Victims of Robert Bush call for funeral industry regulation

The funeral industry in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is self-regulating, relying on voluntary codes and inspections by trade associations. Anyone can set up as a funeral director without formal training, registration or mandatory oversight.

Bush himself highlighted the lack of regulation during his interviews with Humberside Police.

In footage released by the force, an officer asks: “Has it ever happened in your experience that someone from Bereavement Services, for example, has turned up to ask to inspect your fridges to make sure they are in order?”

Bush replies: “No, nobody.”

The officer asks: “Is [inspection] a thing that happens?”

“When you join the National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD) you have an inspection,” Bush responds.

“They came round for spot inspections, but if you didn’t come up to scratch there wasn’t a penalty, you just weren’t in their association any more.”

Bush shrugs.

“They’re also checking whether you’ve got cushions on your sofa or how many leaflets you have.”

He later adds: “I know we’re a highly unregulated industry.”