Frequently asked questions

The plan covers the costs of the funeral services specified in your plan paperwork, as long as your requirements don’t change and you don’t later choose a different funeral director. If you choose to use another funeral director or make changes to your plan, there may be additional costs to pay. Please refer to the Terms and Conditions for more information. This excludes the purchase of a burial plot for burial plans. If you arrange a Bespoke Plan, you can choose the services you want the plan to cover and record the price and details on your application form. If you choose a Bespoke Plan that excludes third party costs, these costs will be payable at the time of the funeral.

At the time of the funeral, any requests for additional services or personal touches not included in your plan will need to be paid for e.g. floral displays, service sheets, newspaper announcements or if the person arranging the funeral wants it to take place during a weekend or on a Bank Holiday.

Yes, if you chose a burial plan you will need to purchase exclusive rights to a grave or plot. Your Funeral Arranger can give you information on the cost and availability of graves in your local area. Not all local authorities, churchyards or cemeteries allow graves or plots to be purchased in advance.

UK residents aged 18 or over can take out a plan. If paying by instalments of two years or more, payments must finish before your 85^th birthday. There are no medical or health questions to answer.

No, there is no medical restriction on taking out a funeral plan; we guarantee we will accept you, no matter what your state of health.

Yes, all of our plans allow you to buy a plan for someone else.

Yes, two people can be named on the application form, and the plan can be set up for either the first or the second funeral. Please note, instalment payments are not available on joint plans.

You have the option to select a nominated representative who will also receive details of your plan and what to do at the time of need.

Yes, our bespoke plans can include your personal requests such as where you would like the funeral service to take place, your choice of music, where to send any charitable donations and where cremated remains, known as ashes, should be laid to rest. At the time of funeral, the Funeral Arranger and the person arranging the funeral will be provided with details of your plan. We'll work closely with your nominated representative to make sure you are remembered in the way you want to be.

You may choose to make a single payment or pay by instalments over a range of periods. There is an additional cost for paying by instalments over two or more years and eligibility criteria applies. Please refer to the Instalment Q&A and the Terms and Conditions for more information. We can provide you with a personalised quote.

You can contact your local East of England Co-op Funeral Services branch, where the team can help you complete an application form.

If you have an instalment plan of two years or more, and the plan is needed after 12 months, then the funeral will be carried out as long as the plan has not been cancelled and there are no missed payments.

Please let us know if you are unable to make a monthly payment. If you miss a payment by 15 working days following the due date, Ecclesiastical Planning Services will contact you to discuss your options.

If you move away, you should be able to transfer your plan to a funeral director near your new home if you wish. However there may be additional costs depending on the firm selected and local prices. Please note, not all funeral directors offer guaranteed plans. Please refer to the Terms and Conditions for details.

The plan does not cover the cost of a funeral abroad, or the cost of repatriating the deceased. You should consider this when travelling abroad, or if you move overseas. Most travel insurance policies should state whether repatriation is covered or not.

Yes, you can cancel your plan at any time prior to a claim being made. If you cancel within 30 days of receiving your welcome booklet, the person who paid for the plan will receive a full refund. If you cancel after that, the person who paid for the plan will receive a refund of the original amount paid, minus the administration fee and any instalment charges. For instalment plans, if you cancel in the first 12 months a full refund will be paid. If you cancel after that, the administration fee and any insurance payments will be deducted from the refund.

Yes, you can make changes to your plan after you have taken it out and once it is fully-paid. There may be additional costs if you add new features and services to your plan. There is no administration charge for making amendments.

Your funeral plan pre-payment is held by Ecclesiastical Planning Services, a trusted national provider. It is ring-fenced and cannot be used for anything else, for your peace of mind.

If you have a complaint about the funeral plan, please contact Ecclesiastical Planning Services. They may ask you for proof of identity to show that you are authorised to complain.

Ecclesiastical will aim to resolve your complaint within one business day. More complex issues may take a little longer to investigate and you may be asked for further information to help reach a decision. Ecclesiastical will respond to your complaint in writing as soon as possible.

If you are not satisfied with the response, or if Ecclesiastical has not completed their investigation within eight weeks, they will inform you of your right to take the complaint to The Financial Ombudsman Service.

Tel: 0800 0234 567

Email: complaint.info@financial-ombudsman.org.uk

Visit: www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk

This complaints handling procedure does not affect your right to take legal proceedings.

We'll give you a copy of your application pack, to keep for reference. This contains details of the full terms and conditions of your plan and your personal requests.

Separately our plan provider Ecclesiastical Planning Services will send you:

• A Welcome Pack which will include your Certificate of Entitlement.

Yes. Dividend points are earned on qualifying goods and services only. In our pre-paid funeral plans, third party costs paid on your behalf, including fees for cremation and officiant's fees, do not qualify for dividend.

Yes. Dividend points are earned on qualifying goods and services.

Once you have paid in full for your funeral plan, the qualifying dividend points will be added to your membership account. Dividend is payable on transactions made during our previous financial year.

You will receive 10 points for every qualifying £1 spent. To find out the current value of qualifying spend for your chosen funeral plan, ask at your local funeral branch or call our funeral plan help line on 0800 0744 361.