Prepaid funeral plan sales surpass 100,000 in record H1 of 2025
The NAFPP attributed the increase to rising consumer confidence and sustained demand through spring and early summer
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The UK’s prepaid funeral planning sector has reported record sales in the first half of 2025, with more than 100,000 new plans purchased, according to the National Association of Funeral Plan Providers (NAFPP).
A total of 111,887 new plans were sold in the six months to 30 June – spelling a jump of 13.7% on the same period last year, and the first time sales have exceeded 100,000 in a half-year period.
The NAFPP attributed the increase to rising consumer confidence and sustained demand through spring and early summer.
Prepaid plans funded 62,126 funerals during the same period, accounting for 18.3% of all funerals conducted in the UK. Both figures mark the highest six-month totals since the NAFPP began collecting the data in 2022.
The figures reflect the sector’s continued expansion following full regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). During the period, 787 existing plans were transferred from non-regulated entities to NAFPP member firms. These customers are now covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme and Financial Ombudsman Service.
Barry Floyd, chair of the NAFPP, said: “When almost one in every five funerals is funded by a pre-payment, we have to believe our now 36-year-old industry has become established. With consumer confidence in the product buoyed by the reassurance provided by our regulator, more people than ever are aware of the advantages.
“The first half of 2025 has set a new benchmark for the prepaid funeral planning sector, with record new plan sales, strong performance across all indicators, and customer preferences evolving toward flexible solutions.”
The NAFPP also reported an increase in the use of its plan tracing service, with around 7,000 enquiries expected this year. The service is used by families who cannot locate funeral paperwork following a relative’s death.
The UK still lags behind countries such as the Netherlands and Spain in the uptake of prepaid funeral products, according to the association, attributing the gap partly to cultural reluctance to discuss death. However, Floyd said attitudes were beginning to shift as more families recognised the practical and emotional benefits of planning ahead.
