As milestones on the road to regulation go, the introduction of the Scottish Government's Funeral Directors' Code of Practice in 2025 is arguably one of the most significant.
The binding document shifted regulation for businesses arranging funerals in Scotland from a voluntary membership commitment to a statutory legal requirement, governing all aspects of a funeral director's operation, from price transparency and premises standards to, most critically, the care of the deceased.
But the impact of the Scottish code, developed over several years in consultation with the sector, is now being felt beyond the border. For many industry leaders, it is seen as a possible blueprint for how regulation might be applied across the rest of the United Kingdom, particularly as this caring profession seeks to craft a credible response to high-profile scandals related to standards.
On that note, the profession's two leading trade bodies, the National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors (SAIF) and the National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD), have taken a proactive and pragmatic approach to developing an answer that reassures both the public and practitioners.
Rather than waiting for disparate or potentially disproportionate legislation to be imposed upon the profession, the two associations have collaborated to create and approve a new, universal UK Funeral Director Code.
Crucially, this UK code is not a replacement for the Scottish framework but is directly aligned with it. It’s a strategic decision which ensures that the high standards now legally required in Scotland are adopted as the new baseline for the entire UK. It creates a consistent, four-nation approach, preventing a "postcode lottery" of care where a family in one part of the country might be protected by different standards than a family in another.
This “cross-party” collaboration sends a compelling message to the Government - namely, the funeral profession is mature, responsible and serious about standards. It demonstrates that, by and large, the industry, comprising thousands of dedicated, high-quality, independent, and family-run businesses, is not the problem but a key part of the solution.
The ultimate goal for SAIF and the NAFD is for the UK Government to adopt this new, unified UK Code, which will go live across both associations by the end of March 2026, as the official statutory regime for the entire profession. This is important for several reasons.
Firstly, it provides an "oven-ready" framework that has already been tested and implemented in Scotland. It is a code written by funeral professionals for funeral professionals, meaning it understands the day-to-day operational realities of caring for the deceased and the bereaved, something regulations designed from scratch by disconnected policymakers might overlook.
Secondly, it addresses the long-standing challenge of the estimated 15-20 per cent of funeral firms that operate outside of any trade association, lacking oversight or inspection. A Government-backed universal code would bring these firms under the same high standards, ensuring a level playing field and protecting the public from rogue operators.
This new code represents the funeral profession's unified vision for its own future - a future built on high standards, transparency and consumer protection. By taking the lead, SAIF and the NAFD are not just reacting to the inevitability of regulation; they are actively shaping it to ensure it is workable, consistent and, above all, effective in protecting bereaved families.
To read the previous blog by Will Ward, Funeral Manager, please click
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