Simon Cox

Independent, unbiased funeral sector expert. Helping people make sense of funeral planning. Improving transparency, costs, standards and environmental impact.

[Simon Cox @FuneralSolExprt]

@randle_masters Sorry for slow reply Martin & thks for the question. Trust, clarity & local ties still matter to families. But with big-budget brands dominating, IFDs struggle to compete. Plan cos & trade bodies can do more/and take on Pure directly esp. as DC reshapes the market #FuneralPlans

[Simon Cox @FuneralSolExprt]

👥 Consumers want to buy from local FDs—if the price is right.
Our 2025 report shows marketing, not pricing, is the key battleground.
Full insights 👉 https://t.co/AkhDcUHdNU
#FuneralDirectors #ConsumerInsights #FuneralReport

[Simon Cox @FuneralSolExprt]

Thursday
📉 17% of independent FDs no longer sell plans (vs 3% pre-FCA).
📢 We explore how they can win back share in our latest report 👉 https://t.co/AkhDcUHdNU
#IndependentFDs #FuneralPlans #ConsumerChoice

[Simon Cox @FuneralSolExprt]

The gap is closing: Funeral plans could soon overtake Over 50s life insurance plans.
Discover why this shift matters 👉 https://t.co/AkhDcUHdNU
#Over50Plans #LifeInsurance #FuneralMarket

[Simon Cox @FuneralSolExprt]

Direct cremation now dominates over 60% of funeral plan sales.
What does this mean for traditional independent and online businesses ?
📊 Our 2025 report is out now and available to buy 👉 https://t.co/AkhDcUHdNU
#DirectCremation #FuneralTrends #FuneralIndustry

[Simon Cox @FuneralSolExprt]

🚨 Out now: Our 2025 Funeral Plan Market Report reveals sales are bouncing back post-FCA regulation—reaching ~185k in 2024.
Explore how the market is reshaping 👉 https://t.co/AkhDcUHdNU
#FuneralPlans #FCA #DirectCremation

[Led By Donkeys @ByDonkeys]

Thousands of people are ditching Tesla. Here’s one of them with a message you can see from space.

Location: Black Rock Sands, Wales, UK

Led By Donkeys is 100% funded by small donations.

[Simon Cox @FuneralSolExprt]

@carolynharris24 Congratulations Carolyn - hope things continue to go well for you

[Simon Cox @FuneralSolExprt]

Stand out for me is that it is no longer “the” average cost of a funeral. It is “an” The average figure is overstated as it doesn’t take into account direct cremations.

Used to be a useful barometer but since 2016 it has become increasingly inaccurate.

@NationalSAIF @TheFCA

[Poppy Mardall @PoppyMardall]

Check out this summary of the recent @SunLife Cost of Dying report. Standout for me: cost remains a poor indicator of experience. The best support is not the most expensive - and Poppy's pricing sits 10% below the London average.

[Simon Cox @FuneralSolExprt]

@WhyteBridee1 @NAFD_UK @NationalSAIF And to be clear that near 10% figure is of independent FD locations

[Simon Cox @FuneralSolExprt]

Funeral Directors - have your say:

Funeral Solution Experts 4th annual survey is now open for independent FDS to have their say.

Take the survey below to share your views on funeral plans, direct cremation, regulation and other business pressures

https://t.co/KWR6yMXrLt

[Simon Cox @FuneralSolExprt]

@WhyteBridee1 @NAFD_UK @NationalSAIF Apologies for the delay in responding Brian

For business to business type surveys 100+ is reasonable/ normal and sufficient to get a robust result.

So to get c400 or nearly 10% of FDs participating is genuinely a very significant response.

Thanks for asking

[ALASTAIR CAMPBELL @campbellclaret]

BREAKING NEWS: French billionaire Jean-Louis Le Riche and German industrialist Hans-Dietrich Geldmann have agreed to donate 200m Euros to a new campaign to get 🇬🇧 back into the EU after the disaster of Brexit. Happy to announce I will be campaign director. I’m sure @Nigel_Farage @TiceRichard and Co will see absolutely nothing wrong with this at all. Common sense innit? #keepMuskMoneyOutOfOurCountry #TakeBackControl

[Simon Cox @FuneralSolExprt]

@FuneralsAPPG @CatSmithMP Lovely to see this group continuing to work together

[Simon Cox @FuneralSolExprt]

FSE welcomes the proposed Law Commission recommendations to manage the shortage of burial space

Clearly the topics sensitivity needs careful consideration, but potentially eases pressure on burial costs, and something I’ve called for, for nearly two decades, in various reports

[Simon Cox @FuneralSolExprt]

@MarkWalters_ Thinking of you , terrible news

[Simon Cox @FuneralSolExprt]

@KateWoodyBath @cendeathsociety Very kind Kate - the feeling is mutual and it’s been great to have conducted work together that has had palpable impact.

[Kate Woodthorpe @KateWoodyBath]

One of the best parts of my job, hands down.

Very lucky to work with excellent people in @cendeathsociety and externally esp Simon Cox @FuneralSolExprt

[Quaker Social Action @QSA]

Thank you for positive comments and endorsements from bereavement professionals and campaigners! Your support means so much to us. Thank you for sharing our tool with your networks.

https://t.co/ZvCHM1RVNj