Overview

• The Phase 2 report confirms that regulation and oversight of post-death care in England are partial and in significant areas completely absent.
• Inquiry chair Sir Jonathan Michael warns that, without statutory regulation, crimes resembling Fuller’s could occur again in unregulated sectors.
• The report issues 75 recommendations, including the creation of a unified regulator, mandatory standards across all settings, and practical measures such as installing CCTV in mortuaries.
• Regulatory responsibilities remain fragmented among bodies like the Human Tissue Authority, Care Quality Commission and UK Accreditation Service, leaving no single entity tasked with safeguarding human remains.
• Funeral sector bodies, including the National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors, have begun discussions on implementing the inquiry’s proposed framework for formal oversight.