Accredited training promoted amid lack of funeral regulation

Accredited training is being promoted by parts of England’s funeral sector as the main safeguard for bereaved families while the industry remains without statutory regulation, following a series of high-profile scandals.

Confidence in the sector has been undermined in recent years by multiple cases involving serious failings in the care of the deceased. The most significant was an official inquiry into killer David Fuller, who abused more than 100 bodies in an NHS mortuary over a 12-year period.

The inquiry, led by Sir Jonathan Michael, described the funeral sector as an “unregulated free-for-all” and identified a “systemic failure” in how people handling human remains are monitored in England. The government is now considering options for a new regulatory framework in response to the findings.

In the absence of statutory oversight, some funeral service providers say they are seeking to improve standards through voluntary measures, including accredited training aligned with national occupational standards.

Connect2FuneralServices, part of Connect2Care, provides training for a range of funeral service roles that is externally assessed and quality assured. According to its national sector lead Kirsty Simmonds, there is a widely held assumption that funeral professionals are trained, qualified and accountable. In reality, in England, anyone can set up a funeral business without a licence, qualifications, experience or formal training. 

Simmonds said: “This leaves families – already coping with the emotional impact of bereavement – vulnerable to poor practice, misconduct and further distress at an extremely difficult time.

“Sadly, the David Fuller case was not an isolated incident. Earlier this month, the directors of a funeral home in Gosport were convicted after six decomposing bodies were discovered in a mortuary room. Before that, the high-profile case of Legacy Independent Funeral Directors in Hull revealed that 35 bodies and sets of ashes were improperly stored. These cases all highlight the consequences of operating without mandatory standards, and underline the critical role accredited training plays in protecting families and restoring trust.”

She added: “Apprenticeships and accredited training programmes are built to national occupational standards, are externally assessed and quality assured. They provide consistent, measurable competence — something the sector has lacked for too long. Those investing in accredited training are demonstrating ethical leadership, safeguarding families and preparing their workforce for the regulation that is inevitably coming.

“This commitment provides the reassurance bereaved families are increasingly calling out for – that their loved ones are being cared for with dignity and professionalism – and helps prevent a repeat of the damaging headlines that have undermined confidence in the sector.”