When considering the best send-off for loved ones, it is easy to assume that all Funeral Directors offer a similar service. This often leads many people chose the first one that pops up in Google, but there is a vast difference in both prices and service within the industry.

While, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulates pre-paid funeral plans in the UK, at-need funerals, ie those arranged after someone has died, are not directly regulated by the FCA. The FCA's focus is on preventing harm to consumers through pre-paid plans, ensuring firms are authorized and their funds are protected rather than looking after consumers at the point of need.

Funeral Directors for at-need funerals are, however, subject to the Funerals Market Investigation Order 2021 from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).
The Funerals Market Investigation Order 2021 is a legally binding regulation introduced to improve transparency and consumer protection in the UK funeral services sector. The Order was a result of a CMA investigation which revealed that pricing was inconsistent across providers, and that information was often unclear, making it difficult for bereaved families to compare and make informed choices.

Key requirements include:

• Mandatory Standardised Price Lists: Funeral directors and crematorium operators must display clear pricing in a specified template, covering a full funeral package, itemised components, and additional services, both in-branch and online
• Ban on referral incentives: funeral providers are prohibited from paying for referrals from hospitals, hospices, care homes, coroners, or police contacts. This is why The Farewell Guide lists those who have been compliance-checked and are local to the client’s preferred postcode, but doesn’t recommend a specific funeral director
• Disclosure Requirements: Businesses must also clearly communicate terms of business and any potential conflicts of interest to clients
• Mandatory Reporting: Large operators, including funeral directors with ten or more branches and all crematoria, must submit compliance statements and financial data to the CMA to aid in monitoring the order’s effectiveness

This framework is designed to empower bereaved consumers with transparency, fairness, and the ability to make confident comparisons in difficult times.

Who are the NAFD?

Founded in 1905, and representing over 4,100 firms NAFD delivers guidance, advocacy, education, and reassurance to consumers. They have produced a Funeral Director Code which introduces clear, outcome-focused standards developed with funeral professionals and consumer groups. It mandates visible pricing, fair treatment, professional education, equality, and care standards, aligning with Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) recommendations.

It also undertakes site visits, document reviews, website checks, and mystery shopping. This is why The Farewell Guide uses membership of the NAFD as one means to compliance-check Funeral Directors listed on our site to ensure they have been proven to meet high standards.

The NAFD also campaigns on a wide range of funeral and bereavement issues. Acting as a trusted advisor to Government, they also help to shape the policy landscape in all four UK nations, by:

• providing consumers with advice on choosing a funeral director;
• delivering a comprehensive framework of training and qualifications to help funeral service employees provide compassionate and exemplary professional care;
• hosting regional and national events that bring the profession together, including the biennial National Funeral Exhibition.

At its core, the NAFD ensures that every funeral-home member is inspected, accountable to the Funeral Director Code, and backed by an independent complaints service known as NAFD Resolve.

What Families Can Expect from a Member Funeral Home

NAFD-member funeral directors are committed to delivering:

• Transparent and upfront pricing, with published cost lists and explanation of disbursements.
• Respectful, dignified care, treating the deceased as they would their own family.
• Thorough professional support, from handling paperwork to guiding families through faith- or culture-specific customs.
• 24-hour helplines and repatriation help, especially when a loved one dies abroad

In effect, the NAFD standard reassures families that they are dealing with a provider who embodies integrity, compassion, and professionalism, even in an unregulated sector.

What happens if a member of the public has a complaint against an NAFD member?

While most funerals meet client expectations, issues occasionally arise that need independent resolution. NAFD Resolve is the UK’s only free, independent dispute resolution service for funeral consumers, allowing complaints against NAFD members to be handled without stressful confrontation. Funded entirely by the NAFD, it offers conciliation and adjudication through qualified professionals from the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR), aiming to protect clients and ensure fair outcomes.

The Farewell Guide: Allowing you to choose an independently assessed provider

The Farewell Guide gives consumers the ability to view local funeral providers who have passed our compliance checks and request more detailed quotes from those they select, as well as registering wishes around the type of funeral they would like, eg burial vs cremation, specifying a charity for donations instead of flowers, music and even the ability to have an online memorial.

Rigorous Screening

We focus on providers who are full members of bodies like NAFD (or SAIF) as they have agreed to be bound by their code of practice. As the provision of immediate funerals is unregulated, an independent trade-body membership is a critical first filter.

Ethical Transparency & Consumer Rights

Mirroring the NAFD’s values, we verify that recommended providers:

• Are registered with either (or both) SAIF or NAFD
• Have the standardised price list accessible on their website
• Are registered as active at Companies House
• Have an average of four stars or more on Google reviews
• Have a FCA reference number if they offer pre-paid funerals

Why This Matters to You

By tying the service principles of the NAFD (dignity, clarity, professional competence, consumer protection) to our own selection criteria, The Farewell Guide bridges the gap between broad industry standards and trusted, everyday experience. If a funeral home is NAFD‑member, independently inspected, transparent in pricing and practice - and consistently praised by clients - we can confidently list it.

In short: NAFD membership is the baseline … and our own rigorous vetting ensures that only those truly meeting its spirit and outcomes make the Trusted List. While this is only one of the checks The Farewell Guide uses to satisfy ourselves of the Funeral Director’s services, it is a great sign of a funeral director committed to offering good service, with a redress scheme if things go wrong.

If you’re considering using The Farewell Guide to find a funeral director, you can be reassured by the provider’s membership and their serious, ongoing commitment to compassionate, professional funeral care.

Further reading

Funeral Scams in the UK: How to Spot and Avoid Them
Why Should People Shop Around for Funeral Directors?
Prepaid Funeral Plans: How They Are Regulated and How We Help You Stay Safe