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Insight: New FCA Proposal to Regulate Funeral Plans Sector

  |      Regulation  |       |     Reading Time: 2 minutes

According to a consultation paper published by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) on 02 March 2021, there’s a new proposal for the regulation of the pre-paid funeral plans sector.

 

The proposed regulated activities will include – providers of funeral plan contracts and those entering into funeral plan contracts as a provider.

 

Why are these new regulations needed?

This new proposal comes in light of a 2018 Call for Evidence from the Treasury, which found ‘significant customer harm’ in the market. This included the mis-selling of products, poor disclosure and high upfront costs.

 

What changes might we see?

The FCA has proposed to implement regulations to see the following:

  • Fairly sold plans
  • Products that meet consumer needs
  • Products representing fair value
  • Improving governance standards and oversight
  • Ensuring services can be delivered
  • Backstops in place, should things go wrong
  • Other related proposals
  • Rules applied to contracts which were entered into before the regulation

 

Rules for Senior Individuals

 

When can firms apply?

If the consultation paper is not opposed to, the gateway for authorisation applications is expected to open in September 2021. Firms would then need to ensure they are authorised before the rules come into force next year.

 

 

‘From 29 July 2022 activities involving the provision and distribution of pre‑paid funeral plans will become fully subject to our regulation, and firms conducting these activities will need to be authorised by us.’

 

Resources:

To see the full FCA proposal, click here.

Watch our video to find out more about the SMCR.

About Jessica Veal

With 10 years’ experience within financial and professional services, both in the UK and abroad, Jessica looks after Marketing Communications here at Vero Screening. After initially gaining a degree in Marketing, Jessica’s career has spanned from campaigns strategy in-house and at agency level, to leading COVID-secure online events.

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