"Everyone should have the right to die well" - State of Dying Report

3 December 2025, London UK

A landmark new report by Dignity has revealed stark inequalities in how people experience death and bereavement across the country.

The report finds that those on the lowest incomes have a significantly worse experience of death and bereavement than those on the highest incomes. Respondents earning less than £30,000 per year were ten percentage points more likely (30%) than those earning over £80,000 (20%) to feel dissatisfied with the care their loved one receives towards the end of their life, while those in the highest income bracket were significantly more likely to feel supported after a loved one's death (83%) than those in the lowest bracket (60%).

The State of Dying in the UK draws on a nationally representative survey of 4,000 people and exposes the reality of end-of-life care, grief, and funeral practices in modern Britain. With around 600,000 deaths every year in the UK, these figures represent more than 160,000 families each year left feeling distressed and let down by their experience of loss.

The findings paint a picture of a system struggling to meet people's needs. Only one in five (21%) people believe end-of-life care is properly funded, while more than eight in ten (81%) say the care home system is in need of reform, with almost half describing it as long overdue.

Although most people trust the carers and professionals they deal with directly, confidence in the system as a whole remains low. Three-quarters (75%) of people say they trust frontline carers, yet only one in three (34%) express the same confidence in care home operators. Families who were more closely involved in arranging care were significantly more likely to report a positive experience, suggesting that openness and preparation can make a tangible difference at the end of life.

The report also reveals widespread misunderstanding about the funeral sector. Nearly half of respondents (46%) believe funeral directors are regulated, but in most of the UK, they are not. The vast majority of people (80%) say they want clear oversight and minimum standards introduced.

This lack of regulation, the report warns, leaves families vulnerable at their most difficult time. Dignity, one of the UK's largest funeral providers, is calling for the introduction of national regulation to raise standards, increase transparency, and rebuild trust in the sector following a series of high-profile failings.

The study highlights how a national reluctance to talk about death is making the experience harder for families. Only just over half (55%) of those who died had written a will, and two in five (40%) had made specific funeral plans. Among the wider public, fewer than half (46%) have discussed their wishes with loved ones.

Dignity is calling for a cultural shift to normalise conversations about death and encourage families to plan ahead, ensuring that more people can die, and be remembered, with care, clarity, and compassion.

Dignity has been part of the UK funeral sector since 1812, supporting families with care, respect, and professionalism for more than two centuries. As one of the UK's largest funeral providers, Dignity has long championed higher standards across the sector, including calling for stronger protections and increased transparency to better support bereaved families.

Survey conducted in September 2025 and the total sample was 4,502.

For more information contact dignity@headlandconsultancy.com.