Privacy notices for services

Lincoln Crematorium and City of Lincoln Council Cemeteries

Data Controllers

City of Lincoln Council are the data controllers of any personal data provided in relation to Bereavement services.

What type of personal data we collect

We collect and process the following information from applicants for cremations, burials and memorials.

• full name
• address
• contact information
• relationship to the deceased

How we collect the personal data

Most of the personal data we process is provided to us directly by you.

We also receive personal data indirectly, from the following:

• funeral directors or anyone arranging a funeral service on your behalf to enable us to maintain statutory records about cremations, burials and memorials

What we use your personal data for

We use the personal data to:

• maintain a register of all burials and cremations
• maintain a register of grave grant holders who must provide their permission for any further burials into a grave
• retain records of memorial lease holders so that we may notify them of any lease renewals for contractual purposes or to inform them about any forthcoming works or information that may relate to the area in which they have a grave or a memorial

How the law allows us to use your personal data

Lawful basis for processing

Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the relevant lawful bases for processing are contained in Article 6(1)

• (a) the data subject has given consent
• (b) process is necessary for the performance of a contract

• (c) processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which we are subject
• (e) to perform a public task

For special category data which is personal data revealing racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, genetic data, biometric data, data concerning health or a person’s sex life or sexual orientation: The relevant legal basis is:

UK GDPR Article 9(2)(g) – processing is necessary for reasons of substantial public interest, on the basis of UK law which shall be proportionate to the aim pursued, respect the essence of the right to data protection and provide suitable and specific measures to safeguard the fundamental rights and interests of the data subject.

Your consent

Where we use consent to process your personal data, we will explain to you what we are asking you to agree to and why. If we have consent to use your personal data, you have the right to remove it at any time.

If you want to remove your consent, please email us.

Email: bereavementservices@lincoln.gov.uk   

If you remove your consent, we are unlikely to be able to provide continued services to you.

Legal obligation and public task

Our legal obligations come from the following legislation:

• Cremation (England and Wales) Regulations 2008
• Local Authority Amendment Order 1986
• Local Authority Cemeteries Order 1977
• Cremation Act 1902
• Cremation Act 1952
• Equality Act 2010
• Burial Act 1857
• Registration of Burials Act 1864
• Public Health (Control of Diseases) Act 1984

Who we share your information with

We share information relating to cremations with qualified general practitioners acting in their statutory role of medical referee.

Information regarding grave lease holders is available for public inspection by appointment.

How we store your personal information

Your information is securely stored on encrypted computer servers or, if statutory paper records, within locked access areas on site.

We keep a register of burials and cremations indefinitely and cremation applications for 15 years.

Cremation paper records are disposed of by a secure confidential waste disposal contractor.

Retention periods are laid out in the council’s retention and disposal registers:

(Data Retention Schedules – City of Lincoln Council)

What are my rights in relation to my personal data?

You have the right to access the personal data we hold about you; to request we rectify or erase your personal data; to object to or restrict processing and a right of data portability in certain circumstances.

Find out more about your rights and how to make a Data Subject Access Request

Who can I contact to obtain further information from or to complain

If you want to know more about your rights relating to the personal data we hold about you or you have a complaint regarding the way we have handled your personal data, please contact our Data Protection Officer at: Data Protection Officer, Lincoln City Council, City Hall, Beaumont Fee, LN1 1DD, Telephone 01522 881 188 or email: dpo@lincoln.gov.uk

 If however you remain unhappy, then you have a right to complain to the Information Commissioner at: Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5A, Telephone: 0303 123 1113 or visit the ICO website

Last reviewed 25 June 2025