Privacy, GDPR and Cookie Policy

Privacy Policy

Last updated: 14 May 2025

 

1. Introduction

Aura Life Limited (“Aura”, “we,” “our,” “us”) is committed to protecting your personal data. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, share, and protect your information in compliance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018, and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) requirements.

2. Who We Are

We are an FCA-regulated funeral plan provider, offering prepaid funeral plans to help you plan ahead. Our plans are backed by an independent trust (the “Aura Life Funeral Plan Trust”, ‘the trust”), ensuring that your money is managed securely and separately from our business.

We are also a funeral service provider delivering logistics for funerals at the point of need.

For the purposes of data protection law:

• Aura is the Data Controller for personal data collected directly from you.
• The Trust is a separate Data Controller responsible for handling your funds and related personal data.

3. What Personal Data We Collect

We collect and process the following personal data:

• Basic Information: Name, address, date of birth, phone number, email address.
• Financial Details: Payment information, bank details (for payments and refunds where applicable).
• Plan-Related Information: Details of your funeral plan, and any specified preferences.
• Nominated Representative Details: If you provide details of a nominated representative or beneficiary, we will collect their contact information.
• Communications: Records of interactions, including calls, emails, text messages, chat-bot interactions and letters.
• Website Usage Data: Information collected via cookies and similar technologies (see section 10 for more details).

We will only collect special category data (such as health information) if it is specifically required for your plan and with your explicit consent.

4. How We Collect Your Personal Data

We use different methods to collect data from and about you including through:

• Direct interactions: We collect most of your data when you choose to give this to us on our website, by email over the phone, by chat-bot or otherwise.
• Automated technologies or interactions: As you interact with our website, we may automatically collect technical data about your equipment, browsing actions and patterns. We collect this personal data by using cookies, server logs and other similar technologies. We may also receive technical data about you if you visit other websites (like Facebook and Google) employing our cookies. You can set your browser to refuse all or some browser cookies, or to alert you when websites set or access cookies. If you disable or refuse cookies, please note that some parts of our website or application may become inaccessible or not function properly. For more information about the cookies we use, and how to disable them, please see our Cookie Policy in Section 11 below. 

Third parties or publicly available sources.

We may receive data about you from various third parties (as governed by our Cookie Policy) and as set out below:

• analytics providers such as Google with servers based outside the UK;
• advertising networks such as Facebook pixel with servers based outside the UK; and
• search information providers Google based outside the UK.
• Trusted relationships and data providers.

5. How We Use Your Personal Data

We use your data to:

• Provide and manage your funeral plan (contractual necessity);
• Arrange a funeral on your behalf 
• Verify your identity in accordance with FCA requirements for fraud prevention purposes.
• Manage payments and administer the Trust;
• Ensure compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, including FCA rules;
• Communicate with you about your plan and any changes;
• Improve our services and website;
• Send you marketing communications, where we have a lawful basis for doing so.

6. Legal Bases for Processing Your Data

Under UK GDPR, we process your personal data based on the following lawful grounds:

• Performance of a Contract: When processing is necessary to provide your funeral plan.
• Legal Obligation: When required by law or regulatory bodies (e.g., FCA, HMRC).
• Legitimate Interests: For administrative, fraud prevention, and service improvement purposes (balanced against your rights).
• Consent: For marketing communications (you can withdraw consent at any time).

7. Who We Share Your Data With

Your personal data may be shared with:

• The Independent Trust: To manage and safeguard your funds.
• Funeral Delivery Partners: To arrange and fulfil funeral plans.
• Legal or Regulatory Authorities: FCA, HMRC, and other legal bodies where required.
• Professional Advisors: such as lawyers, accountants, actuaries or auditors (under strict confidentiality agreements).
• IT Service Providers: Secure IT systems, payment processors, website and IT service providers 
• Funeral Fulfilment Partners: Who support us to arrange your funeral when you pass away.
• Marketing platforms: For advertisements or marketing campaigns (including email communications), subject to your rights. 
• Your Representative: If you have appointed a Nominated Representative.
• Trusted Partners: We may share your contact details with trusted third parties where you have explicitly consented for us to do so, in relation to related products or services. In some circumstances we may receive payment for products or services you chose to purchase from third parties as a result of making the referral. In some cases, if you proceed to purchase a product or service from them, we may receive a commission, referral fee, or other form of payment. Any such arrangement will always be clearly communicated to you at the point of consent.

8. Data Security

We implement robust security measures to protect your data, including:

• Secure encryption for digital records;
• Access controls limiting access to authorised personnel;
• Regular security audits and compliance checks.

If we suspect a data breach that may impact your rights, we will notify you and the relevant authorities as required by law. 

9. Data Retention

We keep your data for as long as necessary for:

• Managing your funeral plan;
• Arranging and delivering your funeral 
• Meeting legal, regulatory, and contractual obligations.
• We retain records of cancelled plans for an extended period to ensure that we can verify plan cancellations if needed, particularly in the event of a customer’s death. This is essential for compliance and dispute resolution, as claims regarding cancelled plans may arise many years after cancellation.

After this period, your data will be securely deleted or anonymised.

Whilst you have the legal right to ask us to stop processing your information for direct marketing purposes, we may still be required to hold your Information in accordance with this Policy for the purposes of complying with our legal or regulatory obligations. 

10. Your Rights

You have the following rights under the Data Protection Act 2018, and General Data Privacy Regulation (2018):

• Access: Request a copy of your personal data.
• Correction: Update inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Deletion: Request data erasure in certain circumstances.
• Restriction: Limit how we process your data.
• Data Portability: Obtain a copy of your data in a structured format.
• Objection: Object to processing based on legitimate interests or for marketing.
• Withdraw Consent: Stop receiving marketing communications.

To exercise your rights, contact us (see Section 10).

11. Marketing and Opting Out

Non-customers: When requesting information from us regarding our products and services, we may ask you to consent to being contacted for marketing purposes, this includes receiving information about our products and services which might help you make a informed choice about purchasing from us. You have the right to opt-out at any time by contacting us (details in section 14 below). We may, on occasion purchase contact details from a reputable third party (e.g. a data broker) for direct marketing via post. Any such direct marketing will provide details of how we obtained your data, and how you can opt-out of future communications. 

Existing customers: If you have ordered products or services from us in the past, we may contact you by phone, email or post to tell you about similar or related products, services, promotions, and special offers that you might like. We will let you know during the sales process if we plan to use your information for this purpose and give you the chance to opt out of receiving this information.

Additionally, if you give us permission, we may also contact you by email, post or phone about our other products, services, promotions, and special offers that you might be interested in. We will ask for your permission before collecting your data if we intend to use it for these additional marketing purposes. If you do not want to receive any direct marketing communications from us, or you no longer want to receive them, you can opt out at any time (see below).

We may share your personal data with carefully chosen third party organisations and business partners if you give us permission to do so. These third parties may contact you directly by post, telephone, or email about products, services, promotions, and special offers that may be of interest to you, unless you have asked them not to. We will inform you and obtain your consent before collecting your data if we intend to disclose it to third parties for direct marketing purposes. You can opt out of receiving direct marketing communications from our business partners at any time (see below).

You have the right to ask us, or any third party, to stop processing your information for direct marketing purposes at any time. To exercise this right, please contact us by sending an email to privacy@aura.life or contact the relevant third party using their provided contact details. Please include enough information to identify you and process your request. Alternatively, you can follow the unsubscribe instructions in the emails you receive from us or them.

12. International Transfers

Some of our platforms and service providers may be hosted outside of the UK or Europe. Where data is transferred outside the UK and the EEA, we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place, such as Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) or other legally approved mechanisms, to protect your personal data in compliance with UK and EU data privacy requirements. 

13. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our website uses cookies to improve your browsing experience and provide personalised content. Cookies are small text files stored on your device that help us recognise repeat visitors and gather analytics about site usage.

We use the following types of cookies:

• Strictly Necessary Cookies: Essential for website functionality and security.
• Performance Cookies: Collect anonymous data on website usage to improve performance.
• Functionality Cookies: Remember preferences to enhance user experience.
• Marketing Cookies: Track visitor activity to provide relevant advertisements.

You can at any time change or withdraw your consent by clicking on the cookie pop up on the website page you are viewing Cookiebot icon.

14. Contact Us

For privacy-related queries or to exercise your rights regarding Aura, please contact our Data Protection Officer:

Aura Life
Studio One 

Bunkers Hill

Goldalming

GU7 1UP

privacy@aura.life
0800 808 5723

For privacy-related queries or to exercise your rights regarding Aura Life Funeral Plan Trust, please contact the Trust’s Protection Officer:

Guardian Professional Group Ltd

2 St. Marys Lane

Dilton Marsh

Westbury

Wiltshire

BA13 4BL

TeL: 07826 223682

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you are unhappy with how we handle your data.

ICO Contact Details:
Website: www.ico.org.uk
Phone: 0303 123 1113

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. The latest version will always be available on our website, and we will notify you of any significant changes.