Partially upheld: Service failures generally complaint against Co-op Funeral Plans Limited
Financial Ombudsman decision DRN-6079257 of 2026-01-15T00:00:00+00:00. Service failures generally complaint against Co-op Funeral Plans Limited. Outcome: Partially upheld.
Decision detail
| Reference | DRN-6079257 |
|---|---|
| Decision date | 2026-01-15T00:00:00+00:00 |
| Firm | Co-op Funeral Plans Limited |
| Product | Life / income protection |
| Claim type | Service failures generally |
| Outcome | Partially upheld |
| Remedy | Co-op directed to: (1) Refund £1,675 to the estate (£1,060 for care of Mrs F + £365 for care of family + £250 for taking Mrs F home), less any £150 already paid; (2) Add 8% simple interest per year from date of Mrs F's death until payment date; (3) Provide tax deduction certificate if HM Revenue & Customs deduction made; (4) Return any paperwork or personal items belonging to Mrs F still held by Co-op. The £100 compensation offer cannot be directed but may be accepted directly with Co-op. |
Summary
Mrs F's estate complained that Co-op Funeral Plans Limited unfairly handled the redemption of her pre-paid funeral plan purchased in 2016. Upon Mrs F's death in March 2025, the family discovered that her detailed funeral wishes were not recorded, and when the casket was delivered for the take-home service, it would not fit through the front door despite a prior risk assessment. The casket remained outside for approximately three hours until the family removed a window to allow it to be lifted inside. The family also alleged body damage, jewellery removal, and vehicle condition issues. The ombudsman upheld the complaint in part, finding that Co-op failed to record Mrs F's wishes and proceeded with the take-home service without adequately addressing identified risks, resulting in loss of value of those plan provisions. The ombudsman directed Co-op to refund £1,675 plus interest but found insufficient evidence to uphold other allegations.
The Ombudsman's reasoning
The ombudsman found that Co-op failed to deliver key provisions of Mrs F's funeral plan fairly. Regarding the care of Mrs F and take-home provision, Co-op carried out a risk assessment identifying uncertainty about whether the casket would fit through the front door but proceeded without resolving that uncertainty or implementing effective controls, making the difficulties foreseeable and preventable. The ombudsman found it more likely than not that Mrs F expressed specific wishes when purchasing her bespoke plan, which Co-op failed to record or retain, undermining the family's ability to plan the funeral with confidence and materially reducing the value of the care for family provision. However, the ombudsman found insufficient reliable evidence to uphold complaints regarding alleged body damage, jewellery removal, vehicle condition, or casket substitution, as these involved disputed accounts without sufficient independent corroboration. The ombudsman was limited by jurisdiction to award refunds for loss of value of plan provisions rather than compensation for distress to the family.
How this compares
| Group | Decisions | Uphold rate |
|---|---|---|
| Co-op Funeral Plans Limited, all decisions | 39 | 47% |
| Service failures generally, all decisions | 32,767 | 33% |
| Life / income protection, all decisions | 10,661 | 20% |
Source
Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website