your right to cancel the funeral plan and end the Contract in accordance with Clause 7. 9.2 In the event of any failure by either of us because of something beyond our respective reasonable control: a. the affected party will advise the other as soon as reasonably practicable; and b. the affected party’s obligations will be suspended so far as is reasonable, and provided that the affected party will act reasonably, the affected party will not be liable for any failure which it could not reasonably avoid, but this will not affect the other party’s right to cancel the funeral plan and end the Contract. 10.Security and Continuity of Your Plan 10.1 The payments made by You to us for Your funeral plan are invested by us in a unitised whole of life insurance policy with Royal London Mutual Insurance Society Limited (the “Insurer”) under which You are the named Life Assured (“Your funeral Insurance Policy”). 10.2 You irrevocably appoint us for the duration of Your funeral plan as Your agent for the purposes of asserting any right or interest that You have in Your Funeral Insurance Policy. Such appointment is without prejudice to the possibility of You asserting any rights or interests which You hold directly in Your funeral insurance policy Yourself. 10.3 In the event of our failure and/or us ceasing to be able to provide funeral services Your Funeral Insurance Policy will remain in force and the Insurer will work with the FCA, the Financial Services Compensation Scheme Limited (“FSCS”) and any insolvency practitioner appointed or to be appointed to us to ensure that You or Your nominee are provided with a pre-paid funeral in accordance with the arrangements for the funeral agreed with us. 10.4 You hereby agree and consent that in the event of our failure we may transfer our rights and obligations under Your funeral plan and Your related funeral insurance policy to an alternate provider of funeral planning services that is appropriately authorised and regulated by the FCA. Your consent is given subject to the following provisions: a. the transfer is arranged by an insolvency practitioner appointed to us and will result in Your funeral plan being carried out by the transferee on the same terms as this agreement; or b. the transfer is arranged by the FSCS on terms which will result in Your funeral plan being carried out on terms which correspond in all material respects (so far as it appears to the FSCS to be reasonable in all the circumstances) to those under this agreement. 11. Excluding liability 11.1 There are certain liabilities for which, as a matter of law, we do not exclude liability because we are prevented from doing so by law, for example: a. any fraudulent act or omission; b. death or personal injury caused by negligence; or c. breach of Your legal rights to which You are entitled as a result of being a consumer. These include our obligation to provide the services with reasonable care and skill and to provide the funeral plan as described. 11.2 Subject to this, we are not liable for: a. loss which was not reasonably foreseeable to both parties at the time when the Contract was made; or b. loss arising from commercial loss (e.g. loss of profit, loss of business or loss of business opportunity) to Your business which would not be suffered by a consumer (because we believe You are not paying for the funeral plan wholly or mainly in connection with Your business).
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12.Complaints, governing law and jurisdiction. 12.1 If You have a query or complaint, please contact us via the contact details on the first page of this document and we will try to resolve it. If You are not happy with the way in which Your query or complaint has been settled, You may be able to refer Your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service (www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk). 12.2If You are still unhappy after having gone through the steps in Clause 12.1, You may take the matter to court. 12.3 The Contract (including any non-contractual matters) is governed by the laws of England and Wales and the courts of England and Wales have jurisdiction to settle any disputes. 12.4 You or the person for whose benefit the funeral plan was purchased (or their estate, if they have died) may be entitled to compensation from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme should we be unable to meet the funeral liabilities according to the Contract and the funeral plan. Please visit www. fscs.org.uk for more information. 13.Data protection 13.1 We will only use Your personal data as set out in our Privacy Notice which is available on our website at https://www.funeralplans.coop/ 14.Other important terms 14.1 Currently, VAT is not payable in respect of funerals. However, if the costs of providing funerals do become subject to VAT, we reserve the right to recover this cost from You or Your personal representative. 14.2 The Contract is between You and us and the funeral plan is personal to You and cannot be transferred. No other party has rights to enforce any of its terms other than in the circumstances set out in the Contract. 14.3 If a court finds a part of this Contract illegal, it will not affect the rest of its terms. Each term operates separately and if a court finds one illegal the rest will remain in full force and effect. 14.4 Even if we delay in enforcing this Contract, we can still enforce it later. For example, if You miss a payment and we do not chase You for it, we can still require You to make the payment at a later date.
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