The Competition and Markets Authority is carrying out a study into the funerals market to find out if consumers are getting a good deal. Can you help with this research by sharing your experiences?
When youāre faced with bereavement, we know that money can be the last thing youāll want to think about. But with the average cost of a funeral approaching Ā£3,800, itās an area thatās rightly coming under scrutiny.
Multiple expenses
The BBC reports that many funeral plans do not cover costs such as embalming, limousines, the services itself, a wake, burial plots or memorial stones.
As a result of this, some families who may have expected these items to be included are left with additional, unexpected expenditure at such a difficult time.
With the potential for expenses to mount up, itās essential that clearer information is given on the prices and services available to families.
Your views for the CMA
The CMA has stated that its market study will focus on two core areas in connection with the supply of funerals:
- – how competition between funeral directors works and transparency issues in the provision of funerals
- – how competition works in the crematoria segment of the industry
Comments are being welcomed on the issues, so we want to share our communityās experiences with the CMA. This will help give a clear view of the challenges being faced by vulnerable people at the most difficult of times.
Have you ever felt like the process of paying for a funeral wasn’t transparent about how much things would cost, or what you were paying for? Were intermediaries, such as funeral directors, helpful throughout the process or a hinderance?
We’d particularly want to know if you felt you were subject to pressure selling, or if you had unexpected costs that you’d previously believed were to be covered by pre-paid plans.
As we know this can be a sensitive area, youāre welcome to email us at conversation.comments@which.co.uk if youād prefer not to comment publicly.