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Funeral directors will manage funeral arrangements on your behalf and provide advice and support. It is advisable to check if the funeral director you choose belongs to a trade association. This requires them to provide full information about their service and prices.

These factors may influence your choice:

• Location of the funeral directors premises
• Range of services provided
• The way you are treated by the staff
• Cost of providing the service
• Recommendations from people who have used the service
• Ownership (is it a small family business or a large firm)

What does a funeral director do?

Most people would probably require the funeral director to provide the following services as a minimum:

• Make all the necessary funeral service arrangements
• Provide an appropriate amount of staff
• Provide a suitable coffin
• Transfer of the deceased from the place of death to the funeral directors premises
• Care for the deceased prior to the funeral
• Provision of a hearse to the nearest crematorium or cemetery
• Arrange for cremation or burial as appropriate

Embalming, viewing of the deceased, or provision of a limousine for mourners are normally optional extras.

Making a complaint

Most funerals are conducted well, but if you have a justified complaint, you should contact your funeral director. If you are not satisfied with the response provided, you can complain to whichever of the three trade associations your funeral director may belong to:

• The National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD)
• The National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors (SAIF)
• Funeral Standards Council (FSC)