Funeral Industry News

  • Provisional Bookings for Burial or Cremation Prior to Registration of Death

    2nd August 2022 by

    A Certificate of Registration of Death (‘Form 14’) is required under section 27A of the Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages (Scotland) Act 1965 before a burial or cremation can take place in Scotland.   Under the 1965 Act, it is the responsibility of burial and cremation authorities to ensure the appropriate paperwork has been...

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  • Covid-19: Test and Protect update

    31st March 2022 by

    On 15 March 2022, the First Minister provided an update on Test and Protect within her statement. We published an update to Covid-19 regulations and guidance on 16 March to provide the link to the updated test and protect transitional plan and update to the funeral industry.   We have now received more details from Test...

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  • COVID-19: Update on duration of self-isolation and on critical worker exemptions to self-isolation

    6th January 2022 by

    On 21 December 2021, in response to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, the First Minister set out new protective measures. We issued a blog on 23 December setting out how those protections and exemptions applied to the funeral industry. The First Minister made a further statement to the Scottish Parliament yesterday, 5 January 2022,...

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  • COVID-19: Update on critical worker exemptions to self-isolation

    23rd December 2021 by

    Today, 23 December 2021, the Scottish Government published updated guidance on critical worker exemptions. The updated guidance, which contains important new information on self-isolation exemptions for the funeral sector, can be found here.   For more information about how the sector should apply these exemptions, please see the recent blog post setting out the sector...

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  • COVID-19 BOOSTER PROGRAMME UPDATE

    22nd September 2021 by

    From Tuesday 21 September frontline health and social care workers, including frontline funeral operatives, are able to book an appointment for a COVID-19 booster vaccine, online at NHS Inform. The booster programme is to prolong protection against severe COVID-19 illness and will run alongside the flu vaccination programme. Wherever possible, eligible people will be offered...

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  • Emergency Legislation Update

    20th July 2021 by

    The UK Coronavirus Act 2020 allows Scottish Ministers to suspend the effect of certain provisions in the Burial and Cremation (Scotland) Act 2016 and the Cremation (Scotland) Regulations 2019. On 8 April 2020, the Scottish Ministers published determinations under the UK Coronavirus Act 2020, which had implications for applications for cremation and the handling of...

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  • First Minister announces further easing of restrictions from 19 July 2021.

    14th July 2021 by

    Yesterday (13 July 2021) the First Minister of Scotland announced that all of Scotland will move to a slightly modified Protection Level 0 on 19 July 2021.   The easings from 19 July 2021 which the funeral sector will wish to be aware of specifically are:   Up to 200 people will be able to...

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  • COVID-19: Funeral Guidance Updated

    25th June 2021 by

    On Tuesday 22nd June, we published a blog outlining upcoming relaxation of funeral restrictions.   We have now updated our guidance to reflect these changes:   Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance for funeral services   Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance for funeral directors   Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance for burial and cremation authorities   A change to regulations that will...

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  • Update to Scottish Funeral Services Guidance – Singing, Chanting and Music

    9th June 2021 by

      The Scottish Government has updated its Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance for funeral services with respect to singing, chanting and music in small groups from level 2.   At protection levels 0-2, a small group of singers and/or musicians can perform at the funeral service. In all cases, this is provided the appropriate mitigations and safeguards...

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  • Upcoming Changes to Protection Levels in Scottish Local Authority Areas

    1st June 2021 by

    Today (1 June) the First Minister announced forthcoming changes to the protection levels for some areas of Scotland. You can read the First Minister’s statement in full here. From 00:01 on Saturday 5 June the following changes will take place: Glasgow will move to Level 2. A group of 13 mainland authorities will remain in...

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