Funeral Industry News

  • Registering a Death – Sending Forms 14 Electronically

    20th April 2021 by

    On 1 April 2020 our blog post advised that National Records of Scotland (NRS), working with local authorities, moved to a remote registration. Many registration offices continue to have staff working (at least in part) from home. NRS has no objections to Forms 14 with a digital image of the registrar’s signature, or a typed...

    Read more

  • COVID-19: Easing of Restrictions and Publication of Protection Levels Framework

    13th April 2021 by

    The First Minister today (13 April 2021) set out further detail on the easing of COVID-19 restrictions and expressed confidence that all parts of Scotland will be placed into level 3 on the 26th April 2021. This means that up to 50 people, with physical distancing, will be able to attend funeral services, funeral-related commemorative...

    Read more

  • Coronavirus (COVID-19): timetable for easing restrictions: funerals

    16th March 2021 by

    Today the First Minister announced the intention to lift the current ‘stay at home’ rule on the 2 April 2021 and replace it with guidance to stay local unless travelling for an essential purpose. The First Minister also announced the intention to move most of Scotland (with the exception of the islands) into a modified...

    Read more

  • COVID-19: Advice Card for Workplaces

    15th March 2021 by

    COVID-19 advice cards for workplaces are available here and can be downloaded, printed and displayed for staff and visitors to help reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission in your workplace. Part A is for managers and supervisors so they know what is expected of them. Part B is for all workers and visitors and should...

    Read more

  • First Minister Announces Intention to Reopen Places of Worship But Attendance At Funeral Services Remains At 20 People

    9th March 2021 by

    In her statement to Parliament today (9 March 2021), the First Minister announced the Scottish Government’s intention to reopen places of worship for communal worship on Friday 26 March. A final decision on this will be taken on Tuesday 23 March and the full details of the announcement can be found here . This announcement...

    Read more

  • Coronavirus (COVID-19): Compliance Self-assessment Tool

    26th February 2021 by

    On 25 February 2021 the Scottish Government made available the Coronavirus (COVID-19): compliance self-assessment tool.  The tool is intended to assist workplaces to assess what measures they should have in place to ensure they are minimising the risk of transmission of the virus.  For businesses which are continuing to operate during the lockdown, such as...

    Read more

  • Funeral Director: Code of Practice Consultation Report

    9th February 2021 by

    In 2019 the Burial and Cremation Team at the Scottish Government carried out a consultation on the draft Funeral Director: Code of Practice. The Analysis Report of this consultation is now published here. We appreciate the time given by respondents to the consultation. The results of the analysis will help inform future revisions to the Code....

    Read more

  • Funeral Attendance During COVID-19

    8th February 2021 by

    Throughout the pandemic, there continues to be a risk of transmission of COVID-19 wherever families and communities come together following the death of a loved one. We understand that funerals are extremely important events and that is why funeral services are not caught by the general restrictions on gatherings. However, funerals are highly emotional and...

    Read more

  • COVID-19 Vaccination: Third and Independent Health and Social Care Frontline Workers

    29th January 2021 by

    Mr Paul Hawkins, Director for COVID-19 Vaccination Delivery in the Scottish Government has issued a letter providing the vaccination scheduling contact details for each Health Board in Scotland. You can read that letter here: JCVI Priority 2 Third and Independent HSC Staff Letter-28.01.2021 Self-assessment definitions are provided in Annex B. Our guidance for funeral directors...

    Read more

  • Access to COVID-19 Vaccination in Scotland

    22nd January 2021 by

    Mr Paul Hawkins, Director for COVID-19 Vaccination Delivery in the Scottish Government has issued an interim communication to all Third and Independent sector health and social care staff listed in the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) Priority Group 2, which includes frontline funeral operatives, mortuary technicians, and embalmers. JCVI Priority 2 Third and...

    Read more