Burial FAQ
Do I own the grave?
No. You purchase the Right of Burial to the gravespace, which means that only you or a person of your choice can be buried within the grave. The actual grave belongs to the Burial Authority, as do the cemetery grounds.
Can I reserve a grave for use in the future?
Yes. You can purchase a grave in advance, which can often give peace of mind.
How many people can be buried in a grave?
All new graves are dug to a depth of 6 feet, allowing for two full interments plus numerous cremated remains caskets. In some of the city cemeteries, and where land is suitable, graves can be dug to a depth of 7ft 6 in, which will allow three full interments. Our new cremated remains graves will accommodate 4 cremated remains caskets.
Which way are coffins buried?
Today, in all new graves the head of the coffin is at the end where a memorial can be erected. In older parts of some cemeteries the coffins were lowered facing in an easterly direction, although this did cause problems in that the memorial could then be situated at the foot of some graves. As people refer to the memorial as a 'headstone', they assumed it would be on the head of the grave; this is what happens with new graves today.
How soon after burial can a memorial be erected?
Where the grave is situated on a concrete raft, the memorial can be erected immediately. In the older parts of the cemeteries, where there is no concrete raft, it is very much dependant on the ground conditions. Usually approximately 13 weeks is sufficient for the ground to settle.
Is it true that bodies can be removed from graves?
Yes, this is known as exhumation. An exhumation can be arranged by the service if a family chooses to do this. Due to the nature of such a request, an exhumation is only granted for a full earth burial for a very important reason. Before the service agree to an application, the family is given a full explanation of the exhumation process. Dependent on the religious denomination of the ground, either a Home Office Licence or a Church Faculty has to be applied for and the exhumation can only take place if one of these is granted. Furthermore, only the owner of the Right of Burial can request an exhumation.
Can cremated remains be strewn on the top of a grave?
No. People often think that it would be nice to have remains strewn on top of a grave but in reality, when the grave is dug for a further interment, the first 2ft of the soil is removed to the tip, along with anything on it. For this reason we only allow actual interments of cremated remains within a grave. Where a family chooses strewing, we insist on this being in the Gardens of Remembrance.
How much does a burial cost?
People who are not city residents (who have not paid Council Tax to Liverpool City Council in the past five years of their life) have to pay a higher fee than a city resident. This is simply because cemeteries cost a great deal of money to develop and maintain, which the city has to pay for from the Council Tax contributions of its residents. People who have paid their Council Tax contributions to other authorities have therefore not contributed towards these costs.
