When you buy a grave or cremated remains plot, you are buying an exclusive right of burial grant, not the land itself. This means that you lease the land for a set number of years.
After you have paid the required fee we’ll issue the grant of exclusive rights of burial (deed). The grant will show the:
- name of the purchaser
- grave number
- how many years the exclusive right of burial is for
The exclusive right of burial includes the right to have a memorial installed on the grave. Headstones can be ordered from a funeral director or stonemason who will apply for a permit on your behalf, the permit application will need to meet the cemetery specifications which are available on request. The headstone then needs to be fitted by a stonemason that is BRAMM (British Register of Accredited Memorial Masons) registered.
If the death has occurred
If the death has occurred and you want to purchase a full grave please visit a funeral director.
Cremated remains plots can also be reserved at all 3 cemeteries:
- Robin Hood
- Widney Manor
- Woodlands
Cremated remains plots for Woodlands will not be available to pre-purchase until October 2023.
If the death has not occurred
If the death has not occurred, you can only reserve a full grave at Widney Manor Cemetery.
How do I apply?
Grave Reservations
Due to an increase demand for grave reservations we have regrettably had to remove the option to apply for a grave reserve as a temporary measure, so we can begin the process of installing new beams.
Updates will be made available on this page.
When we have received your application we will take a non-refundable deposit. Deposits can be paid by credit or debit card.
When we have received your deposit payment we will reserve the next available grave or plot in the cemetery for you.
Selections are made at the discretion of the Cemetery Manager and you cannot select a grave or plot of your own choice.
We will telephone you or email you with your grave or plot number and we will temporarily reserve it for 30 days to give you time to decide if you are happy with it.
If you do not contact us before your 30 day reservation expires we will contact you to confirm that we have cancelled it and we will retain your deposit.
When you are happy with the grave or plot we have selected for you, you can pay the balance by credit or debit card or we can arrange for an invoice to be sent to your home. We will deduct your deposit from the balance of your lease.
When we have received your balance payment we will reserve the grave or plot in the cemetery for you.
Fees and charges
Download fees and charges for burials and cremations
Proof of residency
The price paid for a grave or cremated remains plot will depend on your ‘residency’. A resident is someone who pays council tax to Solihull Council or was a resident within Solihull up to the last 2 years of their life. If our social care team placed the deceased in a care home outside of Solihull, they will still be treated as a ‘resident’.
Your proof of residency could be:
- a council tax bill dated within the last 2 years
- a driving licence that lists an address responsible for paying council tax to Solihull Council - you can check this at GOV.UK
- a utility bill for a property within the Solihull borough dated within the last 2 years
- medical correspondence or correspondence from any government department addressed to you at a property in Solihull dated within the last 2 years
How to make a payment
Payment for this service is to be made by debit or credit card. We will contact you by email or telephone when all checks have been completed and we are ready to take the payment.
Attendance at funerals
Please view our cemeteries page to see the current arrangements for attending a funeral.