Shake-up for UK funeral services sector with new CMA recommendations

Funeral services in the UK are set for a regulatory overhaul as the CMA outlines ‘sunlight remedies’ to address issues in the sector.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has today confirmed its provisional conclusions from its investigation into the funeral services sector, identifying a number of issues which it aims to solve through the introduction of new measures.

The measures put forward by the CMA include advance price disclosures by funeral directors and crematorium operators, transparency around commercial interests of the firms, the prohibition of incentive-driven referrals, and independent registration and inspection of funeral businesses.

Martin Coleman, CMA Panel Inquiry chair, commented: “Organising a funeral is often very distressing and people can be especially vulnerable during this time.

“That’s why our remedies are designed to help people make choices that are right for them and ensure they can be confident that their loved one is in good hands.

“The CMA will be keeping a close eye on this sector to make sure our remedies are properly implemented and help it to decide whether further action is necessary when circumstances return to a more steady state.”