The 'Dignity, Security & Transparency' Petition

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Most people assume funeral directors are regulated. They aren't.

Looking after someone who has died is one of the most important, most sensitive jobs there is. So it's natural to assume someone is keeping an eye on how it's done.

In a 2019 study, the Competition and Markets Authority found that 69% of people thought funeral directors had to be registered and licensed. In England and Wales, they don't. To set up as a funeral director, someone only needs to register a business.

There are no compulsory qualifications, no routine inspections, and no national rules about how the deceased must be cared for. Trade bodies exist — but membership is voluntary, and they can't force compliance.

What that means in practice

A series of recent cases has shown what can happen when there are no rules and no inspections.

David Fuller (2021)

An NHS mortuary worker abused at least 101 bodies over many years. The public inquiry has called for urgent, independent regulation.
Hull funeral home (2023)

Police found 35 bodies and mismanaged ashes at a single premises. Families waited a long, painful time to find out what had happened.
Sir Jonathan Michael (2024)

His interim review described the current situation as "an unregulated free-for-all" and warned that poor practice may continue unchecked without change.
Elkin & Bell (2025)

A funeral director was convicted of fraud that included keeping bodies in an unrefrigerated room for more than a month.

Scotland has shown it can be done

On 1st March 2025, Scotland brought in proper rules for funeral directors. There's now a code of practice, independent inspectors who can visit, and a legal requirement to keep the deceased refrigerated at 4–7°C.

Funeral directors must now tell families exactly where their loved one is being kept. England and Wales are now the odd ones out.

Scotland's rules may not be perfect. But they're proof that sensible, proportionate regulation is possible.

The three things every family deserves

Good regulation isn't about red tape. It's about making sure three simple things are in place for every family, every time.

Dignity

Every person who has died deserves to be cared for respectfully — including resting in a clean, climate-controlled mortuary at 4–7°C from the moment they're collected. It's the standard families assume is in place. We think it should be the standard the law requires.

Security

Families need to know that their loved one is safe at all times. That means CCTV in mortuary areas, with proper safeguards for dignity, and DBS-checked staff in every funeral home — so what happened in the David Fuller case can't happen again.

Transparency

You should always know exactly who is caring for the person you love, and where. That means clear digital records following every person from collection to the return of their ashes — and a public register so families can check that any provider they're considering is properly licensed.

What good regulation would look like

Drawing on what Scotland has done — and building on it where we can — these are the eight things we're asking for. Most good funeral directors already do most of these.

An independent regulator, set up in law and run in the public interest — not by the profession.

A licence for every funeral home and every premises. No exceptions, no hidden back-rooms.

At least one inspection a year, plus unannounced visits, with real powers to step in.

Proper training and DBS checks for every member of staff who comes into contact with a loved one.

Refrigeration as a legal requirement — clean, safe facilities at 4–7°C for everyone in care.

CCTV in mortuary areas, with proper safeguards for dignity.

Clear digital records, following every person from collection to the return of ashes.

A public register of licensed funeral directors, so families can check any home is in good standing.

Choosing a funeral provider? These are the questions worth asking.

Until regulation catches up, the best protection is knowing the right questions to ask. Here are the five questions every family should feel comfortable asking any funeral provider:

Where will my loved one be kept between death and cremation?
Do you have CCTV in the areas where my loved one will be cared for?
Are all your staff trained and DBS-checked?
Will any part of the service be handled by another company?
How will my loved one be identified throughout the process?

Fill out the form below to download our free guide, and find out what a good answer to each question looks like — and what to be cautious about.

Why is Pure Cremation getting involved?

The simple answer is that we believe families deserve the protection they already assume they have — and we've worked that way from the start.

We own and run our own climate-controlled mortuaries and our own crematoria, so we know exactly where every person in our care is, at every moment. Our staff are trained and DBS-checked. We have CCTV, hospital-style tracking and proper digital records. We were one of the first funeral plan providers to seek FCA authorisation, and we remain the only provider to reinsure our trust — steps we took voluntarily, because we believed the sector needed higher standards long before anyone was making us do it.

Regulation, done well, wouldn't hold good funeral directors back. It would simply make sure that every family, in every part of the country, can expect the same standard of care — whoever they choose. That's something worth standing up for.

Are funeral directors regulated in the UK?

In England and Wales, no. There's no legal requirement for qualifications, inspections or facility standards. In Scotland, statutory regulation came into force on 1st March 2025.

Do funeral directors have to keep the deceased in refrigerated facilities?

In England and Wales, no. There is currently no legal requirement for refrigeration. Scotland's 2025 regulations require the deceased to be kept at 4–7°C. We believe this should be the standard everywhere — it's what most families assume is already in place, and it's the standard we apply to everyone in our care.

Who inspects funeral homes in England and Wales?

Currently, no one does so routinely. There is no statutory inspectorate for funeral homes in England and Wales. Voluntary trade associations like the NAFD and the smaller SAIF offer membership, but they have no legal power to compel compliance. That’s the gap we’re asking Parliament to close.

Will signing the petition share my details publicly?

No. Your name and email are used only to record your signature and keep you updated on the campaign. We won’t publish personal details publicly or share them with third parties. You can read how we handle your data in our privacy policy.

What will Pure Cremation do with the petition?

Once we’ve gathered enough signatures, we’ll formally present the petition to Parliament. We’ll use it to demonstrate public support for change — and we’ll keep you updated as the campaign progresses.

The ‘Dignity, Security & Transparency’ Petition

We’re calling on the UK Government and Parliament to introduce independent, statutory regulation of funeral directors in England and Wales — requiring high standards for dignity, security and transparency — so every family receives the standard of care they already believe is in place.

Sign the petition