How to choose a funeral director: what to look for

You don't need to accept the first funeral director you find. You have the right to shop around, ask questions, and walk away if something doesn't feel right. This guide covers what to check before you instruct anyone, what a legitimate price list should contain, and what membership of NAFD or SAIF actually means in practice.

Most people choose in a hurry, under stress, and with no prior experience. That's entirely understandable. But a little preparation - even a single conversation before a death occurs - can make an enormous difference to both the outcome and the cost.

Why the lack of regulation matters

Funeral directing is, somewhat remarkably, an unregulated profession in the UK. There is no licence required. No mandatory training. No government body checking that premises or practices meet minimum standards. The Scottish Government has moved to change this, with licensing expected to come into force in Scotland in the next few years, but in England and Wales the sector remains largely self-regulated.

What this means practically is that the signals you'd normally take for granted - that a business is regulated and inspected - don't automatically apply here. A firm that joined NAFD last month is in better shape than one with no trade body at all, but it's still worth doing your own checks.

Don't let this alarm you. The vast majority of UK funeral directors operate professionally and with genuine care. The point is simply that you can't assume quality; you have to look for it.

What NAFD and SAIF membership tells you

The two main trade associations are the National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD) and the Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors (SAIF).

NAFD is the larger body, covering around 3,500 member locations including regional chains and independent firms. Members must follow a code of practice that covers everything from how the deceased is cared for to how complaints are handled. NAFD also operates a funeral ombudsman scheme, which gives you somewhere to go if things go wrong.

SAIF tends to attract smaller, family-run independents and explicitly positions itself as a counterweight to the large corporates. Its code of practice is similarly detailed, and it too has a complaints procedure.

Neither membership is a rubber stamp. A firm can be a member of both and still give poor service; a firm with no membership might be excellent. But if a funeral director can't point you to any professional body, code of practice, or complaints mechanism, that's worth noting.

One practical check: both NAFD and SAIF let you search for members on their websites. If a firm claims membership, you can verify it directly.

The standardised price list: your baseline

Since 16 September 2021, the Competition and Markets Authority has required funeral directors in Great Britain to publish a standardised price list - in their premises and on their website if they have one. This came out of the CMA's market study into funerals, which found that many bereaved people were paying more than necessary because pricing was opaque.

The standardised price list must include a defined "attended funeral" (with a hearse, a coffin and a simple service), a "direct cremation" option, and a full breakdown of individual items and disbursements. Disbursements are the third-party costs passed on to you: crematorium fees, the doctor's fee for a medical certificate, the minister's fee if applicable.

When you're comparing firms, compare the same package on the standardised list rather than headline prices on their websites. A firm advertising a low headline figure may be excluding things another firm includes as standard.

Questions worth asking before you instruct anyone

A reputable funeral director will welcome questions. One that seems put out by them is telling you something.

A few I'd suggest asking:

Where will the person be cared for? Some firms have their own mortuary on the premises; others use shared facilities or third-party storage. This isn't necessarily a problem, but you're entitled to know. Ask whether you could visit the premises if you wanted to.

Who will actually carry out the work? Larger firms sometimes sub-contract arrangements to other branches, particularly in rural areas. If continuity and a named point of contact matter to you, ask explicitly whether the person you're speaking to will be involved throughout.

What happens if something changes? Families sometimes change their minds about a coffin, the number of vehicles, or the type of service. Ask how changes are handled and whether there's a cut-off point.

Are you a member of any trade body? As above, this is a reasonable question and a reasonable firm will answer it directly.

Can I see your standardised price list? Even if you're calling by phone, a good firm will email it to you without hesitation.

You don't need to turn this into an interrogation. In practice, one or two of these questions in an initial call will tell you a great deal about how the firm operates.

The right to shop around (and how to do it without guilt)

Many people feel that shopping around for a funeral is somehow disrespectful. It isn't. A funeral is a significant purchase, often running to several thousand pounds, and you are acting in the best interests of the person who has died by ensuring the money is spent well.

According to SunLife's Cost of Dying report 2024, the average cost of a funeral in the UK has risen to around £4,141. That figure encompasses considerable variation: direct cremations with no ceremony can start below £1,000 with providers such as Farewill or Simplicity Cremations, while a traditional burial in London can easily exceed £10,000.

You can contact two or three firms and ask for their standardised price lists before making any commitment. No reputable firm will object. If a firm applies any pressure, implies you have a moral obligation to instruct them, or creates urgency where none exists, that is a warning sign.

If a death has already occurred and the person is in the care of a hospital or care home, there is usually no immediate pressure to instruct a funeral director within hours. A day or two to gather information is reasonable in most circumstances.

Chains versus independents: what the distinction actually means

The UK funeral sector includes large national chains (Co-op Funeralcare is the biggest, followed by Dignity) and a large number of independent, often family-run, firms. Neither is inherently better.

Chains tend to offer more consistent pricing and processes, and their complaints routes are often clearer because of the corporate structure behind them. Independents often offer more personal continuity and flexibility, and in some communities have relationships going back generations.

What matters more than ownership structure is whether the specific branch or individual you're dealing with is attentive, transparent about costs, and clear about what they will and won't do. The CMA rules apply equally to both.

One thing worth knowing: some firms that appear to be local independents are actually owned by one of the large groups. If this matters to you, it's worth asking or checking the Companies House register.

When you're arranging in advance

Pre-arranged funerals, sometimes called pre-paid funeral plans, are a different proposition. Since July 2022, funeral plan providers have been regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, which means they must be authorised and follow specific conduct rules. This is a meaningful change from the previous unregulated position.

If you're considering a pre-paid plan rather than simply making informal wishes known, our funeral planning pillar guide covers the regulated plan market in more detail, including what happens if a provider goes out of business.

For advance arrangement without a financial product involved - writing down your wishes, discussing them with family, keeping relevant documents in one place - Age UK has useful free guidance on this at ageuk.org.uk.

A note on what "simple" funerals include

Direct cremation (sometimes called an unattended cremation) has grown significantly in the UK. It means the deceased is cremated without a formal ceremony present; families can hold a memorial separately, in their own time and in any setting they choose. Farewill, Dignity's Pure Cremation brand, and Simplicity Cremations are among the better-known providers.

This isn't the right choice for everyone. For many families, the ceremony is central to how they say goodbye, and a direct cremation can leave some people feeling that proper closure never came. For others, particularly where families are spread across the country or where money is tight, it offers genuine dignity without the pressure of organising a traditional service at short notice.

The point is only that it exists, it is legal and reputable, and you shouldn't feel steered away from considering it.