Member Webinar: New research on deceased people’s wishes

Professor Kate Woodthorpe of Bath University presented a fact-filled description of her team’s latest research. The findings are from a study on deceased people’s wishes and family disputes conducted in early 2025.

Findings cover significant issues:

• the fundamental question of who a funeral is for
• the implications of evermore complex families
• the impact of direct cremation on pre and at need arrangements
• and the resilience needed to be part of the funeral sector workforce.

Professor Kate Woodthorpe of Bath University is a sociologist specialising in the end of life. Over the last 20 years she has completed funded research and published widely on funeral costs and practice, families, cemetery usage and professional development for staff in the deathcare industry.

Professor Woodthorpe is currently co-director of the world-leading research centre, the Centre for Death and Society, and the only UK academic on the editorial boards of the three major death studies journals: Death Studies, Omega and Mortality. She is  also previous Editor-in-Chief of Mortality.

Her work has been widely disseminated through the media, including numerous appearances on BBC Radio 4 Today programme, BBC Breakfast, and features in The Guardian and The Telegraph.

SAIF Members may watch the webinar recording and view the PowerPoint slides. Simply login to the Members’ area the use this link to the Recorded Webinars area. Choose the Customer Service tab.