Terms and Conditions

Eligibility for membership

1. Meeting the eligibility requirements is no assurance of success and the United Care Trust (UCT) has the right, with no prejudice, to accept or reject any membership application with no obligations to explain the reasons and may ask for additional documents, if needed.

2. All adult Muslim New Zealand citizens, permanent residents, work visa holders, and others legally living in New Zealand, and their spouses and children under the age of 22 years are eligible to register as a member of the Funeral Support Program (FSP). A photo identification of each member applying for membership is mandatory.

3. Any person submitting a membership application for his/her parents or Mother/Father-in-law must have their own membership first.

4. The membership application may be rejected if not accompanied by the application fee. However, UCT may, at their discretion, consider the application upon the applicant’s undertaking to pay the application fee if successful.

5. Members will be eligible for full membership benefits after a waiting period of 90 days from the day the application is approved. The waiting period applies to new members and members re-joining after the cancellation of membership.

6. If a principal member or dependent passes away before the completion of the waiting period, UCT will not be liable to provide any funeral support.

7.  However, in the event of a death of any other FSP member, the deduction of your share of reimbursement will take place from the date the membership is accepted.

Terms of membership

1. The parents will register their dependent children as principal members as soon as they attain 22 years of age. The dependent over 22 years of age will no more be eligible to avail the benefit of funeral support until registered as a principal member.

2. The parents will register their dependent children as principal members as soon as they get married. The married dependent will no more be eligible to avail the benefit of funeral support until registered as principal member.

3. If there is a new-born in a family, the member is required to update the information with UCT within three months and pay the registration fee as per the registration fee structure.

4. UCT will provide funeral support only for New Zealand cities where Muslim funeral and burial facilities are available.

5. UCT will directly debit $25 on 1st of April every year as administration charge from principal members’ bank accounts via UCT’s nominated payment gateway to cover the overhead expenses.

6. UCT will review administration charges regularly based on the costs of administration. UCT shall inform members of any changes via members’ registered email addresses at least 30 days before the changes take effect.

Benefits of membership

1. Member can claim up to $8,000 (Eight Thousand) for a funeral.

2. Membership covers the principal member, spouse, and children under the age of 22 (Twenty-Two) years, PROVIDED they are legally present in New Zealand.

3. When a principal member passes away, UCT may transfer the principal membership to one of the adult dependents of the deceased family within 30 (Thirty) days of the member’s death.

4. Where the membership is transferred as above, the new principal member stands in the stead of the previous member, with all the benefits and obligations of membership.

5. The membership application will be considered by UCT, and the applicant will be informed of the outcome as soon as reasonably practicable.

Obligations of member

1. Member must inform UCT of any changes in the details of the member or the member’s dependents.

2. Member must not transfer, assign, or attempt to transfer or assign FSP membership to another person.

3. Member must not abuse or misuse any benefit of FSP membership in any way regardless of whether the abuse or misuse would amount to an illegality.

4. Member must not make or purport to make any representations regarding FSP without prior written authorisation from UCT.

5. Member must pay reimbursement share or membership dues on time.

6. Members must check their registered email addresses regularly for any updates from UCT. As well as their bank account, to ensure that they have enough funds available in their account to withdraw the reimbursement share in the event of the death of any member.

Membership payments

1. UCT will, to its fullest ability at the time of the event, cover the costs of a funeral or burial for a member or a member’s dependent.

2. If a member or eligible dependent requiring payment outside New Zealand, UCT will not pay any amount in that case (however, a request can be reviewed by the UCT).

3. UCT will make payment for the funeral directly into the principal or dependent member’s bank account.

4. If no principal or dependent member(s) exists, UCT may release payment directly to the funeral director or authority from which the burial plot is purchased.

5. If no principal or dependent member(s) exists, and a next of kin of the deceased member(s) has already made payment for the funeral, UCT may reimburse the next of kin the amount provided for in these rules, subject to satisfactory evidence of such payment.

6. The reimbursement share will be calculated by dividing the total cost of a funeral by the total number of active principal members.

7. UCT fee structure is based on a once and lifetime membership fee (non-refundable).

8. UCT will directly debit the reimbursement share cost from the principal member bank account via UCT’s nominated payment gateway to cover the funeral cost of a deceased member as and when required. UCT will advise the member via an email.

9. It is the responsibility of each member to ensure there are sufficient funds in the member’s bank account nominated for the FSP membership direct debit payments.

10. UCT shall not be liable for any bank fees charged to any member because of the member’s account being overdrawn arising from any direct debit payments to the UCT.

11. If the bank declined the transaction, members will be required to pay a penalty of $25 plus the cost of the reimbursement share.

12. Member will be issued a warning if any payment is missed and UCT reserves the right to terminate the membership if a payment is not received within 30 days, including any bank charges.

13. UCT can declare any member as a defaulter in case of non-payment of dues, or non-compliance with FSP membership terms and conditions, and this will result in cancellation of membership.

14. Member must inform UCT of any discrepancies or change in the member’s bank account relating to FSP membership direct debit payments.

15. Member must inform UCT if the member is unable to pay any reimbursement share or membership dues.

16. A member may apply to UCT for deferred payments based on financial hardship. The application may be made in such form and manner as the UCT direct, to be supported by such evidence as may be reasonable, having regard to the circumstances of the member.

17. UCT will consider each application on a case-by-case basis and may, in their discretion, and having regard to the financial circumstances of the member, impose such terms and conditions as they deem fair and reasonable for allowing deferred payments.

Dispute Resolution

1. UCT may determine the cessation of operations of FSP when FSP appears to be no longer viable or sustainable.

2. UCT shall inform all existing members if they determine that the cessation of operations is unavoidable.

3. Upon ceasing operations of FSP, the UCT shall first settle all liabilities of the FSP before distributing the residue, if any, to existing members fairly and equitably.

4. UCT shall decide any issue of interpretation of these rules, whose decision shall be final and not subject to any challenge of any form, including legal challenges in court.

5. If any dispute arises between a member and the UCT, the dispute shall be dealt with in accordance with the UCT rules and terms & conditions of FSP.