NAFD in meeting with shadow ministers

The National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD) has taken the opportunity to raise some of the profession’s key concerns with two shadow ministers in the House of Commons.

Chief executive officer Alan Slater and Nigel Lymn Rose, the NAFD’s legislation representative, met with Shadow Minister for Justice and Labour MP for Stoke-on-Trent Rob Flello MP and Karen Buck MP, the Shadow Minister for Work and Pensions and Labour MP for Westminster North, to convey funeral directors’ views on Coronial reform, Social Fund budgeting loans and retained ashes.

Rob Flello MP is particularly interested in the proposed reform of the Coroner’s service, having spoken on the subject in the Chamber and tabled Parliamentary Questions, and welcomed the chance to discuss the Government’s plan to transfer certain functions of the Chief Coroner to the Lord Chancellor or Lord Chief Justice. He acknowledged the important contribution the NAFD could provide in terms of shaping the future of the Coroner’s service.

Mr Flello MP was also keen to hear what the NAFD had to say about the need to deal with the problem of retained ashes at funeral directors’ premises across the UK and made it clear that he wished to maintain contact while also requesting a further briefing.

The aim of the meeting with Karen Buck MP was to discuss the new budgeting loans announced by the Government. These are intended to provide further help to relatives to meet a family member’s funeral expenses and are provided over and above a payment from the Social Fund.

Having been briefed about the rising cost of funerals and the shortfall that now exists between the cost of a ‘simple funeral’ and the sum available from the Social Fund, Karen Buck MP offered to investigate the latest developments. After the meeting she raised the issue of budgeting loans with Steve Webb MP, Secretary of State for Work & Pensions, asking when he expected them to be available and what criteria would be applied to assess applicants.

“The meetings with Rob Fello MP and Karen Buck MP were very useful, since both shadow ministers are interested in the work of funeral directors and noted our concerns about Coroner service reform and the Social Fund,” says Alan Slater.

“We understand that budgeting loans are to come into force two months after the Welfare Reform Bill is granted Royal Assent, so we will monitor its passage and keep members informed, and that the existing budgeting loan criteria will apply. In the coming months we will continue to work with parliamentarians of all parties to improve their understanding of the issues affecting the profession.”