# How to choose a funeral director

> To choose a funeral director, compare the Standardised Price Lists of two or three local firms, check who owns each business and whether it belongs to a trade body such as NAFD or SAIF, and ask for a written, itemised estimate. You don't have to use the firm the hospital, care home or coroner used.

Source: https://funeralfinder.org/uk/guides/how-to-choose-a-funeral-director/ — updated 2026-09-25 — FuneralFinder

Choosing a funeral director is one of the first decisions you make after a death, and often one of the most important. The right firm will look after the person who has died with care, explain your options honestly and help you create the funeral you want at a price you can manage. This guide shows you how to compare firms, what to ask, and the warning signs to look out for.

**Key points**

- You can choose **any** funeral director. You don't have to use the one the hospital, care home, police or coroner used.
- Every UK funeral director must publish a **Standardised Price List** in the same format, in branch and online. Compare two or three.
- Firms must tell you their **ultimate owner**, so you can see whether a local name belongs to a larger group.
- Trade bodies (**NAFD** and **SAIF**) have codes of practice and complaints schemes. In **Scotland**, a statutory Code of Practice and inspections apply.
- Always ask for a **written, itemised estimate** before you agree to anything.

## Take a breath: you have more time than you think

If the person died in a hospital or hospice, they will be looked after there while you decide. If they died at home and the death was expected, you can wait a few hours, or until the morning, before calling a funeral director.

If a funeral director collected the person on behalf of the **coroner or the police**, you don't have to use that firm for the funeral. The CMA's Funerals Order bans funeral directors from seeking business while they are carrying out coroner or police work. It also bans inducements or referral deals with hospitals, hospices and care homes.

**Faith communities** that bury quickly, such as Muslim and Jewish families, will often want to contact a specialist funeral director or community burial society straight away. See the faith section below.

## Step 1: Compare Standardised Price Lists

Since 2021, every funeral director in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland must publish a Standardised Price List (SPL) using the CMA's template. It must be on display in each branch and on their website, no more than one click from the homepage. This lets you compare like with like.

What to look at on each list:

| On the price list | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| **Attended funeral** total and the six itemised prices | The fairest comparison of the funeral director's own charges between firms |
| **Unattended funeral**: burial and/or cremation | The price of a [direct cremation](/uk/direct-cremation/) or direct burial. The cremation price includes the cremation fee. |
| Where the person will be kept | The list must say whether this is the local branch or another site, which may be some distance away |
| Coffin description | What the included coffin is made from |
| Fees you must pay | Local burial and cremation fee ranges, so you can estimate the total |
| Additional options | Extra mileage, extra transfers, collecting and delivering ashes, and embalming |
| Terms of business | Deposits and late-payment charges |

Then ask each firm for a **written estimate** for the funeral you actually want, including third-party fees. Our [funeral costs guide](/uk/funeral-costs/) explains typical prices, and our [directory](/uk/funeral-directors-near-me/) lets you compare firms near you.

## Step 2: Check who owns the business

Funeral directors range from small **independent** family firms to branches of **large national groups**. Some group-owned branches still trade under the original family name. Neither type is automatically better. Both can give excellent care, and prices vary within each.

What matters is that you know who you are dealing with. Under the CMA Order, every funeral director must clearly display its **ultimate owner** in branch and online (where it differs from the trading name). It must also disclose any financial interest in a price comparison website, and keep a register of payments of £250 or more to organisations such as hospitals or hospices. If you want a family-run firm, see our [independent funeral directors](/uk/independent-funeral-directors/) listings.

## Step 3: Check trade association membership

There are two main UK trade associations:

- **NAFD** (National Association of Funeral Directors). Members follow a code of practice, and there is a complaints process, including independent dispute resolution for customers of member firms.
- **SAIF** (National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors). This is a body for independent firms, with its own code of practice and complaints procedure.

Membership is voluntary, but it gives you somewhere to turn if things go wrong.

### Regulation in each nation

| Nation | What applies |
|---|---|
| **Scotland** | Since **1 March 2025**, every funeral director must follow the statutory **Funeral Director Code of Practice** under the Burial and Cremation (Scotland) Act 2016. It sets minimum standards for care of the deceased, premises, transparency and complaints, and inspectors can carry out inspections and take enforcement action. Funeral directors must tell you they follow the Code. |
| **England and Wales** | There is no specific regulator of funeral directors yet. The CMA price and disclosure rules apply. In July 2026 the UK Government announced it would develop proposals to regulate the funeral sector. |
| **Northern Ireland** | There is no specific regulator. The CMA price and disclosure rules apply. |

## Step 4: Ask the right questions

A good funeral director will welcome questions. Useful ones include:

1. Can you give me a written, itemised estimate, including all third-party fees?
2. Where will the person be looked after? Is it at this branch, and can we visit?
3. What's included in your price, and what would cost extra (for example out-of-hours collection, viewing, dressing, or extra mileage)?
4. How much deposit do you need, and when is the balance due? Do you offer payment plans?
5. Can we see the person, and when? Is there a charge?
6. Which crematoria and cemeteries do you usually use, and what are their fees?
7. Who will be our main contact, and how do we reach you out of hours?
8. Can we do some things ourselves, such as carrying the coffin, providing clothes or printing the order of service?
9. Do you belong to a trade association, and what is your complaints procedure?
10. For Scotland: do you follow the Funeral Director Code of Practice? (They must.)

## Red flags to watch for

- **No price list**, or one that doesn't follow the CMA format or is hard to find on the website.
- **Pressure to decide quickly**, or to upgrade the coffin, cars or extras.
- **Vague or verbal-only quotes**, or a refusal to itemise.
- **Reluctance to let you visit** or to say where the person will be kept.
- **Large upfront payments in cash**, or unclear terms about deposits.
- **Unexplained extras** on the final invoice that were not in your estimate.
- **Evasive answers** about ownership or complaints.

Trust your instincts. If something feels wrong, you can go elsewhere, even after the person has been collected.

## Faith and cultural needs

Many funeral directors serve all communities, and some specialise. When faith matters, ask specifically about:

- **Speed.** Can they help with urgent registration and release, and out-of-hours collection for same-day or next-day burial?
- **Washing and preparation**, for example facilities for ghusl for Muslim families, or for washing and dressing by Hindu and Sikh families.
- **Viewing and prayers** at their premises or at home.
- **Witnessing the cremation.** Many Hindu and Sikh families wish to see the coffin enter the cremator. Can the funeral director arrange this with the crematorium?
- **Same-gender care** of the person who has died, if your tradition requires it.
- **[Repatriation](/uk/guides/repatriation/)** if the person is to be buried or cremated abroad.

Browse specialists: [Muslim](/uk/muslim-funeral-directors/), [Hindu](/uk/hindu-funeral-directors/), [Sikh](/uk/sikh-funeral-directors/), [Jewish](/uk/jewish-funeral-directors/), [Buddhist](/uk/buddhist-funeral-directors/) and [Catholic](/uk/catholic-funeral-directors/) funeral directors, or read our [faith guides](/faiths/).

## If something goes wrong

Raise the problem with the funeral director first, in writing if you can. If that doesn't resolve it:

- for member firms, use the **NAFD** or **SAIF** complaints process
- in **Scotland**, contact the Scottish Government's inspection team at burialandcremation@gov.scot
- for problems with pricing, or with a service that wasn't carried out with reasonable care and skill, get advice from Citizens Advice or Advice Direct Scotland.

## Next steps

- Compare [funeral directors near you](/uk/funeral-directors-near-me/).
- Read [funeral costs in the UK](/uk/funeral-costs/) and try the [funeral cost calculator](/uk/tools/funeral-cost-calculator/).
- Thinking of doing it differently? See [arranging a funeral without a funeral director](/uk/guides/arranging-a-funeral-without-a-funeral-director/).
- Just starting out? Follow our [when someone dies checklist](/uk/tools/when-someone-dies-checklist/).

## Frequently asked questions

### Do I have to use the funeral director the hospital or care home suggests?

No. You can choose any funeral director. Funeral directors are banned from offering hospitals, hospices or care homes inducements to refer families to them, and from seeking your business while collecting someone on behalf of a coroner or the police.

### Can I change funeral director after I've chosen one?

Yes, you can move the person who has died to another funeral director at any point before the funeral. You will usually have to pay the first firm for the work already done, such as collection and care, so ask about this before you switch.

### What is the difference between an independent and a group-owned funeral director?

An independent is usually family-owned with one or a few branches. A group-owned branch belongs to a larger company, sometimes while keeping the original family name. Both can give excellent care. Funeral directors must now tell you who ultimately owns the business.

### Are funeral directors regulated in the UK?

In Scotland, funeral directors must follow a statutory Code of Practice and can be inspected (since 1 March 2025). Elsewhere in the UK there is no specific regulator yet, although the CMA's price rules apply everywhere and many firms belong to a trade body with its own code of practice.

### How soon do I need to contact a funeral director?

There is usually no rush. If the person died in hospital or a hospice, they will be cared for there while you decide. If they died at home, you can take a few hours. For faith communities that bury quickly, contact a specialist funeral director as soon as you can.

## Sources

- [CMA – Funerals Market Investigation Order 2021](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/funerals-market-investigation-order-2021)
- [GOV.UK – Compliance checklist for funeral directors](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-with-the-funerals-market-investigation-order/compliance-checklist-for-funeral-directors)
- [Scottish Government – Funeral Director Code of Practice](https://www.gov.scot/publications/funeral-director-code-practice-2/)
- [Scottish Government – Commencement of regulations on 1 March 2025](https://blogs.gov.scot/funeral-industry/2025/02/14/update-on-commencement-of-regulations-on-1-march-2025-and-associated-work/)
- [GOV.UK – Government takes action to crack down on rogue funeral operators (July 2026)](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-takes-action-to-crack-down-on-rogue-funeral-operators)
- [NAFD – Complaints](https://www.nafd.org.uk/complaints/)
- [SAIF – About SAIF](https://saif.org.uk/about-saif/)