Arrange a burial

It can be very traumatic and distressing when someone dies. We aim to help make arranging a burial and funeral service as easy as possible.

Making funeral arrangements 

Before a burial can take place you will need to register the death with the registrar for births, deaths and marriages. 

It is the responsibility of executor of the deceased's estate or next of kin to make the funeral arrangements, although many families choose to appoint a funeral director to help with making arrangements. 

If you prefer, a funeral can be arranged without the services of a funeral director. In this case the executor, or nearest surviving relative, may arrange the burial service themselves. For further advice on arranging a funeral without a funeral director please contact Bereavement Services. 

Please see our fees and charges document below for the current prices for graves and interments. 

Choosing a funeral director 

The choice of funeral director is important - you should feel comfortable and confident with them. They may be known to you personally, may be recommended by a friend, your GP or religious adviser, or may just have a good reputation in your area. 

Alternatively you can find a funeral director on one of the following websites: 

• Online Yellow Pages
• National Association of Funeral Directors
• Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors 

All funeral directors have a code of practice and should give you an estimate of costs - both their own and the fees they will pay on your behalf and add to your final bill. You can ask for this estimate in advance and it's a good idea to ask different firms to quote so that you can compare costs. 

Your funeral director can make all the arrangements for the funeral, burial or cremation, religious or secular service. The funeral director can also advise on all the procedures and documents needed to register the death. 

Arranging a funeral without a funeral director

It is often assumed that funerals for cremation or burial can only be arranged with the services of a funeral director. Legally there is no requirement for you to use a funeral director and anybody can organise and arrange a funeral themselves. Many people choose to use a professional funeral director to arrange all aspects of the funeral as this may appear daunting, not least from a practical point of view, as well as carrying out what some may feel are unpleasant and difficult tasks. It is of course your right to make this decision as to whether you use a funeral director or not. 

If you would like to make funeral arrangements without using a funeral director, please see our Advice on arranging a funeral without a funeral director for further information.

Funeral services 

Burials may take place between 9am and 3pm Monday to Friday. 

New graves are only available at Gilroes Cemetery or Saffron Hill Cemetery. No new graves are available at Belgrave Cemetery or Welford Road Cemetery although burials may still take place in family graves if there is space available.

Burials in existing or reserved graves may only take place with the written permission of the registered grave owner. 

Funeral services may take place in the chapels at Gilroes cemetery, in the chapel or Muslim prayer house at Saffron Hill Cemetery, or at the graveside. If a funeral service is held elsewhere there will be a short service of committal at the graveside before a burial. 

Out of hours burials 

Our bereavement services office is open from 9am to 4.30pm Monday to Thursday and 9am to 4pm on a Friday. All burial bookings should be made with bereavement services during these times. 

When our office is closed, to meet the religious and cultural needs of faith communities requiring a same day or short notice burial, we offer an out of hours burial service. Burials will be provided by our cemetery staff who are available on call, but the burial booking will be made with our contracted service provider who will check that all the necessary statutory forms and certificates have been completed. 

To deliver this service we work with MBCOL Ltd, a well respected local charitable organisation. If you need to book a funeral when our office is closed you will first need to appoint a funeral arranger or funeral director who would then contact MBCOL directly. 

Burial documentation 

A completed application form, known as a Notice of Burial, is required for each burial. This form sets out all of the information required by the cemetery for the preparation of the grave and for completion of the statutory burial registers. Please download and complete the Notice of Burial (BRV1) application form below if you wish to make your own arrangements without a funeral director. 

In addition to the application form, a Registrars Certificate (green form) obtained when the death is registered, or a Coroners Order if the deceased was referred to a coroner for a post mortem, is required before a burial can take place.

Fees and charges price list

Fees and charges price list (PDF) - fees and charges for burials, graves, cremations and memorials as of 1 April 2020.

Contact us

Write to us: Bereavement Services, Leicester City Council, Gilroes Crematorium, Groby Road, LE3 9QG
Ring us on: 0116 373 7327
Send us a message