Inspector of Burial, Cremation and Funeral Directors: annual report 2024 to 2025

Challenges faced by crematoriums and funeral directors in reporting year

14. Some of the challenges faced by crematoria staff over the past year included cases of total power outage, cremator and cremulator breakdowns, handling issues in respect of very large and heavy coffins, and on 24^th and 25^th January 2025 Storm Eowyn.

15. Storm Eowyn which was described as being an extremely powerful and record-breaking extratropical cyclone caused widespread damage to a number of crematoria, particularly to the grounds where many trees were blown over.

16. As the path of the storm could not be accurately predicted there was a great deal of confusion within the funeral industry, on whether or not to close their premises.

17. As the advice broadcast was not to travel unless absolutely necessary, all scheduled funerals were considered on an individual basis, which involved a great deal of liaison and in many cases re-scheduling services and funerals.

18. It is with great credit to all staff within the funeral industry, and others involved at the various stages of the journey between time of death and funeral, that no serious delays were encountered.

19. A further issue encountered concerned the cross-border repatriation to Scotland following the introduction of significant changes to the Cremation (England and Wales) Regulations 2008 on 9^th September 2024, which in certain circumstances allowed for cremation prior to the death being registered.

20. The requirement for deaths to be registered before burial or cremation in Scotland has been in place since 2015, and these regulatory changes in England and Wales resulted in confusion, and in a small number of cases a delay in funerals, over whether certificates issues by coroners could be accepted in place of certificates of registration of death.

21. As result, an amendment to existing legislation in Scotland (2015 Regulations) was laid in the Scottish Parliament on 15^th October 2024 and came into effect the following day (16^th October 2024) permitting burial or cremation on issue of a Coroners certificate (in appropriate cases) without the need for a certificate of registration of death.

22. There have been no further issues or delays to burials or cremations in Scotland (regarding cross border repatriation) since that legislation amendment.