The Future of Funeral Industry in the UK Part 1

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Funeral Trends : Longer Waiting Times

The Future of Funeral Industry in the UK

The changes that we’ve seen within the funeral industry, regulation is one of them. We now have regulated funerals and regulated funeral plans. We have changes in the way death is treated in terms of registration. The way in which the hospitals treat the dead. You can’t say, someone dies of old age anymore. There has to be some medical reason for death, no matter how old the person.

So, I call this medicalisation of death. It’s done in layers of bureaucracy, where we are moving towards the medical referee system. So GPs will not be able, without direction from the medical referee, to issue cremation paperwork or issue any form of medical certificate for the cause of death. This is centralising things. And I have to say, despite the messages coming down from the Ministry of Justice, that it will speed things up, I disagree, and I think it is only going to slow things down.

30 years ago, you could have a cremation within ten days. You could have a burial within a week. We are now running at 2 to 3 weeks for a cremation; though you can still have a burial in ten days. But I think cremations will be getting out to four or five weeks before too much longer. Now, is that good?

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We have local funeral homes across west Kent and south east London.

Funeral Directors Sevenoaks

Welham Jones Funerals and Memorials
156 London Rd, Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 1DJ

Tel: 01732 742400

https://welhamjones.co.uk/Contact/Sevenoaks

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Our other funeral homes can be found:

Funeral Directors Swanley

Welham Jones Funerals and Memorials
31 Station Rd, Swanley BR8 8ES

Tel: 01322 619100

https://www.welhamjones.co.uk/Swanley

Find us here : https://goo.gl/maps/6cqrE4rVDUKqWJDC8

Funeral Directors Chislehurst & Bromley

Welham Jones Funerals and Memorials
4 Belmont Parade, Green Ln, Chislehurst BR7 6AN

Tel: 020 8467 2222

https://www.welhamjones.co.uk/Contact/Bromley%20And%20Chislehurst

Find us here : https://goo.gl/maps/y1a1GJWZYDc2fmrN7

Funeral Directors Borough Green

Welham Jones Funerals and Memorials
43 Western Rd, Borough Green, Sevenoaks TN15 7AN

Tel: 01732 780600

https://www.welhamjones.co.uk/Contact/Borough%20Green

Find us here : https://goo.gl/maps/87ibpNnngcHmi1uV6

Funeral Directors Tonbridge

Welham Jones Funerals and Memorials
164 High St, Tonbridge TN9 1BB

Tel: 01732 617171

https://www.welhamjones.co.uk/Contact/Tonbridge

Find us here : https://goo.gl/maps/q2hKSMfJypEper2A6

Funeral Directors Swanley

Welham Jones Funerals and Memorials
31 Station Rd, Swanley BR8 8ES

Tel: 01322 619100

https://www.welhamjones.co.uk/Swanley

Find us here : https://goo.gl/maps/6cqrE4rVDUKqWJDC8

Funeral Directors Tunbridge Wells

Welham Jones Funerals and Memorials
39 Crescent Rd, Tunbridge Wells TN1 2JZ

Tel: 01892 300330

https://www.welhamjones.co.uk/TunbridgeWells

Find us here : https://goo.gl/maps/g3zmhPebA3BhSPGG7

Funeral Directors Orpington & Chelsfield

Welham Jones Funerals and Memorials
9 Windsor Dr, Chelsfield, Orpington BR6 6EY

Tel: 01689 452525

https://www.welhamjones.co.uk/Contact/Orpington%20And%20Chelsfield

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26 Aug 2026

FAQ: How do I arrange a horse drawn funeral?

by Simon Welham

Horse-drawn hearses are an elegant symbol of tradition at a funeral, but they can require more logistical foresight than a modern hearse. So here’s how to include a horse-drawn hearse in your loved one’s funeral.

19 Aug 2026

Jailing of disgraced funeral director highlights need for regulation

by Simon Welham

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.

12 Aug 2026

FAQ: How much does a horse-drawn hearse cost?

by Simon Welham

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.