How to become a member

To join SAIF, a company must have a trading history and extensive experience or qualifications in the funeral service. Prospective members must also undertake a premises inspection and comply with our Code of Practice.

Our strict membership criteria and on-going quality monitoring ensure members adhere to the highest of standards.  Companies which fall below our standards may be disciplined according to our Complaints Procedure

Applicants pay a one-off administration fee and members pay annual subscriptions. Current fees are here.

Membership falls into three categories:

Minimum criteria for New Members and New Probationary Member

Applicants in England, Northern Ireland and Wales are subject to meeting a set of minimum critieria, which may viewed here.

Applicants in Scotland are subject to meeting a set of minimum critieria, which may viewed here.

Apply for Full Membership – Funeral Director 

Enquiries are welcome from any independent funeral director who has been trading as, or employed as, a funeral director for at least 12 months before the date of application.

All paperwork listed on the declaration of ownership needs to be submitted along with the signed application form and declaration form within 28 days or your application will not be processed.

If you have any problems or questions, we can help. Call SAIF Business Centre on 0345 230 6777 or email SAIF.

Simply follow these steps:
  1. Read the Guidance Notes
  2. Complete the Application Form
  3. Complete the Reference Template if applicant has been employed by company for less than 5 years
  4. Complete the Declaration of Ownership – Full Member
  5. Gather together the information outlined on the Declaration of Ownership Form:
    • Copies of estimates for two recently arranged funerals issues in accordance with SAIF’s Code of Practice
    • Copies of the funeral accounts, which relate to the submitted arrangements
    • Copies of confirmations to families, which relate to the submitted arrangements
    • Copies of confirmations to churches/officiants, which relate to the submitted arrangements
    • Please note for all of the above, ensure that any personal information relating to the next of kin (not the deceased) is blacked out and unreadable.  Failure to do this could be a breach of the GDPR.
    • Price list which conforms with SAIF’s Code of Practice
    • Copy of public & employers liability schedule, (recommend minimum £5 million)
  6. Provide payment of £200 to process your application (non-refundable).
  7. Return all of the documents to SAIF Business Centre, 3 Bullfields, Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, CM21 9DB or by email.
What happens next?
  1. We will process your application.
  2. Details will be published on our website for 28 days and printed in our monthly magazine, SAIFInsight, as ‘membership pending’ – giving existing members the chance to raise any valid concerns.
  3. We will contact you to arrange a convenient date and time for the required premises inspection.
  4. If this is satisfactory the application will be presented to the SAIF Executive Approval Committee for consideration and final approval.
  5. We will contact you with the decision of the Committee.

Probationary Membership Grade

Probationary Membership is open for funeral directors who have less than the requisite 12 months trading or funeral directing experience.  A company is able to hold the probationary membership grade for 12 months.

  • No admin fee but a payment of £500 for the year
  • The company will not be eligible to apply for SAIFCharter status whilst in probation.
  • The applicant will not automatically go straight into full membership and will need to apply to become a full member.

Apply for Probationary Membership

  • Follow the steps above as if applying for Full Membership.
  • Instead of the administration fee of £200, include payment of £500 which includes administration fee and Probationary Membership for 12 months.

Associate Membership application

This membership is for companies which provide products and services to the funeral profession.

All paperwork listed on the declaration of ownership needs to be submitted along with the signed application form and declaration form within 28 days or your application will not be processed.

  1. Read the Guidance Notes
  2. Complete the Associate application form
    • A minimum of two customer testimonials will be required as part of the application form.
  3. Complete the Declaration of Ownership form for Associates
  4. Provide payment of £200 to process your application (non-refundable).
  5. Send the documents to SAIF Business Centre, 3 Bullfields, Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, CM21 9DB or by email.
What happens next?
  1. SAIF will run a background check on your company with Companies House.
  2. Details will be published on our website for 14 days and printed in our monthly magazine, SAIFInsight, as ‘membership pending’ – giving existing members the chance to raise any valid concerns.
  3. If no concerns are raised the application will be presented to the SAIF Executive Approval Committee for consideration and final approval.
  4. We will contact you with the decision of the Committee.

If you have any questions on the membership process, please contact SAIF Business Centre.

Find a SAIF Member