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The Parochial Fees Order 1995

S.I. 1995/1960 · Made 11 July 1995

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ECCLESIASTICAL LAW, ENGLAND

Made (Sealed by the Church Commissioners) 11th July 1995

Laid before the General Synod in draft

Laid before Parliament 26th July 1995

Coming into force 1st January 1996

The Church Commissioners for England, in exercise of the powers conferred on them by section 1 of the Ecclesiastical Fees Measure 1986f1, hereby make the following Order, a draft of which has been approved by the General Synod in accordance with section 2(1) of the said Measure:

Annotations to the whole text

Footnotes

f1

1986 No. 2.

Contents

  1. 1Article 1
  2. 2Article 2
  3. 3Article 3
  4. 4Article 4
  5. 5Article 5
  6. Signature
  7. Schedule: TABLE OF PAROCHIAL FEES
  8. IPart I
  9. Part II
  10. 1Burial on a separate occassion
  11. 2Burial of infant
  12. 3Funeral service
  13. 4Burial of cremated remains
  14. 5Monuments in churchyards
  15. 6Monuments in churches
  16. 7The incumbent’s fees
  17. 8Reservation of grave space: vaults
  18. 9Searches in church registers, etc
  19. 10Services in crematoria and unconsecrated cemeteries
  20. Explanatory note

1

The Table of Parochial Fees set forth in Part I of the Schedule to this Order is hereby established and contains particulars of the parochial fees which, subject to the provisions of section 3 of the said Measure, are to be payable to the persons therein named in relation to the respective matters therein specified.

2

Part II of the said Schedule shall apply in relation to the said parochial fees.

3

In the Schedule to this Order, unless the context otherwise requires—

  • “burial” includes deposit in a vault and the interment or deposit of cremated remains;

  • “Chancellor” means the judge of the consistory or commissary court of the bishop or archbishop of the diocese;

  • “incumbent” means the incumbent of any benefice as defined by the Interpretation Measure 1925f1;

  • “churchyard” includes the curtilage of a church and a burial ground of a church whether or not immediately adjoining such church;

  • “cemetery” means a burial ground maintained by a burial authority;

  • “monument” includes a headstone, cross, kerb, border, vase, chain, railing, tablet, flatstone, tombstone or a monument or tomb of any other kind.

4

The Parochial Fees Order 1994f1 is hereby revoked.

5

This Order may be cited as the Parochial Fees Order 1995 and shall come into operation on the 1st January 1996.

Signature

The draft of this Order was approved by the General Synod of the Church of England on the 8th day of July 1995

P. J. C. Mawer

Secretary General

The Common Seal of the Church Commissioners was hereunto affixed this 11th day of July 1995

L.S.

P. Locke

Secretary

I

Col. 1Col. 2Col. 3
Fee payable to incumbentFee payable to Parochial Church CouncilTotal Fees Payable
£.p£.p£.p
BAPTISMS
Certificate issued at time of baptism7.00—7.00
Short certificate of baptism given under section 2 Baptismal Registers Measure 1961f15.00—5.00
MARRIAGES
Publication of banns of marriage8.004.0012.00
Certificate of banns issued at time of publication7.00—7.00
Marriage service52.0062.00114.00
FUNERALS AND BURIALS
A. Service in church
Funeral service in church31.0026.0057.00
Burial in new grave in churchyard following on from service in church—104.00104.00
Burial in existing grave in churchyard following on from service in church—52.0052.00
Burial in cemetery or cremation following on from service in church——NIL
Burial of body in new grave in churchyard on separate occasion21.00104.00125.00
Burial of body in existing grave in churchyard on separate occassion21.0052.0073.00
Burial of cremated remains in churchyard on separate occasion21.0031.0052.00
Burial in cemetery on separate occasion21.00—21.00
B. No service in church
Service in crematorium or cemetery57.00—57.00
Burial of body in new grave in churchyard21.00104.00125.00
Burial of body in existing grave in churchyard21.0052.0073.00
Burial of cremated remains in churchyard21.0031.0052.00
C. Certificate issued at time of burial7.00—7.00
MONUMENTS IN CHURCHYARDS
Erected with consent of incumbent under Chancellor’s general directions—
Small cross of wood (*)3.007.0010.00
Small vase not exceeding 12" x 8" x 8" (approx. 300mm x 200mm x 200mm) (*)7.0015.0022.00
Tablet, erected horizontally or vertically and not exceeding 21" x 21" (approx. 525mm x 525mm), commemorating person cremated (*)12.0026.0038.00
Any other monument (*)29.0059.0088.00
Additional inscription on exising monument21.00—21.00
SEARCHES IN CHURCH REGISTERS, ETC.
Searching registers of marriages for period before 1st July 1837
(for up to one hour)7.004.0011.00
(for each subsequent hour or part of an hour)5.004.009.00
Searching registers of baptisms or burials (including provision of one copy of any entry therein)
(for up to one hour)7.004.0011.00
(for each subsequent hour or part of an hour)5.004.009.00
Each additional copy of an entry in a register of baptisms or burials7.004.0011.00
Inspection of instrument of apportionment or agreement for exchange of land for tithes deposited under Tithe Act 1836f25.00—5.00
Furnishing copies of above (for every 72 words)5.00—5.00

1Burial on a separate occassion

In relation to the fee for a burial in a churchyard “on a separate occasion” means on any occasion other than following on from a service in church, for example, the interment of cremated remains.

2Burial of infant

No fee is payable in respect of the burial of a still-born infant, or for the funeral or burial of an infant dying within the period of one year after birth.

3Funeral service

If a full service is held at the graveside the incumbent’s fee is increased to that payable where the service is held in church.

4Burial of cremated remains

Where burial takes place in a grave or vault already containing the body or cremated remains of a close relative of the deceased, there shall be no fee payable to the Parochial Church Council. For the purposes of this paragraph, “close relative” includes spouse, parent, child or sibling.

Where cremated remains are buried in or under a church or in a closed churchyard, the fees payable to the incumbent and the Parochial Church Council are:

(i)

where burial is authorised by a general faculty, the same as those laid down in Part I of this Schedule for burial in a churchyard;

(ii)

where burial is authorised by a general faculty, such sums as may be determined by the Chancellor, who shall specify the person or persons entitled to receive them.

5Monuments in churchyards

The fees marked (*) include fees for the original inscription.

Where a monument in a churchyard is erected or an additional inscription on a monument is made under the authority of a particular faculty, the fees payable to the incumbent and the Parochial Church Council or either of them shall be such sums as may be determined by the Chancellor who shall specify the person or persons entitled to receive them.

The incumbent’s fee for an additional inscription on a small cross of wood, small vase or a tablet not exceeding 21" x 21' shall note exceed the current fee payable to the incumbent for the erection of such a monument.

6Monuments in churches

Where a faculty is granted for the erection of a monument in a church or any additional inscription thereon, the fees payable to the incumbent and the Parochial Church Council or either of them shall be determined by the Chancellor who shall specify the person or persons entitled to receive them.

7The incumbent’s fees

Unless the incumbent has signed a Deed of Assignment in favour of the Diocesan Board of Finance he may direct either generally or in particular cases that all or part of any fee which would otherwise be payable to him shall be payable to the minister performing the service or duty.

8Reservation of grave space: vaults

Payment of any of the fees prescribed by the Table in Part I of this Schedule does not confer any right to construct a new vault or an exclusive right to a grave or vault. Where a faculty is granted conferring rights for a period specified in the faculty, the fees payable to the incumbent and the Parochial Church Council or either of them shall be determined by the Chancellor who shall specify the person or persons entitled to receive them.

9Searches in church registers, etc

The search fee relates to a 'particular search' where the approximate date of the baptism, marriage or burial is known. The fee for a more general search of a church register is negotiable with the incumbent and the Parochial Church Council.

10Services in crematoria and unconsecrated cemeteries

The Church of England (Miscellaneous Provisions) Measure 1992f1 containes a provision which has the effect of requiring a minister of a parish, if requested, to perform a funeral service for defined parishioners in any appropriate crematorium or unconsecrated cemetery. The fees prescribed by the Table in Part I of this Schedule for such services (which are identical to the fees for services held in consecrated cemeteries) are mandatory except where a local authority or other crematorium authority has fixed charges for these services in which case the authority’s charges will apply.

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Order)

Article 1 and Part 1 of the Schedule establish a new table of fees payable for certain matters in connection with baptism, marriages and burials, for the erection of monuments in churchyards and for other miscellaneous matters. The fees are in substitution for fees prescribed by the Parochial Fees Order 1994 (S.I. 1994/2011).