Becoming an appointed representative if you’re a funeral plan intermediary

Find out how to become an appointed representative (AR) that sells and distributes funeral plans on behalf of a principal firm.

Funeral plan intermediaries are generally firms that advise customers on funeral plan contracts, or arrange them for customers.

If you’re involved in selling pre-paid funeral plans (including funeral directors, will writers and operators of lead generation websites), you must:

  • be directly authorised by us, or
  • be an AR of an appropriately authorised firm, known as the principal 

before you carry out any business.

Make sure you understand when you need to apply to be directly authorised by us, rather than becoming an AR.

Yours and the principal's responsibilities

The principal will be responsible for the conduct of each AR they’ve appointed to sell, market or promote pre-paid funeral plans on their behalf. 

If you intend to become an AR, you'll need to find a principal. You won’t need to apply to us for authorisation, but your principal will need to submit a notification of your appointment that we'll consider. You'll enter into a contract with the entity that agrees to act as your principal firm.

You can become an AR of more than one principal firm if you wish to sell or offer funeral plans for several firms. In this case, you'll need to become an AR of each principal.

ARs don't pay any direct charges to us, but principal firms pay our fees on the incomes of their ARs and they also pay an annual charge of £80 per introducer AR and £266 for all other ARs. Principal firms may choose to recover these costs as part of their agreement with you.

Senior managers at ARs

If you become an AR, senior managers at your firm will be subject to the requirements for approved persons

This means that individuals that are performing activities described as 'controlled functions' will need to be approved and comply with the rules for approved persons.

Your principal firm is responsible for making sure that it has identified, and sought approval of, all individuals performing controlled functions.

Page updates

: Information changed Information updated as part of website refresh
: Editorial amendment page updated as part of website refresh
: Information changed Updates to page following regulation on 29 July.
: Information added on authorisation fees
: Information added applications open for authorisation
: Information added Date clarified '1 November'.
: Information changed Final fees following Handbook Notice 90.
: Editorial amendment
: Information added Webinar: funeral plan intermediaries
: Information changed Information on PS21/8