The Government has announced that urgent work will begin to develop proposals for formal regulation of the funeral sector, with the aim of providing greater protection for bereaved families.
The announcement, made on 31 July, follows the sentencing of Robert Bush, former director of Legacy Independent Funeral Directors in Hull, to 20 years in prison for 67 offences including preventing a lawful and decent burial, fraud, fraudulent trading and theft.
The case has caused considerable distress to the families affected and has once again brought the issue of standards and oversight within the funeral profession into sharp focus.
A Step Towards Formal Regulation
Last month, we reported that the funeral profession was awaiting further clarity from Government over plans to introduce statutory regulation following recommendations made by the Fuller Inquiry. The Government has now confirmed that the Department of Health and Social Care will lead cross-government work to develop proposals for formal regulation of the funeral sector.
The aim is to strengthen safeguards for bereaved families and ensure that people who have died are treated with dignity and respect, regardless of the setting in which they are cared for. While the details of any future regulatory framework are still to be developed, the announcement provides some welcome clarity about the Government’s intention to move forward with reform.
Maintaining Trust and High Standards
Entrusting someone you love into the care of a funeral director requires an enormous amount of trust. Families should be able to feel confident that their loved one will be treated with dignity, compassion and respect at every stage.
At Harrison Funeral Home, we have long supported high professional standards, transparency and appropriate oversight within our profession.
We therefore welcome sensible and proportionate measures that protect bereaved families, strengthen public confidence and help ensure that consistently high standards of care are maintained throughout the funeral sector.
We will continue to follow the Government’s work on regulation and share further updates as proposals develop.