Bereavement Services

Exeter City Council operates three Cemeteries, situated in Heavitree Higher Cemetery ; Exwick, Exwick Cemetery and Topsham, Topsham Cemetery .  Exeter and Devon Crematorium  is privately owned and managed: see Cremations

It is our intention to offer a high standard of care and provide options which enable each member of the community to arrange a funeral, which is meaningful to them and their family, and then to maintain an appropriate memorial in an attractive setting for as long as it remains important to the family.  We understand that this is a long term relationship and that emotion may play a considerable part in the way that individuals perceive our service.  We welcome comments from all we deal with and will listen sympathetically and act upon your advice and observations.

We are a community service and as such we have no commercial incentives and can offer you free impartial help and advice.  Where we cannot help you we may be able to direct you to those who can.

The Council has adopted the Charter for the Bereaved issued by the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management (ICCM).  The Charter is a commitment to improving the service by confronting rather than disguising the death experience and by reducing ignorance.  It defines the rights of every individual who experiences bereavement and gives the bereaved greater influence over the arrangements of funerals, thereby controlling costs and offering more satisfaction.

The Charter guarantees 33 Rights and these are integrated into the services we provide.  Indeed, we see the Charter Rights as a minimum and our services extend well beyond these requirements.  We have short and full copies of the Charter available for inspection and purchase.

The Council annually completes the ICCM Best Value Assessment and has been ranked the Leading authority in the South West for organisations providing burial services since 2004.

We also adhere to the ICCM Guiding Principles for Burial and Cremation.

Useful Links

• See the Bereavement Help at a time of Bereavement page
• Death and bereavement - Directgov