2008 No. 2470
The Parochial Fees Order 2008
Laid before the General Synod in draft
Made (Sealed by the Archbishops’ Council)
Laid before Parliament
Coming into force
The Archbishops’ Council, in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 1 and 2 of the Ecclesiastical Fees Measure 19861, which powers were transferred to it by the National Institutions of the Church of England (Transfer of Functions) Order 19982, makes the following Order, a draft of which has been approved by the General Synod in accordance with section 2(1) of the Measure.
Citation and commencement1
This Order may be cited as the Parochial Fees Order 2008 and shall come into operation on the first day of January 2009.
Interpretation2
In this Order “the Measure” means the Ecclesiastical Fees Measure 1986.
Establishment of fees3
The Table of Parochial Fees set out in Part 1 of the Schedule is established and contains particulars of the parochial fees which, subject to the provisions of section 3 of the Measure, are to be payable to the persons named in relation to the respective matters specified.
Application of Part 2 of the Schedule4
Part 2 of the Schedule shall apply in relation to the parochial fees particulars of which are contained in Part 1.
Definitions5
In the Schedule, unless the context otherwise requires—
“burial” includes deposit in a vault or brick grave and the interment or deposit of cremated remains;
“Chancellor” means the judge of the consistory court or commissary court of the bishop or archbishop of the diocese;
“incumbent” means the incumbent of any benefice as defined by the Interpretation Measure 19253;
“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, plaque, marker, flatstone, tombstone or monument or tomb of any other kind.
Revocation of 2007 Order6
The Parochial Fees Order 20074 is revoked.
The draft of this Order was approved by the General Synod on
6th July 2008
The COMMON SEAL of the Archbishops’ Council was hereunto affixed on
18th September 2008
SCHEDULEFEES ESTABLISHED BY THIS ORDER
PART 1TABLE OF PAROCHIAL FEES
Col 1 | Col 2 | Col 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
Fee payable to incumbent | Fee payable to Parochial Church Council | Total Fees Payable | |
£.p | £.p | £.p | |
BAPTISMS | |||
Certificate issued at time of baptism | 12.00 | — | 12.00 |
Short certificate of baptism given under Section 2 Baptismal Registers Measure 19615 | 9.00 | — | 9.00 |
MARRIAGES | |||
Publication of banns of marriage | 15.00 | 7.00 | 22.00 |
Certificate of banns issued at time of publication | 12.00 | — | 12.00 |
Marriage service | 123.00 | 131.00 | 254.00 |
FUNERALS AND BURIALS | |||
A. Service in church | |||
Funeral service in church | 54.00 | 45.00 | 99.00 |
Burial in churchyard following on from service in church | — | 190.00 | 190.00 |
Burial in cemetery or cremation following on from service in church | — | — | NIL |
Burial of body in churchyard on separate occasion | 36.00 | 190.00 | 226.00 |
Burial of cremated remains in churchyard on separate occasion | 36.00 | 77.00 | 113.00 |
Burial in cemetery on separate occasion | 36.00 | — | 36.00 |
B. No service in church | |||
Service in crematorium or cemetery | 99.00 | — | 99.00 |
Burial of body in churchyard | 36.00 | 190.00 | 226.00 |
Burial of cremated remains in churchyard | 36.00 | 77.00 | 113.00 |
C. Certificate issued at time of burial | 12.00 | — | 12.00 |
MONUMENTS IN CHURCHYARDS | |||
Permitted in accordance with rules, regulations or directions made by the Chancellor including those relating to a particular churchyard or part of a churchyard (but excluding a monument authorised by a particular faculty)— | |||
Small cross of wood (*) | 9.00 | 12.00 | 21.00 |
Small vase not exceeding 305mm x 203mm x 203mm (approx. 12” x 8” x 8”) (*) | 36.00 | 44.00 | 80.00 |
Tablet, plaque or other marker commemorating a person whose remains have been cremated (*) | 36.00 | 44.00 | 80.00 |
Any other monument (*) | 51.00 | 101.00 | 152.00 |
Additional inscription on existing monument | 36.00 | — | 36.00 |
SEARCHES IN CHURCH REGISTERS ETC. | |||
Searching registers of marriages for period before 1st July 1837 | |||
(for up to one hour) | 12.00 | 7.00 | 19.00 |
(for each subsequent hour or part of an hour) | 9.00 | 7.00 | 16.00 |
Searching registers of baptisms or burials (including provision of one copy of any entry therein) | |||
(for up to one hour) | 12.00 | 7.00 | 19.00 |
(for each subsequent hour or part of an hour) | 9.00 | 7.00 | 16.00 |
Each additional copy of an entry in a register of baptisms or burials | 12.00 | 7.00 | 19.00 |
Inspection of instrument of apportionment or agreement for exchange of land for tithes deposited under Tithe Act 18366 | 9.00 | — | 9.00 |
Furnishing copies of above (for every 72 words) | 9.00 | — | 9.00 |
PART 2APPLICATION OF PAROCHIAL FEES
Burial on a separate occasion1
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.
Burial of infant2
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.
Funeral service3
If a full funeral service is held at the graveside, the incumbent’s fee is increased to that payable where the service is held in church.
Burial of cremated remains in churches or closed churchyards4
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—
1
where burial is authorised by a general faculty, the same as those laid down in Part 1 for burial in a churchyard;
2
where burial is authorised by a particular faculty, such sums as may be determined by the Chancellor, who shall specify the person or persons entitled to receive them.
Monuments in churchyards5
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 shall not exceed the current fee payable to the incumbent for the erection of such a monument.
Monuments in churches6
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.
The incumbent’s fees7
An incumbent who has not executed an assignment of parochial fees to the Diocesan Board of Finance may direct, either generally or in a particular case, that all or part of any fee which is payable to the incumbent under Part 1 shall be payable to the minister performing the service or duty.
Reservation of grave space: vaults8
Payment of any of the fees prescribed by the Table in Part 1 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.
Searches in church registers etc.9
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.
Services in crematoria and unconsecrated cemeteries10
The Church of England (Miscellaneous Provisions) Measure 19927 contains 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 1 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.
(This note is not part of the Order)