What to do After a Death in England & Wales - Bereaved Rights

Independent Funeral Choice—Rights of the Bereaved

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Government is not doing enough to better inform bereaved people in the UK about both their private and consumer rights when learning of a death. Many people are unaware of their options before making final decisions about who will care for the deceased and the funeral itself, especially the bereaved to sudden and unexpected death.

This website has been created as a campaigning tool to encourage both Government officials and non official bodies;

· to make changes to literature designed to better inform bereaved people about what to do after a death in the UK

· to adopt a policy of delivering information to the bereaved about what they may do privately and independent of a funeral undertaker by ‘default’, as there is no law to suggest that people must use a funeral undertaker

· to convince the Office of Fair Trading and Trading Standards Institute that they are not empowering the funeral consumer with the knowledge and skills to make informed choices either about their private rights or their consumer rights

With the vast majority of people purchasing the services of a funeral undertaker, it is now time to give proper consideration to the most vulnerable – those who are forced to use this service. In law they are the ‘consumer’, in real term they are the bereaved and far more vulnerable than a consumer purchasing other general goods and services.

There is information on this site that will better inform the public about what they may do privately after a death in England & Wales and I make obvious here what their consumer rights are.

I also offer some insight into the funeral industry itself.

I aim to provoke thought in those working in a funeral & bereavement environment, end of life & critical management programmes, in addition to voluntary agents offering consumer advice, to acknowledge that people don't always ask about options that they don't believe they have any in the first place and need guidance at a critical time.

Joint approaches could prevent bereaved people from experiencing added emotional injury that could so easily be limited or prevented.

I will continue campaigning for changes ‘top down’ and hope to create a compelling and persuasive argument to make obvious the common law of England which recognises a civil & criminal offence to commit an indignity upon the dead or prevent a decent burial, as has been extended and made obvious in the Statutes of countries that were formerly part of the British Empire.

Should you determine that you do not wish to read on, but would like to be aware of your private and consumer rights, please read the Charter for the Bereaved which is promoted by the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management (ICCM) http://www.myonlinedata.co.uk/iccm/?pagenumber=23 in line with guidance from Directgov http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/ Governmentcitizensandrights/Death/WhatToDoAfterADeath/DG_10029667

Your consumer rights can be explored at Consumer Direct http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/after_you_buy/know-your-rights/funerals/

Alternatively please read on ……………………………….