Ministers to back regulation of England’s funeral industry

Published: 16 December 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online.

Ministers are expected to support measures to regulate England’s funeral industry for the first time, following a series of scandals over the handling of human remains. Bereaved families have long called for tighter rules, including a dedicated investigatory body and professional qualifications for those running funeral businesses, after an official inquiry described the sector as an “unregulated free for all.”

While Scotland has had legislation and a mandatory code of practice in place since March, England has no licensing system. Anyone can currently set up a funeral business without experience, training, or oversight.

The push for reform gained urgency following the inquiry into David Fuller, a double killer who abused more than 100 bodies in an NHS mortuary over a 12-year period. Led by Sir Jonathan Michael, the inquiry recommended a new statutory regulatory regime to address what it called a “systemic failure” in monitoring those handling remains. Proposed measures include a licensing scheme, enforcement powers, and mandatory inspections.

Recent convictions have further highlighted the sector’s vulnerabilities. In Hampshire, Richard Elkin, 49, and Hayley Bell, 42, directors of Elkin and Bell Funerals in Gosport, were found guilty after six decomposing bodies were discovered in a mortuary room. They face prison in February for fraud and preventing proper burials.

Labour MP Mark Sewards, a longstanding advocate for regulation, described the lack of oversight as “unbelievable,” highlighting the vulnerability of grieving families. He first raised concerns after a constituent recounted her experience with Florrie’s Army, a now-banned baby-loss support service in Leeds. Zoe Ward found her infant son’s body in a living room alongside another deceased baby, describing the scene as “horrifying.”

Ministers were also prompted to act after 35 bodies were found at Legacies Independent Funeral Directors last year. Owner Robert Bush pleaded guilty to multiple fraud charges, including misidentifying ashes for parents of stillborn babies, and will stand trial in October for further allegations. Bereaved families have demanded urgent regulation, insisting on proper storage and traceability of remains.

Industry bodies, including the National Association of Funeral Directors and Co-op Funeralcare, have urged the Human Tissue Authority (HTA) – which regulates organisations using human tissue – to oversee England’s 4,500 funeral directors. However, this would require significant expansion of the HTA, which currently employs 57 staff and conducts around 220 inspections annually.

Government ministers are also considering whether local authorities could perform inspections, similar to health and safety checks in workplaces. Alex Davies-Jones, the victims minister, is expected to outline the government’s initial response to the Fuller inquiry in the coming weeks, with formal proposals for tighter regulation due in the summer.

A government spokesperson said: “Our thoughts remain with the grieving families affected by this awful situation. They rightly expected their loved ones to be treated with dignity and respect. We are committed to taking action to ensure the highest standards are always met by funeral directors, and are now considering the full range of options to improve standards.”