Cannot buy a funeral plan on behalf of someone else even if you are responsible for the funeral unless you have power of attorney actually activated

[ScottishScouser]

Just phoned co-op funeral care to buy a funeral plan for my mum. She's not in best of health and I am going to be responsible for her funeral - and I know she hasn't got anything in place as everything is being left to me (only child) and she said I can pay for it out of that. she won't talk about her funeral as she doesn't care as its my problem.

So as there is only me, I thought about buying a direct cremation plan from the co-op. I'm not interested in a service or anything like that.

Except you can't unless a power of attorney has actually been activated. I have LPA's in place but she's not so far gone I have them activated.

I just phoned them and they would need to arrange it with my mother - but I can't go to her and tell her I'm planning her funeral!

There is nothing they can do apparently - so I guess I'll just have to lie, say its for me and do it all on line.

Then you need to enact the POA

Ok that's good OP. Glad you found a workaround but isn't your thread title now incorrect?

Re discrimination against poorer people. Yes indeed, twas ever thus, for all sorts of products and services. It is called the poverty premium.

If there'll be the money in the estate, why would you want to?

Because if I lock in the price now at £1350 and by the time she dies its £2500 thats an extra £1200 out of the estate (which goes to me) that I don't have to pay.

I can afford to pay the £1350 up front.

No, because technically I've broken the law by impersonating my mother in an online form. I actually haven't bought it for someone else, I've bought it for the person by pretending to be them.

does she not have to sign it?

It comes from the bubble acts of 1777. You can't take out insurance on someone else's life unless their death has a direct financial implication for you ie business partners can insure each other's lives.
It's to stop gambling on people's deaths, ie if I took out life insurance on king Charles. Or to stop people committing murder for profit.

I’ll sign it for her - won’t be the first time I’ve done similar! She checked out of most life admin years ago when dad died - mainly because and as much as I love my mum, she is not very bright!