Youpla Group Funeral Benefits Program

A Youpla Group Funeral Benefits Program announced by the Federal Government is open for applications.

The Program will pay a grant in place of a funeral benefit that would otherwise have been paid by the Youpla Group, formerly known as the Aboriginal Community Benefit Fund (ACBF), which collapsed earlier this year.

The program is intended to help the families of fund members who have passed away to conduct Sorry Business with dignity.

You can make an application if you have a loved one who has passed away who had a Youpla funeral expenses policy on or after 1 April 2020.

The Australian Government will pay an amount up to the cover limit in the fund member’s policy.

Applications can be made from 7 September 2022 until 30 November 2023 by:

• calling Treasury’s dedicated hotline 1800 296 989
• emailing youpla@treasury.gov.au
• visiting the Treasury website

The Federal Government says the Program has been put in place to help people while it continues to investigate what other steps may be required following the Youpla Group collapse.

In a statement, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has urged funeral service providers to not seek to take advantage of the Program by raising prices for funerals.

We will update this AFCA Current Matter page whenever we receive more information.

Complaints to AFCA

Summary

• AFCA can no longer work on complaints about any of the Aboriginal Community Benefit Funds because they are now in liquidation.
• Even though we have had to stop work on complaints, they remain on record and AFCA can still accept new complaints about any of the ACBF funds.
• You may want to tell us about your dispute with ACBF so it is on the record, in case there are new developments.
• You should contact your bank about stopping your payments to ACBF funds.

You can lodge a complaint with AFCA this way

• online at AFCA’s website
• by phoning AFCA on 1800 931 678
• or through a consumer advocate if you wish

Background

AFCA acknowledges the devastating effect the Youpla collapse will have on many First Nations people and communities, along with the frustration and hurt complainants and their representatives must feel about these developments. 

We know that families put money into ACBF funds to help avoid a financial burden being placed on other family members at times of Sorry Business. 

AFCA has issued 178 decisions against ACBF companies, all of them in favour of the complainants due to misleading and deceptive conduct by ACBF.

In its decisions against ACBF companies, AFCA has ordered ACBF to pay compensation to its customers totalling $1.4 million.

Four ACBF companies are members of the AFCA external dispute resolution, or ombudsman, scheme:

• The Aboriginal Community Benefit Fund Pty Ltd ABN 57 055 222 565 (In Liquidation)
• Aboriginal Community Benefit Fund No. 2 Pty Ltd ABN 27 054 951 923 (In Liquidation) (‘Fund 2’)
• ACBF Funeral Plans Pty Ltd ABN 93 081 021 141 trading as Aboriginal Community Funeral Plan (In Liquidation)
• Community Funeral Plans Pty Ltd (formerly ACBF Funeral Plans Australia Pty Ltd) ABN 20 074 081 208 trading as ACBF Australian Funeral Plan (In Liquidation)

ACBF companies in liquidation

In November 2021 ACBF Fund 2 went into voluntary administration.

On Wednesday 2 March 2022 ACBF Fund 2 was placed into liquidation. 

On 11 March 2022 the other three ACBF companies which are members of AFCA were placed into liquidation.

This means these companies will no longer be operating and members of these funds are no longer covered under their funeral policies and will need to make other arrangements.

It also means AFCA can no longer work on complaints against any of these companies.

However, existing complaints remain in our system.

Also, you can still register a complaint with AFCA against these companies in case there are further developments. 

It is important you direct any other questions to the liquidators which are now responsible for these companies.

In relation to all of the ACBF companies the liquidator is David Michael Stimpson, of SV Partners. You can contact the liquidator via

• Email at youpla@svp.com.au
• Phone (07) 3310 2005

If you have been paying money to any of the ACBF funds, it is important the liquidator is aware of this.

If you have been paying into an ACBF fund, contact the liquidator or your bank to ask for the payments to stop immediately. 

Mob Strong Debt Help, part of the Financial Rights Legal Centre, provides more information on its website about ACBF and assistance that may be available to you. 

We have listed some other useful links at the end of this page.

If you are feeling distressed

• Visit Beyond Blue’s website or contact them on 1300 22 4636
• Lifeline is available via this website or on 13 11 14

Compensation Scheme of Last Resort (CSLR) 

The CSLR is a scheme that would provide compensation to victims of some types of financial misconduct if they aren’t paid the money ordered in an AFCA decision.

Funeral plan products are not covered by the proposed design of the CSLR, which is to be legislated. However, you may want to register your complaint against ACBF with AFCA so there is a record of your dispute should this change.

Useful Links

More information about liquidations

• SV Partners
• Financial Rights Legal Centre on ACBF/Youpla
• Information when you have a complaint about an insolvent firm (AFCA)
• Liquidation: A guide for creditors (ASIC)

More information about funerals

• ACCC warns funeral providers on pricing practices following Youpla collapse (ACCC)
• Moneysmart: Paying for your funeral (ACCC)
• Death of a loved one (Services Australia), including payments you may be eligible for.
• Arranging a funeral service (ACCC)

Other help

• The National Debt Helpline offers free, independent and confidential assistance for people in financial hardship. You can visit their website or call them on 1800 007 007.   
• 13YARN (13 92 76) is the first national crisis support line for mob who are feeling overwhelmed or having difficulty coping. They offer a confidential one-on-one yarning opportunity with a Lifeline-trained Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander crisis supporter, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.