Skipton Funeral Plan. A simple way to pay towards funeral costs in advance. Provided by

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1 Skipton Funeral Plan A simple way to pay towards funeral costs in advance Provided by

2 A simple way to pay towards funeral costs in advance This guide tells you all about the Skipton Funeral Plan from Dignity. It explains what a prepaid funeral plan is and how it can benefit both you and your family, by ensuring the cremation services included within your plan are paid for in advance. It also details the personalised, compassionate guidance and support your family would receive from a trusted funeral director. In partnership with Dignity The Skipton Funeral Plan is provided by our specially selected partner, Dignity, a national provider of prearranged funeral plans since Dignity has a network of more than 1,180 owned or approved funeral directors nationwide, many of which have been serving their local communities for generations.

3 Key information about Dignity Dignity launched their first prepaid funeral plan in Dignity have already helped more than 675,000 people make provision for their funeral in advance. In 2015, Dignity conducted over 73,000 funerals in the UK. Dignity is a member of the Funeral Planning Authority, the professional body that oversees the operation of registered funeral plan companies. In their 2014 survey more than 99% of customers families said that Dignity had met or exceeded their expectations in terms of the quality of service that had been provided, and over 98% would recommend Dignity to friends and relatives. 1 1 Dignity plc Annual Report and Accounts If you take out a Skipton Funeral Plan this will be on the basis of a contract between you and Dignity Pre Arrangement Limited.

4 Choose from our three plans The table below shows what s included in each plan. There are three prepaid funeral plans to choose from, each include arrangements needed for a cremation funeral as specified in the plan. Simply choose the plan that suits you and once you ve paid for your plan Dignity guarantees to deliver all the service detailed, no matter how far in the future that may be. Payment Options The Amber The Pearl The Diamond Single payment 3,535 3,885 4, equal monthly payments per month per month per month There is no extra charge for 12 monthly payments. 60 equal monthly payments There is an extra cost for 60 monthly payments. This will be paid into the National Funeral Trust fund per month (Total price 4,080.09) per month (Total price 4,484.06) Prices are valid until 30 November For further payment options please call * per month (Total price 4,945.73) The Guaranteed Services Advice and guidance on all aspects of the funeral Guidance on the registration of the death, and collection of all necessary paperwork for the funeral to proceed Transport of the deceased to the Nominated Funeral Director s premises (within 20 mile radius)^ Preparation and care of the body (embalming not included) Family viewing during normal business hours Family viewing during weekdays, by agreed appointment Family viewing any time, by agreed appointment Coffin (fully lined and fitted, gown included) Simple coffin Quality wood effect coffin High quality veneer coffin Funeral director and staff to attend the service Provision of a hearse Limousine to transport family/mourners No Limousine 1 Limousine 2 Limousines Funeral procession to go directly to the crematorium or burial site Funeral procession from home to place of worship and crematorium or burial site (service at a separate location before cremation or burial not included) Collection of charitable donations 50 thank you cards 24-hour telephone bereavement counselling The Guaranteed Cremation Services The cremation fee Minister s or Officiant s fee

5 Burial If a burial is required, the services marked with a are not covered by the guarantee. This is because burial costs vary widely across the country, so cannot be guaranteed in the same way as a cremation. Instead a contribution of 1,200 (rising with RPI inflation) will be made towards burial fees and any services provided by third parties (such as Minister s or Officiant s fees). What is not included in your Plan These are the main items which are not covered under the policy. This list is not exhaustive. Please ask us if you need to check whether other things you might require are included: Embalming, burial plot, memorial or headstone. Minister s/officiant s fee for a service at a different location before the cremation. Flowers. Catering/wake. Doctors Fees or Coroners fees. Repatriation from outside mainland Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Jersey, Isle of Man and Isle of Wight. Costs for removing artificial limbs and mechanisms such as pacemakers. Costs associated with changes in regulations, tax, laws or generally accepted practice, which result in additional costs or affect the conduct of the funeral. ^ Transport by ferry or air is not included and will be chargeable at the time of the funeral. A note on Doctors Medical Cremation Certificates In May 2015, a change in Scottish law means that for deaths registered in Scotland there is no longer a requirement or charge for cremation funerals to receive a second doctors certification. Similar legislation is also being considered for the rest of the UK. In anticipation of this change we have removed Doctors fees from our plans. If the plan holder were to pass away before any changes to the Death Certification and Coroners Reform Act are introduced into the rest of the UK then Doctors fees may still be payable. The next of kin or personal representative would need to pay these costs at the time of the funeral. Please refer to the Terms & Conditions for further information.

6 How does the Skipton Funeral Plan work? We all want to do our best by our family, which is why funeral planning is important. Not only does the Skipton Funeral Plan make your wishes known, but it also helps to offer your family financial protection and support at a difficult time. It s a simple way to prepay for funeral costs The Skipton Funeral Plan offers a simple way to cover the cost of a cremation funeral in advance, bringing real savings because the cost of the services included in the plan will be fixed at today s prices - once the plan is paid for, it s paid for. It s easy for your family too As well as guaranteeing to pay for the cremation funeral services outlined in the plan, the Skipton Funeral Plan also takes care of funeral arrangements. This means when the time comes, your family won t be left wondering what type of funeral you wanted. One phone call will set your plan into motion, helping remove the worry of finding a funeral director, deciding on the most appropriate arrangements and paying for the services in the plan. Not only will they have the support and guidance from a well established provider of prearranged funeral plans in the UK, they will also benefit from the services of a trusted funeral director, who will offer all the help and guidance needed with the funeral. When you take out a plan, Dignity will send you your Planholder pack and inform you of the nearest Dignity Nominated Funeral Director. Available if you re 50 or over If you are aged 50 or over it s all very simple, because this is not a life policy, it s a prepaid plan. There s no upper age limit, no health restrictions and no medical questions to answer. So you can apply with confidence, because the answer will be yes.

7 Reassurance in uncertain times Protection against rising funeral costs Over the past 15 years funeral costs have more than doubled, rising faster than the rate of RPI inflation each year. A Skipton Funeral Plan guarantees that the cost of the cremation services included in your plan will be covered, no matter how much prices rise. Save money by fixing funeral costs at today s prices Funeral costs have risen from 2,288 in 2007 to 3,737 in 2015, an increase of 6.33% per year between 2007 & If this trend continues, by 2023 funeral costs could reach 6,107 #. However, with a Skipton Funeral Plan, the cremation services in your plan are guaranteed at today s prices. # Forecast based on average annual compounded growth rate of 6.33% each year between 2007 and How funeral costs have increased Price Index Years (Mintel: Funerals - UK - January 2007) (calculated using average annual compounded increase of 6.33% per year) (Average funeral costs research carried out by Matter Communications). 3 Office of National Statistics (ONS). 4 Calculation and data source - The Investment Research Partnership Copyright UK Savings 2,500 Net Source - Morningstar Copyright Average funeral costs 2 UK Retail Price Index 3 UK Savings Rate 4

8 Why the Skipton Funeral Plan makes sense Taking responsibility for funeral costs can save your loved ones money and worry Guaranteed to cover the cost of the cremation funeral services included in your plan, no matter how much prices rise or when it s required. Other savings and investments cannot guarantee to do this. Additionally, financial companies won t help organise your funeral but Dignity will. A life insurance plan only provides a lump sum - it doesn t help your loved ones arrange your funeral. Fixed price plan, once it s paid for, there isn t a penny more to pay for the guaranteed services included in the plan. Any special wishes you may have will be recorded in the plan. You can add Special Requests (e.g. flowers, a favourite hymn or an extra limousine) into the plan at anytime, though extra costs may apply. One phone call to Dignity is all that is needed for your funeral organiser to put the plan in motion. A trusted Dignity Nominated Funeral Director will provide support and guidance to your Funeral Organiser to help ensure that the funeral takes place as you would have wished. Loved ones will also have access to a 24-hour telephone bereavement advice and counselling service. There are three prepaid funeral plans to choose from where the services in the plan are guaranteed. For each plan there is also an option of a burial funeral where a contribution of 1,200, which rises with RPI inflation, is made towards burial fees and other third party services. It s easy to pay for your plan. Just decide whether you want to pay for your plan in a one off single payment or spread the cost over 12 or 60 monthly instalment payments. Longer term payment options are also available, up to 10 years. Please note that there is an extra cost for instalment terms that are greater than 12 months in duration.

9 Your money s in safe hands The money you pay for your plan goes straight into the National Funeral Trust an independent Trust Fund which has over 289m under investment as at December 2014 as confirmed in the Annual Report, National Funeral Trust The Trust Fund is independently run and managed by M&G Investment Management Limited, one of the most respected investment firms in the UK. The Royal Exchange Trust Company are the legal custodian trustees with some activities being carried out by Capita Trust Company Limited. An annual audit of the Trust Fund is carried out to check that it can meet its obligations. You can ask for a copy of the National Funeral Trust Annual Report, if you would like to know more about the Trust s performance, by calling Dignity on *. Customer Services Skipton and Dignity make every effort to ensure you receive the highest level of customer service. If you are not satisfied with the service provided by Skipton, we have an internal complaints procedure. For more information please call us on , ask in branch or visit The Financial Ombudsman Service provides a free and independent service for consumers, and can be contacted at The Financial Ombudsman Service, Exchange Tower, London E14 9SR. Telephone: If your complaint relates to your Funeral Plan, please contact Dignity directly. Contact details are as follows: Client Liaison Officer, 4 King Edwards Court, King Edwards Square, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, B73 6AP. Telephone: clientrelations@dignityuk.co.uk If you are dissatisfied with the response from Dignity you can take the matter further. Dignity Pre Arrangement Limited is registered with the Funeral Planning Authority (FPA), an independent organisation whose Code of Practice they follow. The FPA can be contacted by; Telephone: (Calls to this number cost 5p a minute plus your phone company s access charge) ceo@funeralplanningauthority.co.uk Web:

10 Frequently Asked Questions Can I have a burial? Yes. However, a burial funeral cannot be guaranteed in the same way as a cremation funeral. The funeral director will arrange certain services, which are provided by third parties, but as the cost of these services varies widely across the country, we cannot promise that your plan will cover these costs. Instead a contribution of 1,200 (rising with RPI inflation) will be made towards burial fees and any services provided by third parties (such as Minister s or Officiant s fees). How can I pay for my plan? You can pay for your plan with a single payment by cheque, postal order, credit or debit card or spread the cost over 12 or 60 monthly payments, by Direct Debit. (Please be aware that there is an extra cost when paying in instalments of more than 12 months see the payment options table for the total payable). If you would like to discuss further payment options available please call Dignity on Can I add Special Requests into my plan? You can add Special Requests into your plan at any time by calling Dignity who will make the arrangements and advise you if they incur any additional costs. A contribution can be paid towards the cost of any Special Requests, which rises in line with inflation. If you choose not to make a contribution any additional costs incurred for these Special Requests would need to be met at the time by the person arranging the funeral. How will my family and funeral organiser know what to do in the event of my death? You will receive a Planholder Pack which tells you everything you need to know. This includes important information for your Funeral Organiser, the person who will be responsible for setting the plan in motion when the time comes. The pack also explains how you can add personal touches or request additional services to your plan if you wish.

11 Do I have to live in the UK to purchase a plan? The plan covers the cost of certain funerals as described in the table overleaf as long as they are conducted in mainland Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Jersey, Isle of Man or Isle of Wight. The person for whom the plan is for must be resident in these territories in order to qualify. Please note that the plan does not cover the costs of repatriation from outside these areas. What happens if Dignity goes out of business? No matter what happens to Dignity in the future, your funeral arrangements are protected because all the money is invested in the totally independent National Funeral Trust which no one at Dignity can access. In the unlikely event that Dignity goes out of business, the Fund Trustees would appoint or create a new company to administer all the plans to ensure that all the funerals are performed and paid for. If the funeral director were to go out of business, an alternative Dignity Nominated Funeral Director would be allocated to the plan. What if I change my mind, can I have a refund? You have 90 days from the date you receive your agreement to cancel the plan and receive a full refund. Cancellations after that time are subject to a 395 cancellation fee, which will be deducted from your refund. If I pay for my plan by monthly instalments and I pass away before I ve finished paying, is my funeral still guaranteed? If you die before you have finished paying for your plan, the arrangements and price in the plan will remain the same provided the person arranging your funeral agrees to pay the outstanding balance. They will receive an invoice for the amount after the funeral has taken place.

12 Provided by Call in branch Talk to us today Visit skipton.co.uk Skipton Building Society is a member of the Building Societies Association and Financial Ombudsman Service. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority under registration number for accepting deposits, advising on and arranging mortgages and insurance. Principal Office, The Bailey, Skipton, North Yorkshire BD23 1DN. The Skipton Funeral Plan is provided by Dignity Pre Arrangement Limited. If you take out a Skipton Funeral Plan this will be on the basis of a contract between you and Dignity Pre Arrangement Limited. A company registered in England No VAT registered No Registered Office: 4 King Edwards Court, King Edwards Square, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands B73 6AP. Telephone No Fax No Part of Dignity plc. A British company. Dignity Pre Arrangement Limited is regulated by the Funeral Planning Authority. *Your call may be monitored or recorded for training and quality purposes. All calls to 0800 numbers are free of charge whether made from a landline or mobile phone. Stock Code: _306971_26/04/16