As an independent, family run funeral directors helping grieving families pay their final farewells to their loved ones, the actions of Hull funeral director Robert Bush, jailed for 20 years for failing to bury the deceased in his care, does more than fill us with horror. It reignites our belief that our industry needs to be regulated, so that families can have confidence in the funeral directors in whom they place their faith.
TL;DR – The shocking case of Robert Bush, who was jailed for 20 years after failing to bury or cremate the deceased and deceiving grieving families entrusting him with their loved ones, has exposed the devastating consequences that can arise when rogue funeral providers operate without any oversight. Welham Jones Funeral Directors believe this tragedy should serve as a catalyst for meaningful regulation, helping ensure every family can place their trust in a funeral director with confidence.
For everyone who works in our profession with care, dignity and compassion, the Robert Bush case is a source of deep shame and sadness. But most of all, our thoughts are with the families whose grief was compounded by deception, uncertainty and a profound breach of trust.
Bush conducted an almost unimaginable betrayal of bereaved families. The details heard by Hull Crown Court during his trial are deeply distressing. Police found 35 bodies and more than 100 sets of ashes when they raided Legacy Independent Funeral Directors in Hull in March 2024. The court heard that Robert Bush defrauded nearly 200 families out of £562,117 and had acted out of “financial greed”.
Bush admitted 67 offences, including denying 30 people a decent and proper burial, theft from 12 charities and fraudulent trading over a period of almost 12 years.
The scale of the harm was devastating. Mr Justice Hilliard said Robert Bush had “caused anguish and pain on a scale beyond comprehension,” and added that he did not think he had ever known offences affecting so many people so deeply.
For some families, the uncertainty remains unbearable. The judge warned that, unless a body was one of those recovered by police in 2024 and properly identified, no one who had used Legacy Independent Funeral Directors for cremation services “at any time can be absolutely certain they received the ashes of their loved one”.
The stories from affected families are heartbreaking. Jasmine Beverley told the court that learning her baby Sunny-Beverley Conlin was discovered in a brown paper bag on the floor of the funeral parlour “will stay with me for the rest of my life”. She said: “I trusted you with the most precious person in my life.”
Other families spoke of feeling let down and of the sentence never being enough. Karen Dry, who organised monthly vigils for victims’ families after the investigation began, said: “No sentence was ever going to be enough.” She also warned that without regulation of the industry, “in five or 10 years’ time there will be another funeral director with another 300 families in a courtroom somewhere”.
For the families affected, no sentence can undo the pain, uncertainty and betrayal they have endured. But the case must also be a turning point for the funeral sector — and for the families who deserve consistent protection, transparency and accountability at one of the most vulnerable times in their lives.
One of the most difficult questions raised by this case is how such appalling failures could happen in a profession that is built on trust. The answer lies, in part, in the lack of statutory regulation that underpins the voluntary standards adhered to by the vast majority of the funeral sector.
In England and Wales and Northern Ireland, there is no bespoke regulatory regime for funeral directors per se, although many who provide pre-paid funeral plans are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Professional bodies such as the National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD) and the National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors (SAIF) set and monitor best practice and quality standards for their members, but membership is voluntary and their codes of practice do not have statutory force and the removal of logos and evidence of membership is not enforced upon termination of membership..
That matters because voluntary oversight does not cover every funeral provider. SAIF has stated that around 90 per cent of funeral directors currently enter voluntary regulation through membership of at least one recognised trade association, such as SAIF or NAFD, meaning they are subject to inspections based on the UK Funeral Director Code and have an independent complaints process.
However, Legacy Independent Funeral Directors was not, and had never been, a member of SAIF. It was therefore not subject to SAIF membership standards, inspections, UK Funeral Director Code requirements or independent complaints process. It had, though, at one point been a member firm of the NAFD.
This is precisely why regulation matters. Families should not need to understand the complexities of voluntary oversight at a moment of acute grief. They should be able to trust that every funeral provider is meeting clear, enforceable standards for the care of the deceased and the support of bereaved families.
As experienced funeral directors with founding principles of honesty, integrity, transparency and compassion for the families we support, we absolutely think that regulation of our sector is long overdue. And we’re not alone.
The issue is not new. In 2020, the Competition and Markets Authority recommended the establishment of an inspection and registration body to monitor standards of transportation and care of the deceased by funeral directors, as well as measures to increase price transparency for the purchase of funerals.
The independent inquiry into the issues raised by David Fuller (an NHS Trust employee convicted of the murders of two women and of abusing more than 100 female corpses) also recommended that the UK government should establish an independent statutory regulatory scheme for funeral directors in England “as a matter of urgency”, and concluded that the funeral sector was, in effect, “an unregulated free for all”.
Calls for regulation have only intensified following the Robert Bush case. SAIF has called for proportionate regulation covering all funeral providers and practitioners. It supports a framework that includes mandatory licensing for funeral service providers, registration of individual practitioners, background checks, professional education, accredited qualifications, accountable leadership, independent inspections, unannounced inspections, and access to complaints and redress.
There is already a model in place elsewhere in the UK. In Scotland, a statutory framework is now in place to regulate the provision of funeral services, including an inspection regime for funeral premises, a code of practice for funeral directors and a funeral director licensing scheme.
We agree that families deserve consistent protection, wherever they live and whichever funeral director they choose. Regulation should support good funeral directors, protect families, and make it harder for anyone to exploit bereaved people when they are at their most vulnerable.
If you are choosing a funeral director, it is often at a deeply emotional and difficult time. You may be dealing with a recent death, planning ahead, or trying to make decisions on behalf of someone you love. In all of these circumstances, it is important to look beyond proximity alone and consider reputation, experience and transparency.
A good starting point is to look for funeral directors who are members of recognised professional bodies. The NAFD provides guidance on choosing a funeral director and promotes high professional standards across the UK.
Families can also ask for recommendations from people they trust, such as vicars, priests, funeral celebrants, care homes or home care companies, who often work closely with local funeral directors.
When comparing funeral directors, look for clear pricing, compassionate communication and a willingness to listen to your wishes rather than rush decisions. A reputable funeral director should explain your options clearly, support you through practical paperwork, liaise with crematoria or cemeteries, and help create a funeral that feels meaningful, respectful and personal.
At Welham Jones, we are an independent, family-run funeral director led by a father and daughter team. For over 30 years, we have supported families across West Kent and South East London, helping them arrange funerals that are personal, respectful and meaningful.
With seven local branches, we serve families in Borough Green, Orpington and Chelsfield, Chislehurst and Bromley, Sevenoaks, Swanley, Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells. Our team supports families with funeral planning, funeral packages, repatriation of the deceased and carefully tailored funeral arrangements.
Finding a funeral director near you means choosing a team you can trust to care for your loved one, guide you clearly and support you with compassion every step of the way.
The sentencing of Robert Bush cannot undo the suffering caused to the families affected by Legacy Independent Funeral Directors. But it should strengthen the resolve of everyone in the funeral profession — and everyone responsible for protecting bereaved families — to ensure this can never happen again.
Families deserve honesty, dignity, transparency and care. They deserve to know that the person they entrust with their loved one is accountable, inspected and held to clear professional standards. Until statutory regulation applies across the sector, families should feel able to ask direct questions, look for recognised professional membership and choose a funeral director who communicates openly and compassionately.
At Welham Jones, we will continue to support families with the care, respect and integrity they deserve — and to stand with those calling for stronger protection for every bereaved family.
When planning a send-off for their loved one, many families like to stick to tradition and opt for a horse-drawn hearse at the funeral. However, in comparison to modern motorised hearses, pricing structures are often less transparent. Here are the answers to the most common questions we receive regarding the pricing structure of booking a horse-drawn cortege.
Dating back to the early 1700’s, the tradition of a horse-drawn hearse is a symbol of a simpler time and, as they were historically a method of transportation often reserved for the rich, a demonstration of great respect to your loved one. However, many people do not know that horse-drawn hearses are still around today and available to give your loved one the send-off they deserve.
In our 30 years’ experience in this industry, we’ve seen families across south London and Kent agonise over the fine details in a funeral, desperately trying to give their loved on the perfect send off. Without instruction, this can lead to delays, conflict and anguish. So, how can you tell your loved ones what you want? And where can they find this information?
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