From 1 March 2025, the funeral sector in Scotland will be fully regulated requiring anyone trading as a funeral director to meet minimum standards of professional training, funeral facilities, and quality of care.
It may come as a surprise that until now, anyone in the UK could trade as a funeral director with the basic facilities of transport and storage. Recent scandals expose the appalling standards of care given to the deceased and their families by some firms north and south of the border. These events point to the necessity of regulation which we, as a company, firmly support.
What does regulation mean for families needing help in 2025?
The Funeral Director Code of Practice sets out minimum standards of care which will be inspected and legally enforced:
1. Engagement of a funeral director and transfer of the person who’s died
Clear standards are expected of the facilities and the service being offered by the funeral director. The first steps of gathering information about the person who’s died, obtaining appropriate permissions to move them, and transparency about where they will be cared for, have now been clearly set out in the Code.
2. Care
Minimum standards are now in place relating to the quality of facilities and equipment being offered as well as the care expected of the person who’s died. Care is extended to the bereaved family responsible for arranging the funeral too. The Code provides guidance on service standards backed by mandatory record keeping, so options offered and decisions made, can be effectively managed and evidenced.
3. Planning a funeral service
Acknowledging each funeral is different, there are minimum standards set for staff knowledge to ensure families are supported by experienced funeral teams. Emphasis on recording decisions made, and being transparent about costs, is a key theme of the Code. Estimates for all funeral elements, including updates to these throughout the process, are now a requirement.
4. Delivery of a funeral
Every bereaved family deserves to know that they can implicitly trust the funeral director they instruct to care for them and their loved one. These standards begin from the first moment of need to the funeral itself. The Code also sets out a summary of expectations including the storage, record keeping and handling of ashes.
5. Complaints
Further reassurance for families who need to raise complaints is achieved through the proposed complaints policy recommendations, offering a pathway to effective and swift resolution.
Our Promise to Families in 2025
Whilst regulation is legally enforceable only in Scotland, we anticipate similar improvements to the law in England to ensure a consistent standard of protection for families throughout the UK (at the time of writing, there is no fixed plan for this).
With branches across Scotland and the North East of England, we have worked hard to ensure the highest standard of care was consistently delivered to each and every family we’ve served over many generations. We have training pathways for our staff to ensure they continue to grow and develop their personal and professional skills. A programme of investment ensures our facilities are inspection-ready and we’re always open to welcoming visitors to see around branches. The launch of our online client portals allows families to track their choices and manage costs in real time.
Our values of compassion, dedication, integrity and respect underpin our brand and this is our promise to families we continue to help beyond March. We’re delighted to support efforts being made by legislators to ensure this can be a truth for every family, no matter who they choose to help them when they need it the most.
