Buying a grave at a council cemetery

Funeral directors normally deal with buying an Exclusive Right of Burial as part of the funeral arrangements.

An Exclusive Right of Burial gives the owner the exclusive right, during the set period stated on the deed, to say who can be buried in the plot.

The owner of the Exclusive Right of Burial is the only person who can permit a burial to take place in this grave, which must be in writing, unless the internment is for the owner of the grave.

Purchasing the Exclusive Right of Burial for a plot does not mean you own the land. The council retains ownership and does not give the holder of the deed any rights over the plot above ground level.

We are unable to offer families the facility to reserve a grave for future use.

Please contact the bereavement services team for more information.