Privacy Policy

Last updated: 21 June 2026

Who we are

The Modern Funeral Ltd, trading as The Modern Funeral, is responsible for your personal information. Company number: 08474275. For the purposes of UK data protection law, The Modern Funeral Ltd is the “data controller”. This means that we decide how and why personal information is used.

This policy

This policy explains how we collect, use, store and share personal information when you:

  • contact us about a funeral or our services
  • arrange a funeral, gathering, visit, vigil, memorial or event with us
  • take part in a funeral or event we are organising
  • hire or use our space
  • join our mailing list or contact us through social media
  • use our website.

Information about a person who has died is not generally covered by UK data protection law. However, we treat it as confidential and handle it with care, discretion and respect.

The information we collect

Depending on why you are in touch with us, we may collect:

  • names, addresses, email addresses and telephone numbers
  • your relationship to the person who has died or to other people involved
  • information needed to arrange, manage and deliver a funeral, gathering, visit, memorial or event
  • correspondence, meeting notes, instructions, preferences and practical arrangements
  • payment, invoice and financial information
  • information about suppliers, professional contacts and people supporting arrangements
  • photographs, tribute material, music choices, readings, recordings and other material supplied for a funeral or event
  • website enquiry details, social-media messages and technical information about how our website is used
  • information needed to make our space, events or services accessible, safe and appropriate.

We may occasionally need more sensitive information, such as health or access needs, religious or philosophical beliefs, dietary requirements or safeguarding concerns. We only collect this where it is genuinely needed to provide care, arrange an event or keep people safe.

How we receive information

We may receive information directly from you by phone, email, website form, social media, in person or through an event booking.

We may also receive information from:

  • the client instructing us
  • people close to the person who has died
  • celebrants, ministers, venues, crematoria, cemeteries, burial grounds and other suppliers
  • hospitals, hospices, care homes, Medical Examiners, coroners, registrars or other relevant bodies
  • executors, friends, relatives or professional advisers acting for someone involved.

Where someone gives us your details in connection with a funeral or event, we will use only the information needed to contact or involve you appropriately.

How we use your information

We use personal information to:

  • respond to enquiries and provide information about our services
  • arrange, manage and deliver funerals, memorials, vigils, visits, gatherings and events
  • communicate with clients and people involved in the arrangements
  • manage bookings, suppliers, venues, transport, flowers, printing, catering, cremation, burial and other practical details
  • issue estimates and invoices, receive payments and maintain accounts
  • meet legal, regulatory, insurance, tax and record-keeping requirements
  • maintain safety, safeguarding and quality standards
  • respond to complaints, questions, feedback or legal claims
  • run community events, workshops and space hire
  • send newsletters, invitations and updates where you have asked to receive them
  • protect our website, systems and records from misuse or security problems.

We do not sell personal information. We do not use identifiable funeral case information to train public AI systems.

Our lawful bases

Data protection law requires us to have a lawful basis for using personal information. Depending on the circumstances, we rely on:

  • Contract – where we need information to respond to a request, prepare an estimate or deliver services you have asked us to provide.
  • Legal obligation – where we need to meet legal, tax, accounting, regulatory, certification or record-keeping requirements.
  • Legitimate interests – where we need to run the business properly, communicate with people involved in arrangements, maintain accurate records, protect the business or resolve concerns fairly.
  • Consent – where you choose to receive marketing communications or give us clear permission to use identifiable stories, photographs, testimonials, recordings or other material publicly.
  • Vital interests – in rare situations where information is needed to protect someone from serious harm.

Where we process sensitive personal information, we will use an additional legal condition where required. This may include your explicit consent, legal requirements or the need to protect someone from serious harm.

Who we share information with

We share personal information only where it is needed for the arrangements, where you have asked us to do so or where we have a legal reason.

This may include:

  • crematoria, cemeteries, burial grounds and natural burial providers
  • Medical Examiners, coroners, registrars, hospitals, hospices, care homes and relevant authorities
  • celebrants, ministers, musicians and ceremony contributors
  • florists, printers, caterers, transport providers, artists, venues and other suppliers
  • accountants, payment providers, insurers and professional advisers
  • website, email, cloud-storage, accounting and booking-system providers
  • police, regulators or other authorities where required by law or necessary for safety.

We only share the information needed for the relevant purpose.

International transfers

Some technology and service providers may process information outside the UK.

Where this happens, we will use appropriate safeguards required by UK data protection law. Please contact us if you would like more information about a particular provider.

How long we retain your information

We keep personal information only for as long as we need it.

Our usual retention periods are:

  • Funeral case records, correspondence, instructions and practical records: seven years after the case is closed.
  • Financial and accounting records: at least six years from the end of the relevant financial year, or longer where required by law.
  • Enquiries that do not lead to a booking: up to 12 months after our last meaningful contact.
  • Community event and space-hire records: up to 12 months after the event, unless financial, safeguarding or insurance records need to be kept longer.
  • Newsletter and mailing-list information: until you unsubscribe or we decide that the information is no longer current or useful.
  • Supplier and professional-contact records: normally up to six years after the end of the working relationship or final transaction.

We may keep information longer where there is an unresolved complaint, legal claim, regulatory requirement or other legitimate reason to do so.

Your rights

You have rights over your personal information. Depending on the circumstances, you may have the right to:

  • ask for a copy of the personal information we hold about you
  • ask us to correct inaccurate information
  • ask us to delete information
  • ask us to restrict how we use information
  • object to certain uses of your information
  • ask us to transfer information to another organisation where technically possible
  • withdraw consent where we rely on consent.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at contact@themodernfuneral.com.

We may need to ask for proof of identity before responding to a request.

You may object to direct marketing at any time. If you do, we will stop using your information for that purpose.

Marketing and public content

We will send newsletters, invitations and other marketing communications only where you have chosen to receive them.

You can unsubscribe at any time by using the link in an email or by contacting us at contact@themodernfuneral.com.

We will not use identifiable funeral case stories, testimonials, photographs, video, recordings or other material in our own public communications without clear permission from the people involved.

Automated decisions

We do not make decisions about you solely through automated systems or profiling that would have a legal or similarly significant effect on you.

Cookies

Cookies are small files placed on your device by websites. Some are necessary for the website to function. Others may be used for preferences, security, analytics or embedded third-party content.

If comments are enabled, you may choose to save your name, email address and website in cookies. This is for convenience, so that you do not need to enter those details again when leaving another comment. These cookies last for one year.

If you visit our login page, we may set a temporary cookie to determine whether your browser accepts cookies. This cookie contains no personal data and is discarded when you close your browser.

If you log in, we may set cookies to save your login information and screen-display choices. Login cookies usually last for two days and screen-option cookies for one year. If you select “Remember Me”, your login may persist for two weeks. Logging out removes login cookies.

If you edit or publish an article, an additional cookie may be saved in your browser. This contains no personal data and records only the post ID of the article you edited. It expires after one day.

Where non-essential cookies or similar technologies are used, including analytics, advertising or certain embedded content, we will ask for your consent through our cookie controls before placing them on your device.

Embedded content from other websites

Pages on this site may include embedded content, for example videos, images, maps, articles or social-media posts.

Embedded content from another website behaves in the same way as if you had visited that website directly. Those websites may collect data about you, use cookies, include additional third-party tracking and monitor your interaction with the embedded content, particularly where you have an account with them and are logged in.

Website accounts

If users can register for an account on this website, we store the personal information they provide in their profile.

Users can see, edit or delete their personal information at any time, except that they may not be able to change their username. Website administrators can also see and edit that information where necessary to administer the site.

If you request a password reset, your IP address may be included in the reset email.

Where your data is sent

Visitor comments may be checked through an automated spam-detection service.

We may use carefully selected technology providers to host the website, provide email, store documents, process payments, manage bookings and protect our systems. We require providers handling personal information for us to use appropriate security measures.

Making a complaint

We would welcome the opportunity to resolve any concern directly. Please contact us at contact@themodernfuneral.com.

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office:

Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Telephone: 0303 123 1113

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The latest version will always be available on our website.