Funeral Industry - Revision history

Teresa Evans: /* APPG for Funerals and Bereavement */

2011-06-03T11:57:38Z

APPG for Funerals and Bereavement

Teresa Evans at 11:57, 3 June 2011

2011-06-03T11:57:00Z

Melissa Jones: spinprofiles links updated to powerbase

2010-09-06T16:20:21Z

spinprofiles links updated to powerbase

Claire Robinson: /* 2003: Citizens Advice Bureau report */

2010-07-05T17:24:18Z

2003: Citizens Advice Bureau report

Claire Robinson: /* 2003: Citizens Advice Bureau report */

2010-07-05T17:23:44Z

2003: Citizens Advice Bureau report

Teresa Evans at 06:57, 10 June 2010

2010-06-10T06:57:53Z

Teresa Evans at 06:34, 10 June 2010

2010-06-10T06:34:56Z

Claire Robinson: /* Industry response */

2010-03-27T18:25:40Z

Industry response

Claire Robinson: /* Rights of the bereaved */

2010-03-27T18:24:36Z

Rights of the bereaved

Claire Robinson: /* Consumer Codes Approval Scheme */

2010-03-17T12:17:56Z

Consumer Codes Approval Scheme

@@ Line 132: / Line 132: @@
 All-Party groups are informal, cross-party interests groups. They are not part of the official structure of the Houses of Parliament and are therefore not accorded any role or powers by it.
-The APPG for Funerals and Bereavement was set up and first registered in May 2002. It ischaired by [[Lorely Burt]], Liberal Democrat MP for Solihull.
+The APPG for Funerals and Bereavement was set up and first registered in May 2002. It is chaired by [[Lorely Burt]], Liberal Democrat MP for Solihull.
 The group is required to register the names of its officers and of 20 qualifying members. This may be viewed on its Parliamentary Register entry.<ref>[http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmallparty/register/register.pdf Register of All-Party Groups], 8 July 2009, House of Commons – Register of All-Party Groups website, p. 335, accessed 20 July 2009,</ref>

@@ Line 132: / Line 132: @@
 All-Party groups are informal, cross-party interests groups. They are not part of the official structure of the Houses of Parliament and are therefore not accorded any role or powers by it.
-The APPG for Funerals and Bereavement was set up and first registered in May 2002 and is chaired by [[Bill Olner]], Labour MP for Nuneaton.
+The APPG for Funerals and Bereavement was set up and first registered in May 2002. It ischaired by [[Lorely Burt]], Liberal Democrat MP for Solihull.
 The group is required to register the names of its officers and of 20 qualifying members. This may be viewed on its Parliamentary Register entry.<ref>[http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmallparty/register/register.pdf Register of All-Party Groups], 8 July 2009, House of Commons – Register of All-Party Groups website, p. 335, accessed 20 July 2009,</ref>

@@ Line 82: / Line 82: @@
 A FoI request to the OFT resulted in the following information being provided on 16 March 2010:
-:The OFT has not, to date, approved any codes of practice from the funeral sector under the Consumer Codes Approval Scheme (CCAS).<ref>David Micklefield, Consumer Markets Group, OFT, Request for information – Consumer Codes Approval Scheme, 16 Mar 2010, Ref IAT/FoIA/79982, in an email attachment to Claire Robinson, SpinProfiles managing editor. Download the document [http://www.spinprofiles.org/index.php/Image:FoI_CCAS_funerals_March_2010.doc here]</ref>
+:The OFT has not, to date, approved any codes of practice from the funeral sector under the Consumer Codes Approval Scheme (CCAS).<ref>David Micklefield, Consumer Markets Group, OFT, Request for information – Consumer Codes Approval Scheme, 16 Mar 2010, Ref IAT/FoIA/79982, in an email attachment to Claire Robinson, SpinProfiles managing editor. Download the document [http://www.powerbase.info/index.php/Image:FoI_CCAS_funerals_March_2010.doc here]</ref>
 ==2003: Citizens Advice Bureau report==
-A report published by the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) in 2003 reviewed developments in the funeral industry in the wake of the 2001 OFT report. CAB’s report contradicts the notion that all is well for the funeral consumer.<ref>”Funerals”, Citizens Advice Bureau, 14 March 2003. Downloadable from [http://www.spinprofiles.org/index.php?title=Image:CABreport2003.pdf here].</ref>
+A report published by the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) in 2003 reviewed developments in the funeral industry in the wake of the 2001 OFT report. CAB’s report contradicts the notion that all is well for the funeral consumer.<ref>”Funerals”, Citizens Advice Bureau, 14 March 2003. Downloadable from [http://www.powerbase.info/index.php?title=Image:CABreport2003.pdf here].</ref>
 CAB said:
@@ Line 151: / Line 151: @@
 ==Rights of the bereaved==
-The following is advice from Teresa Evans, a campaigner for the rights of the bereaved (http://www.evansaboveonline.co.uk/):<ref>Email from Teresa Evans to SpinProfiles editors, 22 July 2009</ref>
+The following is advice from Teresa Evans, a campaigner for the rights of the bereaved (http://www.evansaboveonline.co.uk/):<ref>Email from Teresa Evans to SpinProfiles/Powerbase editors, 22 July 2009</ref>
 *It is not required by law that the public/bereaved use a funeral director to conduct arrangements for them.
@@ Line 165: / Line 165: @@
 *The funeral industry continues to police itself.
-Teresa Evans believes that the OFT should take steps to implement a light regulatory regime that the entire funeral profession is forced to adopt.<ref>Email from Teresa Evans to SpinProfiles editors, 22 July 2009</ref>
+Teresa Evans believes that the OFT should take steps to implement a light regulatory regime that the entire funeral profession is forced to adopt.<ref>Email from Teresa Evans to SpinProfiles/Powerbase editors, 22 July 2009</ref>
 ==Resources==

@@ Line 90: / Line 90: @@
 CAB said:
 :We have looked at evidence from [Citizens Advice] bureaux from 2001 onwards, and these suggest that significant changes have not taken place in the industry with regard to information consumers should have. Our aspirations for improved information go beyond the OFT report’s recommendations for price display and the provision of written estimates. Our evidence also shows a need for funeral directors to improve the information they provide about the help available from, for example, the social fund [a government scheme that assists people on a low income with a grant or in some cases a loan to be repaid from the deceased’s estate].
 CAB also expresses concern about the demise of the Funeral Ombudsman scheme, which previously operated as an independent overseer of funeral directors:

@@ Line 86: / Line 86: @@
 ==2003: Citizens Advice Bureau report==
-A report published by the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) in 2003 reviewed developments in the funeral industry in the wake of the 2001 OFT report. CAB’s report contradicts the notion that all is well for the funeral consumer.<ref>”Funerals”, Citizens Advice Bureau, 14 March 2003</ref>
+A report published by the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) in 2003 reviewed developments in the funeral industry in the wake of the 2001 OFT report. CAB’s report contradicts the notion that all is well for the funeral consumer.<ref>”Funerals”, Citizens Advice Bureau, 14 March 2003. Downloadable from [http://www.spinprofiles.org/index.php?title=Image:CABreport2003.pdf here].</ref>
 CAB said:
 :We have looked at evidence from [Citizens Advice] bureaux from 2001 onwards, and these suggest that significant changes have not taken place in the industry with regard to information consumers should have. Our aspirations for improved information go beyond the OFT report’s recommendations for price display and the provision of written estimates. Our evidence also shows a need for funeral directors to improve the information they provide about the help available from, for example, the social fund [a government scheme that assists people on a low income with a grant or in some cases a loan to be repaid from the deceased’s estate].
 CAB also expresses concern about the demise of the Funeral Ombudsman scheme, which previously operated as an independent overseer of funeral directors:

@@ Line 161: / Line 161: @@
 *A funeral is a classic ‘distress’ purchase – people don’t know what to expect, spend little time thinking about their purchase and feel under pressure to sort everything out quickly.<ref>[http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/reports/consumer_protection/oft346.pdf A Report of the OFT inquiry into the funerals industry], July 2001, OFT website, accessed 21 July 2009</ref>
-*It is the lawful right of the bereaved to care for the person who has died in the privacy of their own home, and to collect the body of a person who has died when officially released from a mortuary. They may do so with their own suitable vehicle. No law requires that a coffin is to be used.<ref>[http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentcitizensandrights/Death/WhatToDoAfterADeath/DG_10029667 Arranging a funeral without a funeral director], Direct.gov website, accessed 20 July 2009</ref><ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/relationships/coping_with_grief/practicalissues_diyfuneral.shtml Coping with grief - practical issues], BBC website, accessed 20 July 2009, </ref>
+*It is the lawful right of the bereaved to care for the person who has died in the privacy of their own home, and to collect the body of a person who has died from a mortuary, ward or a hospice. They may do so with their own suitable vehicle. No law requires that a coffin is to be used.<ref>[http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentcitizensandrights/Death/WhatToDoAfterADeath/DG_10029667 Arranging a funeral without a funeral director], Direct.gov website, accessed 20 July 2009</ref><ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/relationships/coping_with_grief/practicalissues_diyfuneral.shtml Coping with grief - practical issues], BBC website, accessed 20 July 2009, </ref>
 *The funeral industry continues to police itself.

@@ Line 50: / Line 50: @@
 ===Industry response===
-In response to the Which? Report, Alan Slater, Chief Executive Officer of the funeral trade association, the [[National Association of Funeral Directors]] (NAFD), commented in a press release:
+In response to the Which? Report, [[Alan Slater]], Chief Executive Officer of the funeral trade association, the [[National Association of Funeral Directors]] (NAFD), commented in a press release:
 :Which? Was critical of the fact that we have not submitted our code of practice to the OFT and we felt there was an implication that the funeral profession as a whole is sitting on its laurels after gaining a 96% "satisfied" or "very satisfied" response in the OFT’s consumer survey of "at need" funerals. …
 :In fact, the report’s findings correspond with some of the issues we have identified through ongoing research amongst the NAFD membership, and we had already set in motion a review, as a precursor to strengthening our code, at the time Which? conducted its research. …  We are currently mid-way through the process of improving our code … Once finalised, the new code will be sent to the OFT.” <ref>Alan Slater, quoted in [http://www.needafuneraldirector.org/funeral-profession/industry-news/news-archive/nafd-responds-to-report.aspx National Association of Funeral Directors Responds to Which? Report], NAFD, NAFD website, accessed 20 July 2009</ref>

@@ Line 157: / Line 157: @@
 *Funeral undertakers are not regulated by license in the UK.
-*There is no lawful requirement that an undertaker belong to one of the two known Trade Associations in the UK, the [[National Association of Funeral Directors]] (NAFD), and the [[National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors]] (SAIF).
+*There is no lawful requirement that an undertaker belong to one of the two known Trade Associations in the UK, the [[National Association of Funeral Directors]] (NAFD), and the [[National Society of Allied & Independent Funeral Directors]] (SAIF).
 *A funeral is a classic ‘distress’ purchase – people don’t know what to expect, spend little time thinking about their purchase and feel under pressure to sort everything out quickly.<ref>[http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/reports/consumer_protection/oft346.pdf A Report of the OFT inquiry into the funerals industry], July 2001, OFT website, accessed 21 July 2009</ref>