Contact Consumer Protection
Tel: 1300 30 40 54
consumer@dmirs.wa.gov.au
See all Consumer Protection office locations
Fair Trading (Prepaid Funerals Code of Practice) Regulations 2020 (the code) is a new mandatory code of practice for Western Australia's prepaid funeral industry.
The code ensures any funds are managed within secure investments under the name of the client, until they are required.
The code will only apply to prepaid funeral contracts entered into from 1 March 2021.
Funeral organisers must give consumers clear information, developed by the investment manager, about where any prepaid funeral funds will be invested.
Within 16 days of receipt of the payment, a funeral organiser must forward all payments received under a prepaid funeral contract (excluding any fee, charge or GST) to an investment manager.
Investment managers are restricted to:
The funeral investment must be designated in the name of the client. The funds are only released after the funeral arranged for the recipient has been carried out, as per the prepaid funeral contract.
Under the code:
The transition period allows funeral organisers sufficient time modify business processes in order to comply with the code’s requirements. This may include the requirement to amend standard prepaid funeral contracts, website information or printed documentation (e.g. brochures); and to train employees on the code.
Frequently asked questions for the funeral industry
Prepaid funerals checklist for funeral organisers
Fair Trading (Prepaid Funerals Code of Practice) Regulations 2020
Advice for consumers considering buying or who have bought a prepaid funeral is available on the Buying a prepaid funeral page.
Last modified: