Upheld: service quality failure and breach of funeral plan terms complaint against Co-op Funeral Plans Limited
Financial Ombudsman decision DRN-6400316 of 2026-06-03T00:00:00+00:00. service quality failure and breach of funeral plan terms complaint against Co-op Funeral Plans Limited. Outcome: Upheld.
Decision detail
| Reference | DRN-6400316 |
|---|---|
| Decision date | 2026-06-03T00:00:00+00:00 |
| Firm | Co-op Funeral Plans Limited |
| Product | funeral plan |
| Claim type | service quality failure and breach of funeral plan terms |
| Outcome | Upheld |
| Remedy | Co-op must refund the estate £821.67 (comprising £375 + £66.67 + £380) and pay simple interest at 8% per annum calculated from the date of Mr A's funeral until the date of payment. Co-op must provide a tax deduction certificate if requested. |
Summary
Mrs A, as executor of her late husband Mr A's estate, complained to the FOS about Co-op Funeral Plans Limited's handling of his funeral following his purchase of a pre-paid Gold Cremation plan. Multiple failures occurred including unavailable service times, restricted access to view the deceased, incorrect spelling on the coffin plaque, inappropriate staff conduct, non-delivery of a canvas portrait, and failure to follow instructions regarding flowers and press announcements. Co-op admitted the failures and offered initial refunds and compensation, but Mrs A rejected these as inadequate. The ombudsman upheld the complaint on behalf of the estate and directed Co-op to refund £821.67 plus 8% interest, comprising the 'care for you' element, the canvas portrait cost, and 50% of the 'care on the day of funeral' provision to reflect the staff conduct failures.
The Ombudsman's reasoning
The ombudsman upheld the complaint on behalf of the estate (the eligible complainant under FOS rules, not Mrs A personally). While acknowledging Mrs A's significant upset, the ombudsman was constrained by FOS jurisdiction to consider only the diminished value of the pre-paid plan elements. The ombudsman accepted Co-op's refund of the 'care for you' element (£375) and the canvas portrait cost (£66.67) in full. However, the ombudsman found that the conduct of one staff member during the funeral service, particularly regarding the final private moment and flower distribution, diminished the value of the 'care on the day of funeral' provision (valued at £760 by Co-op), warranting a 50% refund (£380) of that element. Interest at 8% per annum was added from the date of funeral to reflect the time value of money.
How this compares
| Group | Decisions | Uphold rate |
|---|---|---|
| Co-op Funeral Plans Limited, all decisions | 39 | 47% |
Source
Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website