What is the Exclusive Right of Burial?

When you buy a plot in a council-owned cemetery, you are purchasing the Exclusive Right of Burial (ERB) – the legal right to decide who is buried there and to erect a memorial. You are not buying the land itself, which remains owned by the council. The ERB is typically granted for a fixed term: 30, 50, 75 or 100 years, depending on the council.

The ERB fee is separate from the interment fee. A family burying a loved one in a new grave typically pays both: the ERB to purchase the plot rights, and an interment fee for the council's cemetery staff to conduct the burial. On top of this, there may be a memorial permit fee if you want to erect a headstone.

In this tool, the ERB column shows the resident rate where councils publish one, or the standard rate where there is no resident distinction. The interment fee column shows the standard weekday rate for an adult burial.

Why cemetery fees vary so much

ERB fees across our dataset range from £346 to £7,685 – a difference of £7,339. Several factors drive this variation.

Location matters significantly. London boroughs and city-centre councils tend to charge more, reflecting land values and operational costs. Rural and smaller district councils are often cheaper. A family in Southwark faces one of the highest ERB fees in England; a family in Hinckley & Bosworth, one of the lowest.

The term length of the grant also affects the headline figure. A 30-year ERB costs less upfront than a 99-year grant – though the longer term offers more certainty. Councils vary in what terms they offer and how they price each option.

Some councils have increased fees significantly in recent years as local authority budgets tighten. Cemetery income is one of the few revenue streams councils can increase without central government approval.

Resident vs non-resident pricing

Many councils charge higher fees if the person who died was not a resident of the local authority area. The most common approach is to double all fees for non-residents – though some councils use a flat surcharge or a different multiplier.

The residency test varies. Most councils apply it to the deceased's address at the time of death, though some look at the address of the person purchasing the grave rights. A few councils allow exemptions – for example, if a non-resident had lived in the area for most of their life before moving away for care reasons.

If the person who died lived in a different council area from where they want to be buried – for example, to be close to family – it is worth contacting the cemetery directly to confirm the non-resident fee and what documentation they require.

What this tool covers

This dataset covers 239 councils across England, Scotland and Wales. For each one, we have sourced the ERB fee and interment fee from the council's own published schedule or fee document. Where a council publishes separate resident and non-resident rates, the tool displays the resident rate and notes whether a non-resident premium applies.

The fees shown are for a standard adult earthen grave. They do not include memorial permit fees, weekend surcharges, or any funeral director fees. For a fuller picture of funeral costs, see our funeral planning guide and our guide to burial options and costs.

Not all councils publish their cemetery fee schedules online. Some require a phone call or freedom of information request. Where we could not confirm a fee, that council is not included in this dataset.

Using this data

Cemetery fees are set by the council and are not negotiable. However, families have more choice than they may realise. You are not obliged to use the cemetery nearest to where the person died, and some families travel to a different area to be closer to other family members or to reduce costs.

Before making any arrangements, confirm the current fees directly with the cemetery. Fees are reviewed annually – usually from April – and the rates in this tool reflect the most recent published schedule we could find at the time of verification.

If you are supporting someone through bereavement and have questions about what to expect, our step-by-step bereavement guide covers the practical process from registration to funeral arrangements.