The funeral process can be a very distressing time for family and friends, with many arrangements needing to be taken care of. During this period things can sometimes seem overwhelming and it can be difficult to know what the best course of action to take is. To help you during this time, here is some information which we often get asked for relating to your legal rights and responsibilities.
Registering a death
A death must be registered and there are time limits set for when this should take place by. In the UK a registrar must be notified of the death by a qualified person within 5 days of it occurring, with the death itself needing to be registered within 14 days. After this has happened a certificate for burial and cremation as well as a certificate of registration of death can be issued.
Places where you can bury a body
There is sometimes confusion about where a body can be buried. A person can be buried in a local authority cemetery, a private cemetery or a religious burial ground. They can also be buried on your own land, a nature reserve or other private land – as long as permission has been granted by the landowner in advance.
Rights to bereavement leave
Currently there is right to statutory bereavement leave in England and as such a bereaved person has no legal entitlement to time off work other than to make the necessary funeral arrangements and attend it. Whilst some people may have details of bereavement leave outlined in their contracts, for others, any permitted leave is at the discretion of their employer and so varies between different organisations/companies.
Joseph C Roberts provide funeral services throughout West and North Yorkshire. Our team of qualified staff are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to help you with each step of the funeral process. For more information, please get in touch when you are ready on 01423 887824.