UNDERSTANDING THE COSTS
Cemetery fees.
A clear guide to cemetery and churchyard charges for memorial work.
When you choose a memorial, the cemetery’s charges can be an additional part of the overall cost. Here we explain the difference and list memorial permits and inscription charges for Doncaster, Barnsley and Stainforth councils, and Church of England churchyards.
What are cemetery fees?
Cemetery fees are charges set by the council or organisation managing a cemetery. Depending on the work involved, they can include burial rights, opening a grave and permission to install or alter a memorial.
A memorial permit is the cemetery’s approval for the proposed work. It allows the cemetery to check the design, dimensions and other requirements before work begins. Doncaster requires an application signed by the registered grave owner and submitted by a registered stone mason.
The tables below cover memorial permits and inscription charges. Burial, cremation and grave ownership charges are separate services.
LOCAL COUNCIL FEES
City of Doncaster Council (DMBC).
Memorial permit fees shown on the council’s cemetery and crematorium price list. Checked 6 October 2026.
The council requires permission for masonry work and charges the stone mason when the application is approved.
| Permit or work | Council fee |
|---|---|
| Child’s headstone* | £112.00 |
| Single headstone | £336.00 |
| Double headstone (over two graves) | £583.00 |
| Triple headstone (over three graves) | £776.00 |
| Single kerb set | £259.00 |
| Double kerb set (over two graves) | £451.00 |
| Triple kerb set (over three graves) | £594.00 |
| Replacement headstone | £48.00 |
| Cremated remains tablet | £153.00 |
| Additional inscription | £92.00 |
| Vase | £49.00 |
| Additional inscription on a vase | £20.00 |
*Children’s memorials: the council’s price page lists £112 for a child’s headstone permit and says funeral funding is available if applied for within six months of the burial, with fees applying afterwards. Its 2026/27 fees schedule also describes eligible child’s headstone permits as funded, with no charge to the family. Please contact us promptly so the council can confirm the funding and charge for your circumstances.
Sources: Doncaster Council cemetery price list · 2026/27 council fees schedule · Grave ownership and memorial applications
Charges can change. We will confirm the applicable fee with the cemetery before your order proceeds. These Doncaster rates apply to its council-managed cemeteries; churchyards and other cemetery operators may have different charges.
LOCAL COUNCIL FEES
Barnsley Council.
Charges for the right to erect or place a memorial on a grave or vault, as listed on the council’s price page. Checked 6 October 2026.
| Memorial or work | Council fee |
|---|---|
| Headstone, including inscription, flower holders and photo illustrations | £299.00 |
| Each additional inscription plus inspection | £120.00 |
| Extra memorial vase | £84.00 |
| Replacement memorial | Free of charge |
| Small memorial on a grave, less than 18 × 18 inches | £80.00 |
| Kerbstones, including additional inscription | £240.00 |
| Tablets, including those fitted into kerb sets (maximum 34 inches deep × 23 inches wide × 18 inches high) | £174.00 |
| Kerbs on cremation plots, where applicable | £76.00 |
| Children’s headstones | £111.00 |
| Children’s kerbs | £111.00 |
Replacement memorials: the council lists no charge for the right to place a replacement memorial. The replacement stone, lettering and fitting still have their own costs.
These are council permission charges, separate from our memorial costs. We will confirm the applicable fee and cemetery requirements before your order proceeds.
Source: Barnsley Council burials, cremations and memorials price list
LOCAL COUNCIL FEES · 2026
Stainforth Town Council.
Memorial fees from the council fee sheet supplied to us, effective 1 May 2026.
| Memorial or work | Council fee |
|---|---|
| Headstone permit, including replacement of an old headstone with a new one (20-year period) | £230.00 |
| Double headstone — vaulted graves only | £440.00 |
| Wooden cross permit (20-year period) | £75.00 |
| Additional inscriptions | £80.00 |
These council fees are separate from the memorial, lettering and fitting costs. We will confirm the applicable permission and charge with Stainforth Town Council before your order proceeds.
Source: Stainforth Town Council cemetery fee sheet supplied to us — memorials section.
CHURCHYARD FEES · 2026
Church of England.
These national churchyard memorial fees apply from 1 January 2026. Checked 6 October 2026.
Memorials must meet the diocese’s rules and any requirements for the particular churchyard. We can help check the design and permission with the parish before work begins.
| Memorial or work | Diocese (DBF) | Parish (PCC) | Total fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small wooden cross | £19.00 | £41.00 | £60.00 |
| Small vase (maximum 305 × 203 × 203 mm / 12 × 8 × 8 inches), or a tablet, plaque or other marker for someone whose remains were cremated | £19.00 | £77.00 | £96.00 |
| Other monument, such as a headstone | £19.00 | £160.00 | £179.00 |
| Additional inscription on an existing monument | £19.00 | £20.00 | £39.00 |
Understanding the breakdown: DBF means Diocesan Board of Finance; PCC means Parochial Church Council. The total combines both amounts. Fees for a new monument include the incumbent’s approval of the original inscription.
Special permission: these rates exclude monuments approved through a particular faculty. The diocesan Chancellor sets the fee in those cases. We will confirm the applicable permission and charge with the parish.
These church fees are separate from the memorial, lettering and fitting costs. They cover churchyard memorial work; funeral and burial services have their own fees.
Sources: 2026 national parochial fees table (Diocese of Winchester) · Church of England fees and guidance
Planning your memorial.
Tell us the cemetery name and, if you have them, the grave number and registered grave owner’s details. We can discuss a suitable memorial and help with the permit application.
If you are adding an inscription or replacing an existing memorial, let us know so we can check the correct permission and fee.