In the UK it is not necessary to be buried at a local authority facility. Really?
That’s right. But so few such funeral ceremonies are carried out in the UK as it’s not widely known and varies from country to country. But it is relatively straight forward according to the Natural Death Centre. In fact burial on private land in the UK is free of the many legal considerations attributed to public burial. But it has to be considered carefully as a viable option.
Here are the TEN BASIC RULES and regulations for a burial on private land…
1) You (or the deceased) must have gotten written/documented permission from the land owner of the burial plot.
2) There are no by-laws or covenant restrictions in the land deeds that prohibit burial.
3) Take into account and check that the burial spot does not / will not be near public facilities such as water services. Check the council for the local permitted distances.
4) The depth of burial is deep enough to local rules… usually 1 meter of soil is required above the coffin lid.
5) Register the death and burial site & date with the local Registrar of Birth & Deaths , usually at the local Town Hall offices.
6) Complete the ‘green form’ at time of burial and return to the same Registrar.
7) Seek Planning Permission if there is any change of use for a building or plot, i.e. you are constructing a burial memorial or shrine or a permanent nature.
Ensure you have the right equipment to dig the grave to the correct depth and location, making sure there are no issues below ground.
9) Consider how things could be affected should the burial land or property be sold on? For example, how would mourners or loved ones visit the grave on private land.
10) If it’s a public event on private land then maybe a mention to the local police might be a good idea so they are not called out to something that looks improper or suspicious!!
You may want to seek some advice from local Funeral Directors. But check with at least three as there is confusion or lack of knowledge in this topic as it is so rare.
Don’t forget you can plan your own funeral online for free with Funerals To Die For (UK). www.funerals-to-die-for.co.uk
Funeral Fun-Box
For instance: our funeral budget will be different or the number of mourners may differ significantly. Plus my religion (or not) will help dictate the type of structure and order of the funeral ceremony.
Funerals Planning Online