Privacy policy

Privacy Policy

Dearman Bartlett Independent Funeral Directors

Last Updated: 30th October 2025

1. Introduction

Dearman Bartlett Independent Funeral Directors (“we,” “us,” or “our”) is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your personal data. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and disclose your personal information when you use our services, visit our website, or interact with us.

We understand the sensitive nature of the information you may share with us, especially during difficult times. We treat all personal data with the utmost care and in accordance with the UK Data Protection Act 2018 and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

2. Who We Are

Dearman Bartlett Independent Funeral Directors 55 High Street, New Romney, Kent, TN28 8AH.
Telephone: 01797 290083
Email address: info@dearmanbartlett.co.uk
Website: DearmanBartlett.co.uk

For data protection queries, please contact Jon Maguire, Company Director, jon.maguire@dearmanbartlett.co.uk.

3. What Personal Data We Collect

We may collect and process various types of personal data, including:

  • Contact Information: Name, address, email address, telephone number.
  • Identification Information: Date of birth, marital status, nationality.
  • Financial Information: Payment details, bank account information for invoicing or refunds.
  • Relationship Information: Your relationship to the deceased.
  • Sensitive Personal Data (Special Category Data):
    • About the Deceased: Date and place of birth, date and place of death, medical cause of death, last occupation, marital status, details of next of kin, and funeral preferences (e.g., religious beliefs for service arrangements).
    • About You (when relevant): Religious beliefs (e.g., for funeral arrangements), health information (e.g., if requiring special assistance).
  • Website Usage Data: Information about how you use our website (e.g., IP address, browser type, pages visited).

4. How We Collect Your Personal Data

We collect personal data through various channels, including:

  • Directly from You: When you make funeral arrangements, complete forms, correspond with us by phone, email, or in person.
  • From Third Parties: Such as hospitals, doctors, crematoria, cemeteries, officiants, florists, or other service providers involved in the funeral arrangements (always with your consent or a legal basis).
  • Publicly Available Sources: Such as electoral registers or social media (only where relevant and lawful).
  • Website: Through cookies and analytics tools (see Section 9).

5. How We Use Your Personal Data and Our Legal Basis

We use your personal data for the following purposes and rely on the following legal bases under GDPR:

  • To Provide Funeral Services (Contractual Obligation): To fulfil our contract with you, including making funeral arrangements, coordinating with third parties (e.g., crematoria, clergy), and managing payments.
  • For Legitimate Interests: To manage our business, improve our services, maintain records, and handle complaints. This includes processing for accounting, auditing, and other internal administrative purposes. We balance our legitimate interests against your data protection rights.
  • With Your Explicit Consent: For processing sensitive personal data (e.g., religious preferences for a service) or for marketing communications (where required). You have the right to withdraw consent at any time.
  • To Comply with Legal Obligations: To meet our legal duties, such as reporting deaths, financial regulations, or responding to lawful requests from authorities.
  • To Protect Vital Interests: In rare cases, to protect your or another person’s vital interests (e.g., in a medical emergency).

6. Who We Share Your Personal Data With

We may share your personal data with the following third parties, only as necessary for the provision of our services or as required by law:

  • Third-Party Service Providers: Crematoria, cemeteries, officiants (clergy/celebrants), florists, caterers, musicians, monumental masons, doctors, coroners, hospitals, and printers (for orders of service).
  • Government and Regulatory Authorities: Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages, HMRC, DWP, coroners, and other lawful authorities.
  • Our Professional Advisors: Solicitors, accountants, and insurers.
  • Pre-Payment Plan Providers: If a pre-paid funeral plan is in place.

We ensure that all third parties we work with are contractually obligated to protect your data and process it only for specified purposes.

7. How We Store and Protect Your Personal Data

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

  • Secure storage of physical files.
  • Password protection and encryption for digital data.
  • Access controls to restrict data access to authorised personnel only.
  • Regular staff training on data protection and privacy.

We retain your personal data for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including for legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. Typically, funeral records are retained for a minimum of [e.g., 7 years for financial records, or longer for permanent historical records if applicable to your business model, consider stating your specific retention period here].

8. Your Data Protection Rights

Under GDPR, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

  • Right to be Informed: To know how your data is being used.
  • Right of Access: To request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
  • Right to Rectification: To request that inaccurate data be corrected.
  • Right to Erasure (Right to be Forgotten): To request that your data be deleted, in certain circumstances.
  • Right to Restriction of Processing: To request that we limit the way we use your data, in certain circumstances.
  • Right to Data Portability: To request that your data be transferred to another organisation.
  • Right to Object: To object to certain types of processing, particularly for direct marketing.
  • Rights in relation to Automated Decision Making and Profiling: Not to be subject to decisions based solely on automated processing.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details in Section 2. We may require proof of identity to process your request.

9. Cookies

Our website uses cookies to [explain purpose, e.g., “improve your browsing experience” or “analyse website traffic”]. You can control cookie settings through your browser.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on our website and, where appropriate, notified to you by email. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

11. How to Lodge a Complaint

If you have any concerns about our use of your personal data, please contact us directly in the first instance. If you remain dissatisfied, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK’s supervisory authority for data protection issues:

Information Commissioner’s Office Wycliffe House Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.
Telephone: 0303 123 1113.
Website: www.ico.org.uk