GETTING HELP

those who had taken out a funeral plan wrongly believed that the product they had bought was regulated by the FCA.

James Daley, co-founder of Fairer Finance, said: “When we looked at the pre-paid funeral plan sector in depth, we found a number of serious problems, including high-pressure sales tactics and a lack of transparency around the security of people’s money.

“We could also see that other issues, such as a lack of clarity around pricing, were a problem in the broader market.”

A lot of people, including MPs, consumer campaigners and some of the bigger funeral plan players in the market, have been campaigning for proper regulation to wipe out bad practice.

Simon Cox, head of insight at Dignity,

QI served in the RAF as a conscript for a few years in the late 50s and early 60s. I read recently I could claim a war pension. Who should I contact about this?

To qualify for this allowance you must be unable to do your regular occupation or work due to your RAF service. You must also be under 65 when you make your claim. You can make claims via gov.uk/ government/collections/armedforces-compensation or contact

Asaid: “Funeral plans are a great way for people to save money to cover the costs of their funeral so that it does not fall on their loved ones when they have passed away. The problem is that some firms have been taking advantage of regulation gaps and using bad practices to mis-sell products.”

Carolyn Harris, Labour MP for Swansea East, said: “Funeral plans are an important way for people to save for a funeral, but research has found too many cases of consumers not being treated fairly by some providers.

“It is essential that HM Treasury introduces statutory regulation of funeral plans as soon as possible.”

Until new rules and regulations are introduced for the industry – and this could

the Veterans UK helpline on 0808 191 4218.

QI have an interest-only mortgage that ends in two years. I know I won’t be able to pay the outstanding balance. Can I sell my home to my daughter so she pays off the mortgage?

You can, but if you were to sell it at less than market value, that means you are essentially ‘gifting’ the rest of the property value to her – and that could mean Inheritance Tax and Capital Gains Tax issues.

Atake years to happen – it is very difficult for people to know they are getting a fair deal and have some peace of mind that their cash is safe and their family won’t be landed with extra bills.

However, there is a new funeral plan rights guide that provides information and advice about your entitlements as a holder of a funeral plan.

It has been launched by Resolver, the online, free and independent complaints resolution service, in conjunction with Dignity, which is one of the largest funeral plan providers.

The Funeral Planning Authority has also been involved in the guide to ensure it is aligned to the industry’s own code of practice.

The guide explains in simple terms where you stand and what you can do if you have an issue with a funeral plan, from how long it should take for a funeral

We found problems around the security of people’s money

QDoes a married man’s pension have to pass to his wife on death? My wife is estranged and we have no contact. Can I change the beneficiary to my daughter?

It all depends on the type of pension you have. If it’s a defined contribution scheme then, yes, this may be possible. However, in most defined benefit schemes (final salary) only dependent children aged up to 15 in a household or aged 16 to 18 in full-time education could receive your pension on

A