Planning for a death should be made as simple, secure and painless as possible
Not all funeral plans will suit your circumstances, finds Logan Steele
Age Scotland is welcoming the Scottish Government’s announcement of the appointment of the first inspector of funeral directors in Scotland, Natalie Mckail.
The creation of the role fulfils important recommendations by the national cremation investigation, led by Dame Elish Angiolini, and by Lord Bonomy’s infant cremation commission.
She will spend the first 18 months of her two-year appointment undertaking a review of the funeral profession, with a view to making recommendations to ministers on how it should be regulated, including whether to introduce a licensing regime.
Natalie will be working collaboratively with funeral direc- tors, representative bodies and a broad range of stakeholders on behalf of the bereaved across Scotland, ensuring the highest standard of service at the most difficult time for families.
So why is this important? Well, with the expansion of options available, it is vital that although people will rightly be given different choices when it comes to arranging a funeral, there should be industry-wide standards.
It’s also an issue of public trust in the industry following the infant ashes scandal.
Whilst Natalie will not be reporting for another two years, in the meantime, Age Scotland offers the following guidance on what to consider when buying a funeral plan.
First of all, make sure you understand what is included in the funeral plan, and, especially, what costs are and are not covered.
If you intend a cremation funeral, it makes sense to find a plan that guarantees to cover the costs of a cremation, including the funeral director’s costs, the cremation fee and any minister’s fees. A plan that only provides a contribution to these fees – rather than a guarantee to pay