Privacy Policy

Last updated: 8 March 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how The Funeral ("we", "us", "our") collects, uses, and protects your personal data when you use our website at the-funeral.co.uk.

We are committed to protecting your privacy and complying with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who We Are

Data Controller: The Funeral
Contact: For data protection enquiries, please contact us via the details provided on our website.

2. What Data We Collect

We collect and process the following types of personal data:

2.1 Information You Provide

• Enquiry Forms: Name, email address, phone number, and message content when you contact funeral directors through our service
• Provider Claims: Name, business name, contact details, and verification documents when funeral directors claim their listings
• Reviews: Name, email address, and review content if you submit a review (subject to moderation)

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Usage Data: Pages visited, search terms, time spent on pages, and referral sources
• Technical Data: IP address, browser type, device information, and cookie identifiers
• Analytics Data: Aggregated statistics about how visitors use our directory

3. How We Use Your Data

We process your personal data for the following purposes, based on the legal grounds identified:

3.1 Service Provision (Contractual Necessity)

• Processing enquiries and connecting you with funeral directors
• Verifying and managing provider listings
• Displaying user reviews and ratings

3.2 Legitimate Interests

• Improving website functionality and user experience
• Analysing usage patterns to enhance our directory
• Preventing fraud and abuse
• Ensuring data quality and accuracy of funeral director information

3.3 Legal Obligations

• Complying with UK law and regulatory requirements
• Responding to lawful requests from authorities

3.4 Consent

• Sending marketing communications (only with your explicit consent)
• Using non-essential cookies (where applicable)

4. Who We Share Your Data With

We may share your personal data with:

• Funeral Directors: When you submit an enquiry, we share your contact details and message with the selected funeral director(s)
• Service Providers: Third-party services that support our platform (hosting, analytics, email delivery) — all bound by data processing agreements
• Legal Requirements: Law enforcement or regulatory bodies when required by law

We do not sell or rent your personal data to third parties for marketing purposes.

5. Data Retention

We retain your personal data for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes outlined in this policy:

• Enquiry Data: Retained for 12 months after the enquiry is submitted
• Provider Account Data: Retained for the duration of the business relationship, plus 6 years for accounting purposes
• Analytics Data: Aggregated data retained indefinitely; individual visitor data anonymised after 26 months
• Reviews: Retained for as long as the funeral director listing is active

6. Your Data Protection Rights

Under UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, you have the following rights:

• Right of Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Right to Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
• Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your personal data (subject to legal obligations)
• Right to Restrict Processing: Request that we limit how we use your data
• Right to Data Portability: Request a copy of your data in a machine-readable format
• Right to Object: Object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent for processing activities that require it

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details on our website. We will respond within one month.

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to improve your experience on our website. For detailed information about the cookies we use and how to manage them, please see our Cookie Policy.

8. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

• Encryption of data in transit and at rest
• Regular security assessments and updates
• Access controls and authentication
• Staff training on data protection

9. International Data Transfers

Your data is primarily processed within the United Kingdom. If we transfer data outside the UK, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as:

• Adequacy decisions recognised by the UK government
• Standard contractual clauses approved by the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)
• Binding corporate rules

10. Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed at children under 16. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If we become aware that we have collected data from a child without parental consent, we will delete it promptly.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the updated policy on our website with a new "Last updated" date.

12. Contact and Complaints

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal data, please contact us via the details provided on our website.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK supervisory authority:

Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)
Website: ico.org.uk
Helpline: 0303 123 1113