Horsham District Council completed a series of visits to local funeral directors to reassure residents about the care and dignity given to their deceased loved ones.
The council embarked on these checks after the Ministry of Justice asked all councils to visit funeral directors in their areas, following a concern about the care of the deceased by a Hull and East Riding funeral director.
The checks, which were based on Government guidance, focused on the care of the deceased and record-keeping.
During their visits, the council said no concerns were found, and the funeral directors “welcomed” the visits.
They said all funeral directors in Horsham district are members of either the National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD) or the Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors (SAIF), both of which require their members to adhere to a strict Code of Practice.
Councillor Jay Mercer, cabinet member for environment, recycling and waste, said: “With the sector being largely unregulated and there being no statutory inspection regimes like those we maintain for restaurants and licensed premises, there were concerns within The Ministry of Justice that the issues discovered in Hull and East Riding could be happening elsewhere.
“I am really pleased and reassured to know that all funeral directors operating within our district are achieving the high standards expected by bereaved families and friends and required by the industry.
“It is important that local residents feel reassured that when choosing a funeral director, they can do so with confidence at such a difficult time in their lives.”
The findings from these visits have been reported back to the Ministry of Justice, which is currently developing requirements for future practices.
The concerns about the funeral director in Hull and East Riding mentioned by the councillor stemmed from a shocking incident last year.
In March, police removed 34 bodies from a funeral parlour in Hull after concerns were raised about the “storage and management processes relating to care of the deceased.”
A man and woman were arrested on suspicion of prevention of lawful and decent burial, as well as fraud by false representation and fraud by abuse of position.
The incident sparked a major investigation into funerary practices across the country.
The reassurance visits by Horsham District Council aim to ensure that such incidents are not taking place in their area.
