BURIALS AND DISPOSAL OF HUMAN REMAINS
A Certificate of Disposal must be seen before a Burial takes place.
Clergy and Readers taking funerals are reminded that before a burial may take place in a churchyard, the minister conducting the service must be satisfied that a “Certificate of Disposal” for the body (the “green form”) has been issued by the Superintendent Registrar or a corresponding Order made by the Coroner. The Certificate (or Coroner’s Order) should be produced to the minister before the burial. It is evidence that the death has been duly registered and authorises the disposal of the body.
To avoid any last minute delays at the funeral itself, the minister should ask the family or the undertakers to ensure that the Certificate is provided at least 48 hours before the burial is scheduled to take place. If this is not possible, the minister should ask at least to have a copy of the certificate or coroner’s order sent over by email.
In exceptional circumstances, if production of the Certificate prior to the funeral has not been possible, but the minister is satisfied by a written declaration that the Certificate or Order has been issued but has been left behind or mislaid, the burial may proceed, but only if the minister obtains a written undertaking that the missing Certificate or Order has been issued and will be produced as soon as possible. Nevertheless, those taking burial services are recommended to ensure that they see the Certificate in good time before the funeral in order to avoid any last minute misunderstandings.
If the regular priest or minister is absent for any reason and another minister is taking a burial service, the churchwardens should make sure that they have had sight of the Certificate or Coroner’s Order before the burial proceeds.
Burial of a body without a green form can give rise to a criminal prosecution under the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1926, and may attract a fine at level 1 on the ‘standard scale’ (currently up to £200)
COMMITTALS
The Burial Laws Amendment Act 1880, section 1, provides that a committal of remains may take place in the churchyard without the use of the rites of the Church of England. This means that on the proper notice being given (see Schedule A to the Act ) anyone may take a service of committal. This reflects the character of the churchyard as a public space and allows those of other or no faith to be interred in the churchyard. This provision only applies to committals and does not extend to allow anyone other than a Church of England deacon or priest to take a funeral service within the Church itself.