All deaths have to be registered, and the people closest to the deceased person have a legal obligation to do this. Deaths in England and Wales or Northern Ireland should be registered within 5 days. If this is not going to be possible, you should inform the Registrar. In Scotland, deaths must be registered within 8 days. However, there are some circumstances where this is simply not possible. For further explanation get in touch and one of the CFS family can guide you through it.
In England and Wales, the death has to be registered at a Register Office in the area where the death occurred. This is the case even if the death occurred a distance from home. However, there is a facility available to attend your local Register Office to register a death that occurred in another area. This is called Registration by Declaration, and involves the two Registrars transferring documents by fax and post in order to register the death. Depending on the circumstances, this can delay the date of the funeral – ask your Funeral Director for advice. In Scotland, you can register the death at any registration district as long as it is in Scotland.
No, there is no requirement to hold a religious funeral service and there are a number of alternatives. Here are a couple of options:
- A Civil Celebrant is someone who is not associated with any church but can if required say prayers, lead hymns and give blessings
- A relative or friend could take the service if they feel able
Your Funeral Director will be able to advise and hep organise the right person to lead the funeral service of your loved one.
As members of the National Association of Funeral Directors, Cornwall Funeral Services are required to abide by a strict code of practice. The code requires that you be given a full written estimate of all funeral costs. In addition, from September 2021, all Funeral Directors have been required to provide this Standardised Price List and an Additional Options Price List.
If you are unsure of anything your Funeral Director is there to help and guide you and your family. At Cornwall Funeral Services we guarantee that the person who works with you to arrange the funeral will be the Funeral Director on the day.
If that is what you wish for then yes, we will be pleased to arrange for notice(s) to be placed in either your local paper or the national papers. There are also several online notices options, which your Funeral Director can talk you through.
Yes, but we ask that you discuss this with your Funeral Director in advance as it is essential this is carried out safely.
No. There are strict laws regarding cremation. Nothing may be removed from the coffin before cremation.
Yes, our Funeral Home is open and available to you at any time. If you wish to visit our private chapel, please inform us when you would like to come and we will be pleased to make an appointment for you.
Yes, we can bring the deceased home either on the evening before the Service or on the morning of the Service, so the deceased can leave from home.
Yes. The identity of the coffin name plate is checked by the Crematorium staff before it is placed into the Cremation Chamber. This only holds one coffin or casket at a time and, again, there are strict regulations which must be abided by.
If this is what you want, yes. Once the cremation has taken place, the cremated remains are removed and left to cool before being placed in an urn. This urn is clearly labelled as to whose remains it contains. There are also other options that any one of the team would gladly discuss with you.
There are numerous options available to you:
- Burial in your local cemetery or in a natural burial ground
- Scattering
- Dividing amongst members of the family
- Asking the crematorium to scatter
- Jewellery, fireworks, tattoos and more
If you require catering after the funeral, you can make your own arrangements or we can arrange catering for you. There is no rules to say you should or shouldn’t arrange anything for after the service.
If the grave is earth rather than bricked, the grave will take six months or more before the ground is firm enough to take the weight of a headstone. If the grave is bricked inside, then it does not take as long. Your Funeral Director will be pleased to advise you.
It is the Cremation form signed by the medical practitioner that treated the deceased person during their last illness and that had seen the deceased within 28 days prior to death.
Yes, we have experience in the repatriation of remains into and out of the UK and have contacts with repatriation companies who make this happen.
