A grieving daughter has been awarded £1,000 in compensation after the ashes of her late mother were sent through the post unsealed, resulting in some of the contents spilling out during a botched international delivery.
Significant Failings in Ashes Delivery
The distressing incident involved funeral planning company Plan With Grace, which was responsible for returning the cremated remains to the client, referred to as Mrs R. Instead of using a secure and appropriate service, the provider dispatched the ashes using a standard Royal Mail international shipping method, which was deemed wholly unsuitable for such a sensitive consignment.
To compound the error, the package was mistakenly routed via an unnamed European Union country. When it finally arrived with Mrs R, the container was unsealed and partially empty, with clear evidence that some of the ashes had been lost in transit.
Ombudsman Dismisses 'Joviality' Defence
Mrs R lodged a formal complaint with the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS), which thoroughly investigated the case. The ombudsman's investigation, concluded in early 2026, upheld the complaint in full.
It identified "significant failings" in Plan With Grace's handling of the matter, from the choice of courier to the basic lack of secure packaging. In a notable detail from the ruling, the funeral provider attempted to argue that Mrs R's evident distress was invalid because she had been heard laughing during a phone call.
The ombudsman firmly rejected this, stating she was clearly "masking her distress with joviality and humour", a common coping mechanism, and that this did not diminish the severity of the provider's errors.
Lasting Impact and Compensation Award
In her testimony, Mrs R expressed her profound anguish that her mother's final remains were not treated with the "dignity and respect" they deserved. She described the incident as having a lasting negative impact on her, compounding her grief.
The Financial Ombudsman Service ordered Plan With Grace to pay £1,000 in compensation to Mrs R for the substantial distress and poor service caused. The case highlights the critical duty of care owed by funeral directors and related services in handling human remains, and the robust consumer protection available through the ombudsman when that duty is breached.
The ruling was published on Tuesday 6 January 2026, serving as a stark warning to other companies in the sector about their responsibilities.
