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Prospective new Associate member in Co.Antrim

SAIF has received an application from a prospective Associate member in Portglenone, Co.Antrim. Please log onto the members area and visit the ‘membership pending’ page to see further details.

Prospective new member in Lancashire

SAIF has received an application from a prospective Funeral Director based in Colne, Lancashire. Please log onto the members area and visit the ‘membership pending’ page to see further details.

“No need to fear funeral inspections”

That was the message from Robert Swanson QPM, Scotland’s Senior Inspector of Burial, Cremation and Funeral Directors during the recent SAIF webinar. Members can watch a recording of the webinar hosted by SAIF Scottish President James Carcary on the Events page – simply scroll down to Recorded Webinars. There is a huge range of recorded […]

SAIF Members – be an Amazing Leader!

To thrive in the funeral industry we must focus on the next generation, guiding and supporting them on their journey to become Amazing Leaders. Join presenter James Gardner of SAIF Member Viner & Sons Ltd for this informative and motivational webinar at 3 pm on 11th May. All SAIF Members are welcome – click here […]

Prospective new member in Worcester

SAIF has received an application from a prospective Funeral Director based in Kidderminster, Worcester. Please log onto the members area and visit the ‘membership pending’ page to see further details.

Prospective new member in East Sussex

SAIF has received an application from a prospective Funeral Director based in Heathfield, East Sussex. Please log onto the members area and visit the ‘membership pending’ page to see further details.

HSE urges Covid measures are kept in place

As the economy reopens, businesses should continue to follow the relevant government guidance on working safely and put in place measures to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission. This HSE webpage provides the latest information on any changes related to workplace safety: keeping workplaces safe as restrictions are eased. The following workplace controls remain unchanged: […]

Prospective new member in Gloucestershire

SAIF has received an application from a prospective funeral director based in Stroud, Gloucestershire. Please log onto the members area and visit the ‘membership pending’ page to see further details.

Prospective new member in Dumfries and Galloway

SAIF has received an application from a prospective funeral director based in Dumfries, Dumfries and Galloway. Please log onto the members area and visit the ‘membership pending’ page to see further details.

Deadline for IFD College award is 30th April

Nominations for the new Matthew Gallagher Achievement Award need to be received by 30th April. Nominations can come from employers, co-workers, or self-nominated and the award will be presented at the National Funeral Exhibition in June 2021. Matthew, who served as a college governor, assessor and verifier, had a unique ability to encourage and find […]

Nominations deadline 1st May for your unsung hero

Nye Bevan and People’s NHS Day – 5th July 2021 Aneurin (Nye) Bevan was an inspirational leader who founded our outstanding NHS.  We now have a health service which is the envy of the world. During the early stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic, our doctors and nurses bore the brunt of the virus and rightly […]

SAIF members advised to be cyber aware

SAIF has learnt from Associate Member Oak Technology that some funeral suppliers, particularly Mortuary Suppliers, seem to be being targeted by hackers who are intercepting emails and then contacting the customers (funeral directors) and advising them that there has been a change in bank details, or they receive an amended invoice with different bank details. […]

All SAIF Members encouraged to join webinar 27th April

All SAIF Funeral Director members are encouraged to attend our webinar on 27th April at 3 pm with Robert Swanson QPM. Robert became Scotland’s Senior Inspector of Burial, Cremation and Funeral Directors in December 2020 and will join SAIF Scotland’s President James Carcary at the webinar. At the webinar you’ll learn what Robert has discovered so […]

Scams warning from HMRC

SAIF Members are reminded that scam phone calls, emails and texts supposedly from Her Majesty’s Revenues & Collections are increasing. If someone contacts you claiming to be from HMRC saying that you owe tax and face arrest, are due a tax refund, that your National Insurance number has been compromised, or asking you to transfer […]

Prospective new member in Kent

SAIF has received an application from a prospective funeral director who is based in Maidstone, Kent . Please log onto the members area and visit the ‘membership pending’ page to see further details.

Prospective new member in South Yorkshire

SAIF has received an application from a prospective funeral director who is based in Barnsley, South Yorkshire . Please log onto the members area and visit the ‘membership pending’ page to see further details.

Prospective new member in Shropshire.

SAIF has received an application from a prospective funeral director whise head office is based in Bradenheadth, Nr.Whitchurch, Shropshire. Please log onto the members area and visit the ‘membership pending’ page to see further details.

Meet Scotland’s Senior Inspector of Burial, Cremation & Funeral Directors

All SAIF Funeral Director members are encouraged to attend our webinar on 27th April at 3 pm with Robert Swanson QPM. Robert became Scotland’s Senior Inspector of Burial, Cremation and Funeral Directors in December 2020 and will join SAIF Scotland’s President James Carcary at the webinar. At the webinar you’ll learn what Robert has discovered so […]

Prospective new member in Gloucestershire.

SAIF has received an application from a prospective funeral director based in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire. Please log onto the members area and visit the ‘membership pending’ page to see further details.

Prospective new Associate member in Gloucester

SAIF has received an application from a prospective Associate member in Brockworth, Gloucester. Please log onto the members area and visit the ‘membership pending’ page to see further details.

How to support grieving children

Child Bereavement UK has given SAIF some useful guidance on how to support children who are grieving, which has been particularly difficult during the pandemic.

Funeral restrictions eased

With the UK nations gradually reducing the lockdown restrictions, this is how funeral rules have changed or will change shortly: England – The key changes apply to wakes and commemorative events like stone settings and ashes scatterings. As of Monday, 12th April, the number of people permitted to attend such an event rose from six […]

Praise for funeral directors’ Covid response

SAIF welcomes a recent article by long-standing member and vice chair of the Westminster All-Party Parliamentary Group for Funerals and Bereavement Rosie Cooper MP on the work of funeral directors during the pandemic. In the article, the MP states: “The death care industry is often not at the forefront of our minds and many of us […]

Nominate your hero

Nye Bevan and People’s NHS Day – 5th July 2021 Aneurin (Nye) Bevan was an inspirational leader who founded our outstanding NHS.  We now have a health service which is the envy of the world. During the early stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic, our doctors and nurses bore the brunt of the virus and rightly […]

FCA webinar for funeral plan intermediaries – recording

The FCA hosted a webinar on March 26th for funeral plan intermediaries. The recording may be watched here: https://webinars.fca.org.uk/fca-regulation-for-funeral-plan-1/room You can also visit their website to view further information and to submit your response to the consultation. SAIF Members may also watch the recording of the SAIF webinar with the FCA on the Members’ area […]

“Progress is impossible without change*”

SAIF thanks Paul Allcock for the blog. Paul is SAIF Past President, Government Liaison Rep and long standing Executive Committee member. As we begin to move out of the latest Covid-19 lockdown, many independent funeral directors will find themselves with some very welcome time on their hands. It wouldn’t surprise me if during these slack […]

SASP reducing stigma of suicide bereavement

Dr. Sharon McDonnell, speaker at a SAIF Education Day, recently published a report on her research findings of over 7000 people bereaved by suicide. Conducted on behalf of the University of Manchester and the Support After Suicide Partnership (SASP), the survey was the largest suicide bereavement survey internationally.  The findings generated national and international interest […]

Can you support SAIF’s annual charity fundraiser?

Brian Hart and pals will be testing themselves on the Lake District Challenge on Saturday 12th June in some of England’s finest countryside. The fun will start at Challenge Base Camp in Kendal with a 100 km anticlockwise loop taking in a couple of tough hills, Ambleside, a half way point by Lake Windermere, forests […]

Support towards funeral costs for children in Wales

Housing and Local Government Minister Julie James announced over the weekend that families in Wales who have registered the loss of a child under the age of 18 will be able to receive £500 as a contribution towards funeral costs, in addition to burial/cremation fees being waived. £500 support for bereaved parents in Wales | […]

New contact details for SAIF’s legal helpline

We are pleased to inform SAIF members that there are now three separate speciality areas offered by our legal helpline: Legal Tax Redundancy Please login to the Members’ area here then use this link to find the helpline numbers. To use the service, simply state that you are a SAIF Member.

HSE keeping workplaces safe as restrictions are eased

HSE has produced a signposting page that provides the latest information on any changes related to workplace safety following the easing of coronavirus restrictions. The page on keeping workplaces safe as restrictions are eased covers the government’s roadmap out of lockdown and advice on returning to work safely. It also explains which restrictions are not changing […]

Prospective new member in Bedfordshire

SAIF has received an application from a prospective new member based in Dunstable, Bedfordshire.Please log onto the members area and visit the ‘membership pending’ page to see further details.

HSE spot check spam

A SAIF member has brought to our attention a series of emails they have received supposedly relating to a spot check by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). There may be genuine emails by the HSE but these emails are delivered from a Polish email address. Before clicking any links in an HSE email, firstly […]

Focus on SAIF Members in Northern Ireland

We can’t yet meet in person but SAIF is still supporting members in the different regions online. You are warmly invited to join the: Northern Ireland Members’ Meeting on Tuesday 23rd March at 6 pm.  SAIF’s CEO Terry Tennens will host the meeting which will cover funeral issues from a Northern Ireland perspective with special guest from the […]

SAIF Member Support Call – Thursday 18th March at 9 am

In addition to our frequent email bulletins, SAIF is now offering members regular Support Calls. These are designed to give our members access to the latest updates, to ask questions specific to their own situation and to share best practice. The format is an online conference call, which members may join by video via desktop […]

Prospective new members in Co.Durham & Gloucestershire

SAIF has received an application from prospective new members based in Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire & Seaham, Co.Durham.Please log onto the members area and visit the ‘membership pending’ page to see further details.

Focus on SAIF Members in Wales

We can’t meet in person yet, but we’re still supporting members in the different regions online. You are warmly invited to join the: Wales Members’ Meeting on Tuesday 16th March at 6 pmThe meeting will cover funeral issues from a Welsh perspective with special guest from the Welsh Government, Dane Marsh. Dane is a member of the […]

Call for agreed protocol for funeral directors and police on mourner numbers

SAIF welcomes the latest intervention by Sir John Hayes MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Funerals and Bereavement, on the issue of policing funeral services during the pandemic.   Sir John has written to the Police and Crime Commissioners for all 43 police forces in England and Wales to highlight some of the challenges […]

IFD College Courses are online!

Running courses has been difficult in the pandemic situation but the full range of courses are now taking place online. Please look at SAIF Events for course dates.  If the course you are interested in is not currently available, or if you’d like further information, please contact IFD College Administrator Corinne Pengelly on 01279 726777 […]

Reminder: nominations welcomed for the IFD College new award

Nominations are welcomed for the Independent Funeral Directors’ (IFD) College’s new award: the Matthew Gallagher Achievement Award. Matthew, who served as a college governor, assessor and verifier, had a unique ability to encourage and find something good in every student’s work.  He was a master of inclusivity and vision.  It is, therefore, appropriate that this […]

Climate emergency discussion for funeral directors

Message from the Environmental Stewardship Group A round table event for Funeral Directors to discuss the climate emergency, help to identify where the sector currently is positioned and to propose what needs to be done to meet the challenges of “net zero”. The event is being held by the Environmental Stewardship Group as part of […]

Prospective new member in Wales

SAIF has received an application from a prospective new member based in Conwy, Wales with branches in Gwynedd and Colwyn Bay,Please log onto the members area and visit the ‘membership pending’ page to see further details.

Nye Bevan and People’s NHS Day – 5th July 2021

Nominate your hero! Aneurin (Nye) Bevan was an inspirational leader who founded our outstanding NHS.  We now have a health service which is the envy of the world. During the early stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic, our doctors and nurses bore the brunt of the virus and rightly received our applause on a weekly basis. […]

Focus on Welsh members

Welsh members are warmly invited to the Wales online meeting at 6 pm on 16th March. Dane Marsh, who writes the funeral guidance for the Welsh Government, will be attending as well as SAIF’s National President Mark Porteous, Welsh representative on SAIF’s National Exec Committee Gemma O’Driscoll and SAIF CEO Terry Tennens. Book your places […]

Scam warning

SAIF has become aware of a scam whereby a person contacts a funeral business to buy a coffin to keep a body at home. They pay in advance for the coffin, but they ‘accidentally’ overpay the amount. The person then contacts the funeral business to ask for a refund of the overpaid amount. Once the […]

FCA pre-paid plans review: join SAIF’s webinar 9th March

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) have published a Consultation paper which sets their draft rules and approach to regulation of pre-paid funeral plans. SAIF’s FCA Taskforce will be responding to the consultation on behalf of members, but you need to consider what FCA regulation will mean for your funeral business and what action you will […]

SAIF Scotland AGM

All Scottish SAIF members are warmly invited to the SAIF Scotland Annual General Meeting on Thursday 11th March. The meeting will take place online at 6 pm. Please register your place and joining instructions will be emailed to you.

Meet the FCA Head regulating funeral plans

What will new funeral plan regulations mean to your business? Join our webinar with host Terry Tennens and meet Richard Sutcliffe and Terry Denness from the FCA. They have responsibility for devising and implementing the new regulations at the FCA. They’ll be updating SAIF members on the way forward and taking questions from attendees. Make […]

It’s better to talk!

There is currently a huge need for support for people with mental health issues and dealing with bereavement. SAIF would like to highlight resources available for those bereaved by suicide from The Support After Suicide Partnership. The partnership brings together suicide bereavement organisations and people with lived experience, to achieve a vision that everyone bereaved or […]

Prospective new member in Gloucester

SAIF has received an application from a prospective new member based in Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucester,Please log onto the members area and visit the ‘membership pending’ page to see further details.

Beginner’s guide to SAIF Slack

The SAIF SLACK tool brings all relevant information to one place. You can find information specific to your region or by certain subjects such as Covid-19 Updates or Regulation News. Slack also lets you ask questions of highly experienced funeral professionals and contact SAIF members, all in one place. Declan Maguire has led the successful […]

Lake District Challenge for SAIF President’s charity

Brian Hart and pals will be testing themselves on the Lake District Challenge on Saturday 12th June in some of England’s finest countryside. The fun will start at Challenge Base Camp in Kendal with a 100 km anticlockwise loop taking in a couple of tough hills, Ambleside, a half way point by Lake Windermere, forests […]

Roadmap for lifting of funeral restrictions

All restrictions placed upon funerals could be lifted on or after 21st June, according to HM Government’s Covid-19 Response – Spring 2021 document published on 22nd February. The paper outlines a four-step process which begins on 8th March, with the reopening of schools and outdoor exercise and recreation permitted. During this period, funerals will continue […]

ICO Renewals

If you receive a letter from the ICO regarding renewal, please respond as this is a genuine requirement, not a scam. The ICO are emailing companies six weeks before their fee expires. Every organisation or sole trader who processes personal information needs to pay a data protection fee to the ICO, unless they are exempt. […]

SAIF – a family of families in business

SAIF thanks Paul Allcock for his words. Paul is SAIF’s government liaison rep, a past president and long-standing member of the Executive Committee. I find myself writing this article the day after my mother has died and at the end of what is undoubtedly the busiest day my business has ever had. I am both […]

Prospective new member in Leicestershire

SAIF has received an application from a prospective new member based in Leicester, Leicestershire,Please log onto the members area and visit the ‘membership pending’ page to see further details.

Need a beginner’s guide to SAIF’s new communications tool?

Imagine being able to find answers to questions specific to your funeral business at the touch of a button. With SAIF’s new communications tool, SAIF SLACK, our members have recently found help with issues such as: Where can I buy FFP2 masks? How do I get my staff vaccinated against Covid-19? What can I do […]

Nominate a student for the Matthew Gallagher Achievement Award

Do you know an Independent Funeral Directors’ (IFD) College student who is currently facing challenges or did whilst completing their course during March 2019 to March 2020? Those challenges may be, for example, personal, domestic, educational or physical. Why not nominate the student, or nominate yourself if you’re a student, to be the first winner […]