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TIME TO WAKE UP TO A CORPORATE FUNERAL INDUSTRY THAT FAILS BOTH THE LIVING AND THE DEAD.

THE NATURAL DEATH CENTRE CHARITY CALLS FOR A RETHINK OF BRITISH DEATH.

Death does not become us. The British Way of Death - the title of an explosive undercover documentary that aired on ITV on Wednesday September 26th - shocked audiences by revealing the dark side of a hugely profitable funeral business. In it, undercover journalists discovered shocking examples of racism and gross disrespect of both the living and the dead.

Driven, articulate and determined to hold profit-led funeral businesses to account, the Natural Death Centre Charity is calling for a new approach based on truth and transparency.

‘We have known about dark practices for many years in the conventional funeral industry and are disgusted by the most recent examples and allegations shown in September's programme,’ says Rosie Inman-Cook, manager of the charity. ‘The programme further illustrates that there are areas of the British funeral industry that are not fit for purpose.’

‘It’s a national disgrace; the reality is that within the funeral industry there are juggernaut firms committed to feeding share-holders and venture capitalists at the expense of the customer, where the most vulnerable are often subjected to hard sell tactics and robbed of dignity.’

While responses to the programme will likely include calls for more regulation, Fran Hall, Chairman of Trustees of the charity warns; ‘This is a typical knee jerk response and will achieve nothing. It is impossible for regulation processes set up by trade bodies to be impartial and fair, together with the knowledge that there is no government appetite for regulation.’

‘The key to change and the way forward is an open, honest approach from the funeral industry, alongside an informed and discriminating public,’ says Rosie. ‘The Natural Death Centre (NDC) has long pioneered good practice whereby the public take control of their dead and their funerals.’