NAFD doubles legal indemnity cover

The National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD) has once again used its buying power to enhance the support it offers members, doubling the legal indemnity cover and improving the financial assistance available through its comprehensive Business Support Helpline.

Moving the provision of the Business Support Helpline to Peninsula Business Services has enabled the Association to secure three major benefits for its members. Funeral firms now receive legal cover in respect of employment claims or Health & Safety prosecutions of £100,000 plus financial support to cover HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) and VAT investigations of up to £75,000 (full) and £5,000 (impact). The service also includes accountancy fee insurance to cover HMRC inquiries and disputes up to £75,000 (full) and £2,500 (aspect).

Available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the Employment Law and Health & Safety helpline can provide an immediate response, while the new NAFD Legal Library – exclusive to NAFD members and accessible via the members’ section of the NAFD website (www.nafd.org.uk) – provides factsheets on a wide range of topics that should prove invaluable to the smooth running of a funeral business.

The NAFD’s business support service also incorporates a tax helpline, which is manned by consultants who can draw on extensive personal experience to provide practical solutions and guidance on complex compliance issues. Finally, NAFD members receive unlimited access to a legal helpline, enabling them to seek advice about all areas of consumer and commercial law.

As part of its two-year contract Peninsula Business Services will be offering a programme of regional training courses throughout the UK to ensure NAFD members can take full advantage of these benefits. The events will address the core areas of employment law and employee relations and will provide funeral directors with practical assistance to help them manage staff effectively and achieve best practice.

Alan Slater, chief executive officer of the NAFD, says: “The Business Support Helpline is a unique benefit of NAFD membership, since no other organisation in the sector offers this level of support as part of the standard subscription.

“We are pleased to have negotiated an enhanced package which is designed to help our members tackle a host of issues and provide support to ease the financial burden of dealing with employment claims and complying with HMRC investigations.”