Leading Funeral Directors Unite Behind National Campaign to Raise Standards for Funeral Officiants
Growing support from across the UK funeral profession strengthens calls for greater safeguards for bereaved families
LONDON, UK / ACCESS Newswire / August 19, 2026 /Some of the UK 's most respected independent funeral directors have united behind a national campaign calling for higher standards and greater accountability for funeral officiants, as support for the Funeral Officiant Authority (FOA) continues to grow.
The endorsements come following the launch of the Funeral Officiant Authority and its independent national register, established to address the fact that anyone can currently describe themselves as a funeral officiant without statutory regulation, mandatory checks or recognised professional standards.
The latest wave of support from funeral directors across England and Wales reflects a growing belief that independent oversight, professional standards and greater accountability are essential to protect bereaved families and strengthen public confidence in the profession.
Among the organisations now backing the campaign are Albert Parr Funeral Directors, C.J. Reilly Funeral Directors, Valentines Funeral Directors, Morgans Funeral Directors, F.A. Albins Funeral Directors and Lilley Funeral Directors.
Collectively, they say the Funeral Officiant Authority provides reassurance for both funeral professionals and the families they serve by introducing an independent register of vetted officiants, promoting higher professional standards and creating greater accountability within the sector.
Albert Parr Funeral Directors described the FOA as "genuinely beneficial and reassuring ", saying an independent register gives funeral directors additional confidence that the officiants they recommend are aligned with recognised professional standards and helps build greater public trust across the profession.
C.J. Reilly Funeral Directors said the Authority would play an essential role in strengthening the profession by supporting officiants, raising standards and ensuring families receive compassionate, reliable and consistent care during life 's most difficult moments.
Gary Valentine-Fuller Dip FAA, Dip FD, of Valentines Funeral Directors and former President of the London Association of Funeral Directors, said the introduction of an independent register, DBS checks and meaningful accountability represented "basic safeguarding for grieving families " and encouraged funeral directors across the country to support the initiative.
Lauren and Rhys Morgan of Morgans Funeral Directors said the absence of a government-enforced licensing regime had left an important gap within the profession and described the FOA as an "absolute necessity " that would protect families, support celebrants and provide funeral directors with greater confidence when appointing officiants.
F.A. Albins Funeral Directors said the Authority is becoming an increasingly valuable resource for funeral directors, providing a trusted benchmark when selecting officiants and allowing funeral teams to focus on caring for bereaved families with complete confidence in those leading the service.
Charlotte and Scott Lilley of Lilley Funeral Directors said they were proud to support the FOA 's mission. They said every bereaved family deserves complete confidence in the person leading a loved one 's funeral service and that the FOA would enable funeral directors to recommend officiants with confidence, knowing they share the same commitment to exceptional care, compassion and professionalism.
Michelle Harvey, co-founder of the Funeral Officiant Authority, said: "The momentum behind the Funeral Officiant Authority is building rapidly. Every funeral director who joins us strengthens our mission to protect bereaved families, raise professional standards and give the public confidence in the people leading one of life 's most important ceremonies. "
Sacha Mulligan, co-founder of the Funeral Officiant Authority, added: "The momentum is unmistakable. The growing support we 're receiving from respected funeral directors across the UK shows our profession is ready to embrace higher standards, greater accountability and stronger safeguards for the families we all serve. "
The Funeral Officiant Authority was established to provide an independent framework for funeral officiants through professional registration, safeguarding requirements, a code of conduct, continuing professional development and an independent complaints process.
With support continuing to grow from funeral directors across the UK, the organisation believes the campaign marks an important step towards creating greater consistency, transparency and public confidence in funeral officiancy, while placing the needs of bereaved families at the heart of every funeral service.
MEDIA CONTACT
Name: Nick Owens
Email: nick.owens@magnifypr.co.uk
Company: Funeral Officiant Authority
Website: https://www.funeralofficiantauthority.com/
SOURCE: Funeral Officiant Authority
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