Shropshire funeral director welcomes new pricing transparency law

The new rules must be implemented by September 16th and follow an investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) over concerns that many people were not being treated fairly.

It means funeral directors and crematorium operators must display a standardised price list at their premises and on their website, which must include: The headline price of a funeral; price of individual items involved in a funeral; cost of certain additional products and services; details of any deposit; payment options and any additional charges which may apply to late payments.

The new rules also prohibit funeral directors from making payments to incentivise hospitals or hospices to refer customers to a particular funeral director, and soliciting for business through coroner or police contacts.

Ian McDougall, director of WRR Pugh & Son in Shrewsbury, said: “We welcome the new legislation - clear and open pricing is a policy we already strictly adhere to at Pughs and we hope this move will raise the standards across the industry.

“Bereaved families are often making funeral arrangements at what can be one of the most distressing times of their lives and it’s easy to understand how they may not be at their best in terms of looking at and understanding the financial implications.

“It’s important that families are treated fairly - and know they are being treated fairly - that they understand exactly what they are paying for and are confident that what they are being asked to pay is reasonable.

“A lack of transparency makes it hard to compare costs and choose the right available option. Prices vary significantly for services provided and people have to know that they can trust the funeral director to give them clear and concise information about what it will all cost.”

The CMA investigation found that there is a heavy reliance on the funeral director when it comes to making arrangements - something Mr McDougall says is not surprising in view of the fact that most people have little or no experience in arranging a funeral.

“Unfortunately, the industry has had problems with some people feeling they have not been treated fairly or have had to pay more than they thought, but hopefully these changes will go a long way to eradicating that after September 16th,” Mr McDougall added.

“The most important thing is that the deceased and their families are treated with the utmost respect and care at all times and this includes a clear and transparent pricing process for what will be one of the most expensive purchases many people will ever have to make.

“We strongly support the raising of standards within the industry - something which will bring everybody into line with what we are already practising at WRR Pugh & Son.”