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Funeral directors' noncompliance with their own code

The National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD) in the UK has found that the majority of their members are disobeying their own Code of Practice. In a report published in The Funeral Director (April 1999, page 16) the NAFD state that 468 premises inspections in 1998 were of existing members, of which no less than 64 per cent were found to be in breach of the Code of Practice in one or more respects.

'64 per cent were found to be in breach of the Code of Practice'

9 of their members failed to take corrective action before the end of the year and another 2 resigned.

The breaches of code were as follows:

  • Failure to display NAFD logo - 49 (10.5 per cent)

  • Failure to have readily available a written price list - 36 (7.7 per cent)

  • Failure to provide written confirmation of arrangements - 32 (6.8 per cent)

  • Failure to provide a written estimate - 27 (5.8 per cent)

  • Failure to provide information about a basic funeral - 214 (45.7 per cent)

  • Failure to display a price list - 131 (28 per cent)

  • Failure to display the Code of Practice principles - 219 (46.8 per cent)

    • 'The failure of 45.7 per cent of their members to reveal to the public that they offer an inexpensive basic funeral'

    It is disheartening that yet again the NAFD have been obliged to report such poor behaviour by its members, especially the failure of 45.7 per cent of their members to reveal to the public that they offer an inexpensive basic funeral.

    Here is a repeat of the Natural Death Centre's advice to those using funeral directors:

    Anyone wanting a simple funeral is urged to get a friend who is not too grief stricken to phone round all the relevant funeral directors in the yellow pages (and to phone the Natural Death Centre for their recommendations) asking for the price of their "basic funeral as specified in your Code of Practice". Only this exact form of words is likely to prise the information from a recalcitrant funeral director.

  • The Natural Death Centre, 6 Blackstock Mews, Blackstock Road, London N4 2BT, UK (tel 0871 288 2098; fax 020 7354 3831; e-mail: rhino@dial.pipex.com; web: www.naturaldeath.org.uk).

  • The National Association of Funeral Directors, 618 Warwick Road, Solihull, West Midlands B91 1AA, UK (tel 0121 711 1343; fax 0121 711 1351).

    Update

    In March 2001, NAFD claimed that their figures showed a 'steady improvement' over the previous four years while remaining 'unsatisfactory'. See here for the Natural Death Centre's report on the new figures.

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