Belfast cemeteries are to observe “Daniel’s Law” and reduce excessive burial fees for expats who have decided to come back to the city to reside but tragically pass away before returning home.
Elected members of Belfast City Council agreed across cross party lines to waive big non-residential burial fees in exceptional circumstances, if it can be shown the family member had decided to return back to Belfast to live from abroad. At present non-residential burial fees in Belfast are over £1,000, three times that of burial fees for Belfast residents.
The decision comes after the council received a letter from the neighbouring Ards and North Down Borough Council stating that it had amended its burial Charging policy as a result of a review following the case of 33 year old Daniel Ferguson. In December 2021 he passed away suddenly while living in Australia, a few days before he was due to return to live again in his home town of Donaghadee.
