We understand how important it is to know that the money you spend on a funeral plan is properly looked after. That's why at Distinct Cremations we take measures to ensure your money is kept safe, no matter what the future holds.
Distinct Funeral Plans Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to sell and carry out funeral plan contracts.
Every customer who takes out a funeral plan with Distinct Cremations is fully protected, whether you're paying with a single payment, over 12 months, 5 years or 10 years. Here's how we safeguard your money.
Paying with...
Paying with...
If you choose to pay for your Distinct Cremations funeral plan with either a single payment or over 12 monthly payments, the money you pay goes into the legally separate and independent Distinct Funeral Plans Trust. The Distinct Funeral Plans Trust is actively managed and formally audited and valued each year. The Solvency Assessment Report for 2023, which is produced by an independent actuary, was published on 22nd February 2024 and shows the trust is fully funded and has a solvency level of 130.5%, well above the amount it needs to cover all funeral plan costs.
As an added security for plan holders, Distinct Cremations is owned by the Westerleigh Group. The Westerleigh Group is the UK's largest independent cremation services provider. They have crematoriums across the UK and perform over 70,000 cremation services a year. The Westerleigh Group is there to perform the cremation services for Distinct Cremations plan holders.
The Distinct Funeral Plans Trust is legally separate from Distinct Funeral Plans Limited. It is run by professional managing trustees, who ensure the primary beneficiaries, the funeral plan holders, interests are protected.
All monies are paid into the trust's bank account, which is held with Lloyd’s Bank plc. Royal London Asset Management, a leading UK FCA-regulated investment manager, carefully invests the funds so they grow with inflation. This allows us to guarantee we can cover the services included in your plan.
If Distinct Cremations were to go out of business, you may be entitled to claim compensation from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) if we cannot meet our obligations.
The trust exists to hold and invest the money that plan holders pay. The managing trustees work with Distinct Cremations to ensure that there is enough money to cover the cost of every plan holder’s funeral. The trust’s financial records are reviewed annually by an independent auditor who checks that all the financial records are accurate and comply with laws and regulations.
An actuarial review is then undertaken, which is completed by Zenith Actuarial, who assess and report on the Trust’s ability to meet all its promises and obligations to plan holders from the money it holds. If the trust is 100% solvent, then it has enough money to cover the cost of every plan holder’s funeral. The actuary reported that the Distinct Funeral Plans Trust is 130.5% solvent, meaning it has more money than it needs to cover every plan holder’s funeral.
A copy of our latest Solvency Assessment Report (SAR) is transparently available for you to read below.
Read nowThe managing trustees are responsible for managing the money that plan holders pay and their primary responsibility is to protect the interests of funeral plan holders. The managing trustees are supported in their duties by various expert and professional advisers to ensure that the money is prudently invested in a low-risk manner.
Independent Managing Trustee and Chair of the Trustees
Graeme is a Fellow of the Faculty of Actuaries and has more than 35 years’ experience in the financial sector. Graeme currently serves as Non-Executive Chair of Metfriendly and as a Non-Executive Director of The Medical Defence Union, where he chairs the Audit and Risk Committee. He was previously Chief Executive of The Children’s Mutual and Chief Executive of the Funeral Planning Authority.
Independent Managing Trustee
Simon is a Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries and has a long career in financial services with extensive knowledge of investment solutions involving managing assets against liabilities. Simon has been at Insight Investment for 15 years, where he currently serves as Head of Insurance Solutions. Prior to this Simon held senior actuarial roles at JP Morgan and NPI.
Managing Trustee
Layton has over 18 years of extensive experience in later-life financial services, funeral plans and life insurance. He is the Managing Director of Distinct Cremations and serves as a Managing Trustee to ensure plan holders' interests are protected.
When you purchase a funeral plan with Distinct Cremations by paying with payments over 5 or 10 years, we will purchase a whole of life insurance policy (which has no surrender or transfer value) from Scottish Friendly, where we are the beneficiary. Upon the death of the person for whom the cremation is for, Scottish Friendly will release the funds. Distinct Cremations will use this to cover the cost of the cremation promised.
Scottish Friendly Assurance Society are a leading UK mutual life and investments organisation authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority.
Distinct Cremations' relationship with Scottish Friendly was established in 2022.
Scottish Friendly invest the money a customer pays in order to ensure there is enough to cover the cost of the funeral Distinct Cremations has promised to provide. Scottish Friendly will only release the funds from the Whole of Life policy once Distinct Cremations have been notified of the death of the person for whom the cremation is for.
If Distinct Cremations were to go out of business, you may be entitled to claim compensation from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) if we cannot meet our obligations.
A Distinct Cremations funeral plan gives you peace of mind knowing that funeral costs are covered and protected. Acceptance is guaranteed with no medical questions.
You can pay one payment from £1,699 or via monthly payments over 12 months, 5 years or 10 years. Read more about our funeral plans, what's included and the service we provide below.
View our funeral plansBelow are a selection of reviews from those who followed their instinct with Distinct and chose to buy a funeral with us.
Oak Tree Court, Brookfield Drive, Cannock, WS11 0JN
