A woman was horrified to find her mother’s body unrecognisable after care by unregulated funeral directors.
She was in the hospital when her mother died. When Dayni finally saw her, she was horrified. Dayni said her mom looked nothing like herself.
Janice’s body was with a funeral director. They embalmed her, but something went wrong. Dayni said her mom was covered in blood and looked bloated and bruised, like she was attacked. Yet, she died in her sleep, Dayni explained.
Dayni asked another funeral director for help. This complicated things later and it became hard to know who made the mistakes. Janice’s body kept getting worse. Sky News saw photos but didn’t publish them.
Seeing her mom like that really hurt Dayni and she couldn’t sleep. She wondered if they mistreated her mom’s body. “It’s ruined my life,” Dayni stated.
The UK funeral industry isn’t regulated, although trade groups try to set standards. But they can’t really enforce them. The worst they can do is kick someone out. Even then, companies can keep going.
One funeral director was investigated. The group, SAIF, said they broke rules. They got a lecture, but didn’t admit fault and blamed the second funeral director. SAIF couldn’t investigate the second director because they aren’t a member. The second director denies any wrongdoing.
The embalmer also got a reprimand. Her group wanted her to get more training. She did not comment on any of the investigations. Because nobody regulates the industry, no one takes full responsibility for actions.
Dayni can’t get a full explanation. No one can properly investigate with penalties because both funeral directors denied doing anything wrong.
Sky News asked the trade groups about oversight. They asked if the industry was policing itself. The embalmers’ group said regulation would be good and admitted the industry policed itself.
SAIF said they don’t police themselves. They said a UK group monitors their standards and they’ve wanted funeral sector regulation for a long time.
Several cases show change is needed. The Fuller Inquiry started in 2022 and looked into crimes in mortuaries in Kent. The chair wanted urgent regulation. Legacy Funeral Directors in Hull were investigated too, following reports of improper body care.
In January, the case went to prosecutors who will decide if they can bring charges. Quaker Social Action said regulation is crucial. They explained regulation would ensure proper standards and training.
Lindesay Mace highlighted basic needs that the industry lacks. She said there’s no rule about cold storage. She stated that many people find that unbelievable.
The government knows about these worries. The Ministry of Justice is reviewing options, and regulation is one of them, they said. They haven’t given a timeline yet. Scotland has started regulating the sector.
Because there is no regulation, Dayni can’t get answers or justice. It’s unbelievable to Dayni that there are no rules. “It’s disgusting,” she said, concluding that something needs to change.