Personal data* (information) that is collected may vary depending on the situation. This can include:

• Contact information: Name, email address, phone number and postal address.
• Communication details: Correspondence via email, phone or social media.
• Special category: your relationship to a deceased person, including their religious beliefs and medical cause of death.
• Photographs and video images: livestream or recorded relating to a funeral service arranged for a deceased person, where permission has been obtained from the person arranging the personal ceremony for the deceased.

* The term ‘personal data' relates to any data that could potentially identify a specific individual. The following are classified as ‘personal data’: name, age, address, postcode, place of birth, date of birth, gender, and national insurance number. Additionally, any information that can be used directly or in conjunction with other data to identify, contact or locate an individual is considered personal data.

The Bereavement Services Team uses the information. It may also be shared with other Council departments or external partner agencies and contractors who are suppling a products or services you have requested, where necessary and, only when legally permitted, to fulfil our obligations, assist in safeguarding or deliver services more effectively.  

Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (2018), the Council collects and uses this information under powers given to local authorities (councils).

We process your personal data on the following legal grounds.

1. You have provided consent for us to process your data for specific purposes.
2. Processing is necessary for the performance of a contract with you or to take steps at your request before entering such a contract.
3. Processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which we are subject.
4. Processing is necessary for your legitimate interests or those of a third party (i.e. someone else or another organisation), and your rights do not override these interests. These interests can include commercial interests, individual interests, or broader benefits to society. This justification cannot apply if we, as a public authority, are processing information to perform our official tasks.

In circumstances where we do not have the legal authority to use your information, we will always obtain your prior consent. You can find all the relevant legislation in Appendix 1 below.

We may sometimes share the information we have collected about you where it is necessary, lawful, and fair to do so. In each case we will share only the minimum amount of information, only when it is required and with:

• Individuals requesting details from the statutory register.
• The provider of a service or product you have requested or purchased.
• Someone you have instructed to perform a service, (e.g. a funeral director, stonemason, minister or celebrant).
• National Regulators (e.g. Information Commissioner’s Office, Investigatory Powers Commissioner)
• The Courts, judges, Crown Prosecution Service, employment tribunals, H.M.Coroner.
• The Police and other crime enforcement agencies.
• Other public authorities (e.g. councils, government departments such as HMRC, DWP, Immigration etc)
• Debt collectors
• Local archives office
• Elected Members & MPs (as your representatives)
• Contractors providing IT services.

Note: the lists above are not exhaustive. From time to time, we may be obliged to review our data processing requirements in light of current circumstances and new legislation.

Your information is stored securely on a database and document management systems. These have strict password access and usage policies and procedures.

There is a legal requirement for some information to be kept permanently as part of the statutory burial and cremation registers. Entries requested in the book of remembrance are kept permanently. We have a statutory retention schedule of 15 years for cremation paperwork. We will retain information for as long as you hold a grave or memorial lease. All records are destroyed securely when we no longer require them.  Access to video recordings is withdrawn by our supplier 28 days after the funeral ceremony.

Under data protection law, you have rights, including the following:

• Right of access – You have the right to ask us for copies of your personal information.
• Right to know – You have the right to know how we process your information.
• Right to rectification – You have the right to ask us to correct personal information you think is inaccurate. You also have the right to ask us to complete information you think is incomplete.
• Right to erasure – You have the right to ask us to erase your personal information in certain circumstances.
• Right to restriction of processing – You have the right to ask us to restrict the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances. Where possible, we will seek to comply with your request, but we may be required to hold or process information to perform our functions under the law.
• Right to withdraw consent – You have the right to withdraw consent at any time if we rely on your consent to process your information.
• Right to object to processing – You have the right to object to the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.
• Right to data portability – You have the right to ask that we transfer the personal information you gave us to another organisation, or to you, in certain circumstances.

If you wish to make a request, please see the details in the following link: Requests for personal data or other information.

If you have any concerns or questions about how your personal information is handled, please contact our Data Protection Officer at information@warwickdc.gov.uk.

For independent advice about data protection, privacy, and data sharing issues, you can contact the Information Commissioner at:

Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.

Tel: 0303 123 1113 (local rate) or 01625 545 745 if you prefer to use a national rate number.

Alternatively, visit ico.org.uk or email casework@ico.org.uk.

The Warwick District Council Privacy Notice is available on the Warwick District Council website.

• UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) 2018
• Data Protection Act 2018
• Freedom of Information Act 2000
• The Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR) 2003
• Equality Act 2010
• Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
• Burial ground Act 1816
• Burial Acts 1852, 1853, 1854, 1855, 1857, 1859, 1860, 1862, 1871, 1900, 1906
• Cemeteries Clauses Act 1847
• Burial Laws Amendment Act 1880
• The Registration of Burials Act 1864
• Disused Burial Grounds Act 1884 & (Amendment) Act 1981
• Open Spaces Act 1906
• The Cremation Acts, 1902 & 1952
• The Cremation (England & Wales) Regulations 2008
• The Local Authorities Cemeteries Order 1974
• The Local Authorities Cemeteries Order 1977
• The Local Authorities Cemeteries (amendment) order 1986
• The Public Health (Control of Diseases) Act 1984
• The Local Government Act 1972
• The Town and Country Planning (Churches, Places of Religious Worship and Burial Grounds) Regulations 1948 & 1950
• Common Laws
• Ecclesiastical Laws

Version	Date	Changes Made	Approved by	Next review due
Work in progress	14/7/2025	First version	Bereavement Services Manager	13/7/2026