funeral-industry-news
Written 137 posts
New Funeral Sector Inspectors Recruited
1st July 2026
New Funeral Sector Inspectors recruited The Scottish Ministers are pleased to announce the appointment of Robbie Beattie, Terry Dickson and Martin Jeffrey. They will join our current inspector, Robert Swanson, reinforcing Scotland’s continued commitment to leading the way in funeral sector regulation. By strengthening oversight and maintaining clear standards, the Scottish Government aims to build…
Hydrolysis Regulations
10th March 2026
Our blog post of 5 February 2026 confirmed that the Hydrolysis Regulations would come into force on 2 March 2026: the Hydrolysis (Scotland) (No. 1) Regulations 2026 and the Hydrolysis (Scotland) (No. 2) Regulations 2026. The No. 1 Regulations focus on the modifications to the Burial and Cremation (Scotland) Act 2016 (“the 2016 Act”), extending…
Funeral Sector Register – update on registration numbers and their use on the new Burial and Cremation forms
4th March 2026
The Funeral Sector Register – registration number From 2 March 2026, the Funeral Sector Register moved the registration numbers from a QR-style code to a 10-digit number. The new format is designed to be more practical for day‑to‑day use, simpler to record and share, and easier to incorporate into routine administrative processes. Register numbers on…
Updated Burial and Cremation application forms now available to download
2nd March 2026
The Burial and Cremation (Applications and Registers) (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) Regulations 2025 are now in force. The Regulations amend the Cremation (Scotland) Regulations 2019 and the Burial (Applications and Register) (Scotland) Regulations 2024. The new forms should be used from now on for all applications. Additional detail is available in our blog posts of 25 November…
Update on amended burial and cremation forms
24th February 2026
In our blog post on 4 February 2026, we informed everyone about the new burial and cremation application forms that are coming into force on 2 March 2026. Our intention was to share the new forms in advance to allow burial and cremation authorities time to add their logo and address. We apologise that…
Changes to Duration and Extension of Right of Burial
6th February 2026
The Burial and Cremation (Scotland) Act 2016 (Commencement No. 6 and Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2024 commence sections 14 and 16 of the Burial and Cremation (Scotland) Act 2016 (“the 2016 Act”), which address the duration and extension of rights of burial. These sections will come into force on 1 March 2026. Section 14:…
Regulations For Hydrolysis Approved by The Scottish Parliament
5th February 2026
The Hydrolysis (Scotland) (No. 1) Regulations 2026 and the Hydrolysis (Scotland) (No. 2) Regulations 2026 were considered by the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee of the Scottish Parliament on 5 January. The Regulations were subsequently passed by a vote in the Scottish Parliament on 21 January 2026. Details about what the regulations do…
Updates to Burial and Cremation Application Forms and Registers
4th February 2026
The Scottish Government introduces Regulations, making changes to burial and cremation application forms and registers, under the Burial and Cremation (Scotland) Act 2016 (“the 2016 Act”). The Burial and Cremation (Applications and Registers) (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) Regulations 2025 will come into force on 2 March 2026. The Regulations amend the Cremation (Scotland) Regulations 2019…
Recruitment for Inspectors of Burial, Cremation and Funeral Directors
17th December 2025
Scottish Ministers are seeking to appoint up to three Inspectors to strengthen the regulatory framework for the funeral sector under the Burial and Cremation (Scotland) Act 2016. The role involves conducting inspections, assessing compliance and promoting best practice among burial authorities, cremation authorities and funeral directors. The Scottish Parliament is currently considering the introduction of…
Scottish Government Introduces New Hydrolysis Regulations Under the Burial and Cremation (Scotland) Act 2016
3rd December 2025
The Scottish Government laid the Hydrolysis (Scotland) (No. 1) Regulations 2026 and the Hydrolysis (Scotland) (No. 2) Regulations 2026 in the Scottish Parliament on 3 December 2025. The Regulations will enable hydrolysis to be offered as an option for people interested in alternatives to burial or cremation in Scotland. The No. 1 Regulations focus on…