Herefordshire Council cemetery fees
Current burial and cemetery fees for Herefordshire Council, effective 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027. The council manages four cemeteries across the county. Non-residents pay double all standard fees.
A non-resident is a person who has not resided in Herefordshire within the last 2 years before their death. One exception applies: if the deceased is being buried with a partner, the non-resident surcharge may not apply. Contact the bereavement team for details.
Grave purchase (exclusive right of burial)
The Exclusive Right of Burial is granted for 50 years.
| Plot type | Resident (2026/27) | Non-resident (2026/27) |
|---|---|---|
| Standard grave | £1,456 | £2,912 |
| Children’s section grave (up to 16 years) | No charge | £714 |
| Standard grave – child up to 18 years | No charge | £1,456 |
| Ashes plot | £700 | £1,400 |
Where an ERB has been purchased and remains unused, the owner may assign the rights back to the council. A minimum refundable payment applies: £556 for a standard grave or £268 for an ashes plot, or the value of the years remaining on the lease (calculated at the original purchase price), whichever is greater.
Additional lease years can be purchased on an existing ERB, up to a maximum term of 50 years: £29.12 per year (resident) or £58.24 per year (non-resident) for a standard grave; £14 per year (resident) or £28 per year (non-resident) for an ashes plot.
Pre-purchase of an ERB at Leominster Cemetery only (including where purchased as a memorial-only right) costs £2,912 resident or £4,360 non-resident.
Transferring an ERB – including a replacement Deed of Grant, valid until the original rights expire – costs £88 (resident or non-resident) via Grant of Probate, letters of administration, assent, or assignment, or £104 via Statutory Declaration.
Burial and interment fees
| Service | Resident (2026/27) | Non-resident (2026/27) |
|---|---|---|
| Standard depth grave, up to two people | £1,161 | £2,322 |
| Single depth grave (Kington and Wigmore cemeteries) | £1,054 | £2,108 |
| Re-open to single depth | £1,054 | £2,108 |
| Children’s section – up to 16 years | No charge | £537 |
| Standard depth – child up to 18 years | No charge | £1,054 |
| Cremated remains in grave or cremated remains plot | £237 | £474 |
| Cremated remains – Leominster Garden of Memory | £122 | £244 |
| Scattering – Forget Me Not Children’s Memorial | No charge | No charge |
Children’s burials are not charged to resident families, though non-resident fees do apply.
Non-resident fees
Non-resident rates are double the resident rate across grave purchase and interment fees. Non-resident status is based on a 2-year residency test at the time of death – a shorter look-back period than most English councils, which typically use 5 years.
About Herefordshire Council’s cemeteries
Herefordshire Council operates four cemeteries across the county. Herefordshire is a unitary authority – a single tier of local government covering the whole county – which means the council is responsible for all bereavement services across both urban and rural areas.
The county is predominantly rural, bordered by Wales to the west, and includes the city of Hereford and market towns such as Leominster, Ross-on-Wye, Ledbury, Kington, and Bromyard. The Kington and Wigmore cemeteries have a slightly different interment fee structure, with single-depth-only charges rather than the standard two-person depth.
The Leominster Garden of Memory and the Forget Me Not Children’s Memorial are specialist sections with their own fee structures.
Contact: Herefordshire Council Bereavement Services – 01432 383200 or bereavement@herefordshire.gov.uk. Office at Westfaling Street, Hereford HR4 0JE. Hours: Monday to Friday, 9am to 4:30pm.
Fees verified 2026-08-11, effective 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027. Source: Herefordshire Council – Interments and Purchase of Exclusive Right of Burial.