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Guides › Health, Legal and Personal Services › Funeral Plans and Funerals

Funeral Plans and Funerals

Pre-paid funeral plans have been regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority since July 2022, so complaints can go to the Financial Ombudsman Service. Funeral directors must show a standard price list, which helps you compare. If you get certain benefits, the government may help with funeral costs.

Last checked 13 October 2026 General information, not legal advice
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At a Glance

29 Jul 2022pre-paid funeral plans regulated by the FCA from
Price listfuneral directors must show one in branch and online
Up to £1,000Funeral Expenses Payment for other costs
No cold callsabout funeral plans

Your Rights

What the rules say, with a link to the official source for each.

Funeral Plans

  • Plans Are Regulated

    From 29 July 2022 the FCA regulates pre-paid funeral plans. Only buy from authorised providers (check the FCA register). Cold calling about funeral plans and commission payments to funeral directors and other intermediaries are banned. source

  • Complaints and Protection

    You can complain about a funeral plan provider to the Financial Ombudsman Service, and customers of authorised providers are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme if the provider fails. source

Funeral Directors

  • Clear Price Lists

    Since 16 September 2021 funeral directors must show a Standardised Price List at their premises and on their website, covering the overall cost of a funeral, each item, and certain extra products and services. source

  • Referral Payments Banned

    Funeral directors must not pay hospitals, hospices, care homes or similar institutions to refer customers to them, and must not solicit business through coroner and police contracts. source

Help with Costs

  • Funeral Expenses Payment

    A Funeral Expenses Payment can help with burial or cremation fees, travel, moving the body over 50 miles and death certificates, plus up to £1,000 for other costs such as the funeral director and coffin, if you get certain benefits. It is taken back from money in the estate. source

Time Limits to Know

Miss a deadline and you can lose a right. Check the dates on your own paperwork.

  • 8 weeks
    Plan provider answers your complaint8 weeks for most complaints
  • 6 months
    Refer to the Financial Ombudsman ServiceWithin 6 months of the final response

Where to Go If It Is Not Put Right

Free routes to escalate, and when each one applies.

The Funeral Director or Plan Provider

Always start here, in writing.

Financial Ombudsman Service

Funeral plan complaints, after 8 weeks or a final response. Free.

Financial Services Compensation Scheme

If an authorised funeral plan provider fails.

Steps to Take

Step 1 of 6

Compare funeral directors' Standardised Price Lists before you choose.

Step 2 of 6

Check any funeral plan provider is authorised on the FCA register.

Step 3 of 6

Get the full cost in writing before agreeing.

Step 4 of 6

If something goes wrong, complain to the funeral director or plan provider in writing.

Step 5 of 6

For plans, go to the Financial Ombudsman after 8 weeks or a final response.

Step 6 of 6

Check whether you can get a Funeral Expenses Payment.

(Tap the numbers to reveal steps)

Evidence and Your Letter

Gather your evidence, then build a letter you can send in minutes.

Evidence Checklist

0 of 5 gathered

Tap each one when you have it.

CPUK

Letter Generator

How This Works

  1. 1

    Tick off the evidence you already have, and see what is still missing.

  2. 2

    Answer the letter questions. Your answers fill in the wording for you.

  3. 3

    Copy or download the letter, check every detail, and send it yourself.

A template, not legal advice.

Watch Out For

Common traps and scams to avoid.

Cold calls selling funeral plans: these are banned.

Plans from firms not on the FCA register.

Packages without a clear breakdown: ask for the Standardised Price List.

Recent or changing rules: tap to read

Checked 13 October 2026. The funeral director rules come from the CMA's Funerals Market Investigation Order 2021.

Common Problems

Step-by-step help for a specific problem covered by this guide.

Funeral Director Prices and ChargesFuneral Plan Problems

See all common problems →

Want Help?

If you would like one of our team to look at your problem, our initial case review is free. We cannot guarantee any outcome and we do not give legal advice.

Not sure where you stand? Try our action plan tool or the free letter templates.

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Sources and official links
Luke Marley

Lead reviewer

Luke Marley

Founder and Lead Reviewer

Luke founded CPUK in 2026 after seeing how hard it is for ordinary people to get problems with companies put right. He oversees our guides and checks them against official sources.

Research by Katie Burt, Co-founder and Operations Lead (17 years in the care sector, including managing services for vulnerable adults), and the CPUK Research Team. Researched with AI-assisted research tools, then checked and corrected by our team.

Last checked: 13 October 2026. We are not paid by the companies we write about. Adverts never affect our guidance. Read our editorial policy.

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