Latest News
Latest News
Read the latest updates from IFSO.
Introducing the new independent regulator for funeral directors, giving public confidence in the industry.
It’s a new year, and the new Independent Funeral Standards Organisation (IFSO) is up and running.
Read the Funeral
Director Code
IFSO sets high standards for its members, and member firms must abide by the Funeral Director Code – our comprehensive code of practice, developed in consultation with the wider sector and consumer organisations.
Natalie McKail, the former Inspector of Funeral Directors in Scotland, has been appointed as chair of the Independent Funeral Standards Organisation.
Natalie will be supported by an independent board, who will provide oversight of the work of IFSO’s team of Quality, Risk and Compliance Managers, led by Nigel Cooper and ensure seamless continuity of IFSO’s independent standards monitoring service to the 4,100 UK funeral homes in NAFD membership.
Natalie McKail, the former Inspector of Funeral Directors in Scotland, has been appointed as chair of the Independent Funeral Standards Organisation.
Natalie will be supported by an independent board, who will provide oversight of the work of IFSO’s team of Quality, Risk and Compliance Managers, led by Nigel Cooper and ensure seamless continuity of IFSO’s independent standards monitoring service to the 4,100 UK funeral homes in NAFD membership.
Dr Helen Wright is a highly experienced and extremely well regarded educational leader and international coach of leaders. She led high achieving schools in the UK and Australia for over 13 years, and helped to transform them and their wider communities into ambitious places of learning and personal development.
Her warm, decisive, grounded style has enabled her to build a global network of connections, and for the past 4 years she has focused on recruiting, coaching and developing international leaders, engaging empathetically with them to challenge them to become the best of themselves.
Helen has been involved in boards for almost two decades and is a Director and Trustee of several boards in the UK, Hong Kong and Australia. Based in Edinburgh, Scotland, she chairs 2 national charity boards in the UK, and is particularly experienced in identifying opportunities for greater diversity of thought on Boards. She has worked with boards to develop practical recruitment and board support processes, resulting in better governance.
Helen is regularly asked to speak at conferences and in organisations across the world, and over the past few years has led workshops and given keynote speeches in the UK, Hong Kong, the US, Malaysia, China, the Netherlands and other locations. Her style is inspiring and stimulating, usually bringing a challenging and futures-focused perspective to bear on the issue at hand.
Helen has helped leaders and organisations across the world, and through transformative coaching they are better able to make the positive difference in their schools that they are seeking.
Rachel is an elected Councillor in the London Borough of Lewisham and between 2014 and 2018 held cabinet responsibility for the boroughs environmental services. Rachel career has included a combination of investigations, policy, regulations, public affairs and stakeholder communications / management.
Rachel’s civil service career includes her time at the then Department for Business, Innovation & Skills advising on consumer policy. Whilst in this role Rachel worked on, amongst other projects, the implementation of the European Services Directive into UK domestic law ensuring the removal of burdens on small businesses. Rachel also worked on elements of the Consumer Bill of Rights project which saw the consolidation of various pieces of consumer goods and services regulations into one legislative framework.
Rachel is a Non- Executive Director with the Consumer Council for Water (CCW) holding responsibility for providing high level scrutiny, challenge and direction to CCW ensuring a strong and robust corporate and financial strategy for the benefit of water customers.
Rachel is a Board Trustee with Victim Support and a sitting magistrate at two South East London courts.
Rachel is also a school governor at two primary schools within the London Borough of Lewisham.
Initially working as a lawyer, with an LL.M. degree from Cambridge, Suzanne left private practice and then lectured in law at Manchester University before entering the civil service where she worked first at the Home Office, serving as Private Secretary to two Home Secretaries, and then at HM Treasury. She moved into running Arms-Length Bodies becoming CEO of both the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority and the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. Her last Executive role was as the UK’s Immigration Services Commissioner.
Currently she is the Chair of Right to Succeed, a charity focused on educational inequalities, Chair of the charity Lepra, which works with communities in Bangladesh, India, Mozambique and Zimbabwe to find, treat and rehabilitate people affected by leprosy and related tropical diseases, Chair of the Joint Audit Panel for the Mayor’s Office of Policing and Crime and the Metropolitan Police Service, Chair of the Fire Standards Board and Deputy Chair of the Valuation Tribunal Service.
She is a member of the Fundraising Regulator’s Board and chair of its Standards Committee and a member of the Board of the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority. In addition, she serves as the Independent Appointed Person for the Greater London Authority reviewing allegations of misconduct made against elected officials and is an Assistant Boundary Commissioner. Her previous Board appointments include the University of London, the Advertising Standards Authority and the General Medical Council. In addition to her law qualifications, she has a MSc in International Development and Project Management.
Steven is a consumer protection, standards and regulatory specialist.
His career began in Whitehall and has subsequently included 9 years working for Consumer’s Association, publishers of Which? magazine, and over a decade in charge of all aspects of professional standards and regulation at RICS where he transformed regulation and enforcement.
His non-executive career has included directorships with the Telecoms and Energy Ombudsmen, membership of the Civil Aviation Authority’s Consumer Panel, a ministerial appointment to the Better Regulation Commission and a government appointment in health regulation. Steven was also both a Trustee and Director of the Microgeneration Certification Scheme – the leading standards and enforcement body in the “home-grown” energy sector and has also worked with a number of professions on standards, ethics and consumer protection.
Steven believes that good regulation, effectively enforced, improves the experience of consumers while protecting and enhancing the reputation of good businesses.
Steven is a consumer protection, standards and regulatory specialist.
His career began in Whitehall and has subsequently included 9 years working for Consumer’s Association, publishers of Which? magazine, and over a decade in charge of all aspects of professional standards and regulation at RICS where he transformed regulation and enforcement.
His non-executive career has included directorships with the Telecoms and Energy Ombudsmen, membership of the Civil Aviation Authority’s Consumer Panel, a ministerial appointment to the Better Regulation Commission and a government appointment in health regulation. Steven was also both a Trustee and Director of the Microgeneration Certification Scheme – the leading standards and enforcement body in the “home-grown” energy sector and has also worked with a number of professions on standards, ethics and consumer protection.
Steven believes that good regulation, effectively enforced, improves the experience of consumers while protecting and enhancing the reputation of good businesses.
Gary is a Quality Risk and Compliance Manager for Scotland and the North of England. His previous employment included time in the Retail Trade before moving onto the Funeral Profession in 2002, working for a national company.
In 2017 Gary moved to NAFD becoming a Standards and Quality Manager again covering Scotland, Northern Ireland and North West England where he assisted in the bi annual inspections and also assisting on new member applications.
Gary is married and has two grown up children one of which has just started university, he enjoys his football being a season ticket holder for Glasgow Rangers also enjoys movies being a science fiction fan.
David Hunter is a Quality Risk & Compliance Manager who helps ensure that funeral companies are meeting their requirements and providing the most professional levels of service.
Before joining IFSO, David was a Standards & Quality Manager with the NAFD and brings a wealth of experience having worked in both the corporate and independent funeral sector as well as having several years of involvement in legislative and regulatory roles within Local Government; as a qualified funeral director, David is aware of the issues that can be encountered at grass roots level and is therefore well placed to help funeral businesses comply with relevant Codes and to prepare for any further requirements that might be introduced.
David enjoys travel, rugby and hockey and occasionally can also be found behind the wheel of a coach!
Nigel is the Head of Quality Risk and Compliance.
Nigel has over 30 years’ experience in the funeral industry working for a wide range of funeral providers and in a number of different roles.
For the last 9 years Nigel has been employed by the National Association of Funeral Directors, leading the Standards and Quality team, monitoring compliance and supporting it’s members.
He also has a background in learning and development and as a former NAFD tutor supported students in achieving the Dip FAA and Dip FD.
Nigel will continue to lead the team and looks forward to collaborating with funeral directors to help the Independent Funeral Standards Organisation (IFSO) deliver a new and forward thinking regulatory process within the industry.
When not working he can often be found on the golf course spoiling a good walk!
Nigel is the Head of Quality Risk and Compliance.
Nigel has over 30 years’ experience in the funeral industry working for a wide range of funeral providers and in a number of different roles.
For the last 9 years Nigel has been employed by the National Association of Funeral Directors, leading the Standards and Quality team, monitoring compliance and supporting it’s members.
He also has a background in learning and development and as a former NAFD tutor supported students in achieving the Dip FAA and Dip FD.
Nigel will continue to lead the team and looks forward to collaborating with funeral directors to help the Independent Funeral Standards Organisation (IFSO) deliver a new and forward thinking regulatory process within the industry.
When not working he can often be found on the golf course spoiling a good walk!
Dr Helen Wright is a highly experienced and extremely well regarded educational leader and international coach of leaders. She led high achieving schools in the UK and Australia for over 13 years, and helped to transform them and their wider communities into ambitious places of learning and personal development.
Her warm, decisive, grounded style has enabled her to build a global network of connections, and for the past 4 years she has focused on recruiting, coaching and developing international leaders, engaging empathetically with them to challenge them to become the best of themselves.
Helen has been involved in boards for almost two decades and is a Director and Trustee of several boards in the UK, Hong Kong and Australia. Based in Edinburgh, Scotland, she chairs 2 national charity boards in the UK, and is particularly experienced in identifying opportunities for greater diversity of thought on Boards. She has worked with boards to develop practical recruitment and board support processes, resulting in better governance.
Helen is regularly asked to speak at conferences and in organisations across the world, and over the past few years has led workshops and given keynote speeches in the UK, Hong Kong, the US, Malaysia, China, the Netherlands and other locations. Her style is inspiring and stimulating, usually bringing a challenging and futures-focused perspective to bear on the issue at hand.
Helen has helped leaders and organisations across the world, and through transformative coaching they are better able to make the positive difference in their schools that they are seeking.
Initially working as a lawyer, with an LL.M. degree from Cambridge, Suzanne left private practice and then lectured in law at Manchester University before entering the civil service where she worked first at the Home Office, serving as Private Secretary to two Home Secretaries, and then at HM Treasury. She moved into running Arms-Length Bodies becoming CEO of both the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority and the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. Her last Executive role was as the UK’s Immigration Services Commissioner.
Currently she is the Chair of Right to Succeed, a charity focused on educational inequalities, Chair of the charity Lepra, which works with communities in Bangladesh, India, Mozambique and Zimbabwe to find, treat and rehabilitate people affected by leprosy and related tropical diseases, Chair of the Joint Audit Panel for the Mayor’s Office of Policing and Crime and the Metropolitan Police Service, Chair of the Fire Standards Board and Deputy Chair of the Valuation Tribunal Service.
She is a member of the Fundraising Regulator’s Board and chair of its Standards Committee and a member of the Board of the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority. In addition, she serves as the Independent Appointed Person for the Greater London Authority reviewing allegations of misconduct made against elected officials and is an Assistant Boundary Commissioner. Her previous Board appointments include the University of London, the Advertising Standards Authority and the General Medical Council. In addition to her law qualifications, she has a MSc in International Development and Project Management.
Rachel is an elected Councillor in the London Borough of Lewisham and between 2014 and 2018 held cabinet responsibility for the boroughs environmental services.
Rachel career has included a combination of investigations, policy, regulations, public affairs and stakeholder communications / management.
Rachel’s civil service career includes her time at the then Department for Business, Innovation & Skills advising on consumer policy. Whilst in this role Rachel worked on, amongst other projects, the implementation of the European Services Directive into UK domestic law ensuring the removal of burdens on small businesses. Rachel also worked on elements of the Consumer Bill of Rights project which saw the consolidation of various pieces of consumer goods and services regulations into one legislative framework.
Rachel is a Non- Executive Director with the Consumer Council for Water (CCW) holding responsibility for providing high level scrutiny, challenge and direction to CCW ensuring a strong and robust corporate and financial strategy for the benefit of water customers.
Rachel is a Board Trustee with Victim Support and a sitting magistrate at two South East London courts.
Rachel is also a school governor at two primary schools within the London Borough of Lewisham.
Natalie is a Quality Risk and Compliance Manager covering the South East of England. Having been previously employed with both a large, well known Funeral Business and two independent funeral firms, she joined the NAFD as a Standards and Quality Manager in December 2017. Particularly enjoying delivering the inspection process to existing and potential new members and also attending NFE.
Natalie is currently working towards the NAFD Funeral Arranging & Administration Certificate (FAA Cert) and is keen to complete this in 2022.
With 4 children, Natalie is kept busy. Enjoying spending time with family, holidays, eating out and going to the gym.
Natalie is a Quality Risk and Compliance Manager covering the South East of England. Having been previously employed with both a large, well known Funeral Business and two independent funeral firms, she joined the NAFD as a Standards and Quality Manager in December 2017. Particularly enjoying delivering the inspection process to existing and potential new members and also attending NFE.
Natalie is currently working towards the NAFD Funeral Arranging & Administration Certificate (FAA Cert) and is keen to complete this in 2022.
With 4 children, Natalie is kept busy. Enjoying spending time with family, holidays, eating out and going to the gym.
Gary is a Quality Risk and Compliance Manager for Scotland and the North of England. His previous employment included time in the Retail Trade before moving onto the Funeral Profession in 2002, working for a national company. In 2017 Gary moved to NAFD becoming a Standards and Quality Manager again covering Scotland, Northern Ireland and North West England where he assisted in the bi annual inspections and also assisting on new member applications.
Gary is married and has two grown up children one of which has just started university, he enjoys his football being a season ticket holder for Glasgow Rangers also enjoys movies being a science fiction fan.
David Hunter is a Quality Risk & Compliance Manager who helps ensure that funeral companies are meeting their requirements and providing the most professional levels of service.
Before joining IFSO, David was a Standards & Quality Manager with the NAFD and brings a wealth of experience having worked in both the corporate and independent funeral sector as well as having several years of involvement in legislative and regulatory roles within Local Government; as a qualified funeral director, David is aware of the issues that can be encountered at grass roots level and is therefore well placed to help funeral businesses comply with relevant Codes and to prepare for any further requirements that might be introduced.
David enjoys travel, rugby and hockey and occasionally can also be found behind the wheel of a coach!
David has served in a variety of roles in government, at both national and local level, and as a member or chair of a number of regulatory boards. A qualified optician, he was for eighteen years a member of parliament, and served in government as Deputy Leader of the House of Commons and as Minister of State at DEFRA. Prior to joining parliament, he had been leader of a major county council, chair of a police authority, and a member of the audit commission. After standing down as a minister, he was asked to act in ambassadorial roles as the Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Nigeria and to Angola.
Since retiring from parliament, David has taken on a number of non-executive roles, including the Consumer Council for Water, the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, and an NHS Clinical Commissioning Group. He recently stood down after six years as a board member, and latterly Senior Independent Director, of the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
David brings to his present role long experience as a chair and as a member of policy and regulatory boards, a keen interest and involvement in regulation, high standards in governance and regularity, and familiarity with the processes of government at all levels. In 1989 he was appointed CBE, and is a member of the Privy Council.
David has served in a variety of roles in government, at both national and local level, and as a member or chair of a number of regulatory boards. A qualified optician, he was for eighteen years a member of parliament, and served in government as Deputy Leader of the House of Commons and as Minister of State at DEFRA. Prior to joining parliament, he had been leader of a major county council, chair of a police authority, and a member of the audit commission. After standing down as a minister, he was asked to act in ambassadorial roles as the Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Nigeria and to Angola.
Since retiring from parliament, David has taken on a number of non-executive roles, including the Consumer Council for Water, the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, and an NHS Clinical Commissioning Group. He recently stood down after six years as a board member, and latterly Senior Independent Director, of the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
David brings to his present role long experience as a chair and as a member of policy and regulatory boards, a keen interest and involvement in regulation, high standards in governance and regularity, and familiarity with the processes of government at all levels. In 1989 he was appointed CBE, and is a member of the Privy Council.
