How To Exhume A Body In London
Many families in Lonon buy burial plots and space in graveyards of their choice so that they can have a final resting place. Some times burial remains may need to be removed from their location. This task is probably more emotionally draining than the actual burial. In London, the exhumation of a deceased body cannot be done without explicit permission of the Ministry of Justice. The ministry issues a license that is then used to make arrangements for the exhumation of the remains of the deceased. In some cases permission from the Church of England may be required if the body is buried in a graveyard that is run by the church.
Instructions
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Licence for Exhumation
Before you are allowed to remove the remains from a grave, you will be asked for an exhumation license by the funeral home or graveyard administration. In most cases, you will only need to get a Home Office licence from the Ministry of Justice. However, in some situations, you will also need a Bishops Faculty licence from the Church of England. -
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Licence requirments
Bishops of The Church of England consecrate graveyards so that it is referred to as "Consecrated". Any other grave yard is referred to as "Unconsecrated". This division is important because it will help figure out what type of license is required. The following are the rules and types of licenses required:
- Grave moved from consecrated land to another consecrated plot - Only Bishops Faculty licence
- Grave moved from Unconsecrated land to Consecrated Land - Only Home Office licence
- Remains being exhumed from consecrated lands to unconsecrated land - Both Licenses required -
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Bishops Faculty licence
This license is issued after relatives have applied to the Church of England Diocese. The application must be sent to the church which is in charge of the area where the grave is located. Use the locator to find the correct one.
The application comes with a charge and the Diocese will be able to explain all charges and procedure. -
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Home Office licence
This license is issued by the Ministry of Justice and has no charge. In London, you can use the information listed below to contact them and get an application.
Location: Ministry of Justice, Coroners Unit, Burial Team, 102 Petty France, London SW1H 9AJ, United Kingdom. View Map
Telephone: +44 203 334 6390
Email: coroners@justice.gsi.gov.uk -
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Further Details
Exhuming a body can be a expensive proposition. This is because a special exhumation team does the task, usually accompanied by other officials. In most cases it is an Environmental Health Officer who makes sure there is no health risk and that the remains are treated with respect.
