A funeral is used to mark the end of a person’s life here on earth. Family and friends come together to express grief, give thanks for the life lived and commend the person into God’s keeping. These can be a small, quiet ceremony or a large occasion in a packed church.

Everyone is entitled to either a burial service (funeral) or to have their ashes buried in their local parish churchyard by their local parish priest regardless of whether they attended church or not. Speak to your local vicar for more information, or, if you do not know who your local vicar is please use the search box on the right to find your local Church of England church.

If the churchyard has been closed, then the Local Authority will provide alternative places of burial and the minister can carry out the service there instead of the church or crematorium.

For more information, visit our Church of England Funerals website