Privacy Policy

Introduction

Arranging a Funeral ("we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal data when you visit www.arrangingafuneral.co.uk and its associated subdomains.

We comply with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. We do not store credit card details nor do we share financial details with any third parties.

By using our website, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy. We may update this policy from time to time, and any changes will be posted on this page with an updated date.

Data Controller

The data controller responsible for your personal data is Arranging a Funeral. If you have any questions about this policy or how we handle your data, please contact us at:

Information We Collect

We may collect and process the following types of personal data:

• Information you provide: Name, email address, telephone number, postcode, and any details you submit via our contact form, registration, or account creation.
• Technical data: IP address, browser type and version, operating system, device type, time zone, and general location data collected automatically when you visit our site.
• Usage data: Pages viewed, links clicked, time spent on pages, search queries used, and how you navigate through the site.
• Communication data: Records and content of any correspondence you send to us, including via email or the contact form.

How We Use Your Information

We use the data we collect for the following purposes:

• To provide, maintain, and improve our website and services
• To respond to your enquiries and provide customer support
• To personalise your experience and show you relevant funeral service providers in your area
• To analyse website usage and improve performance using Google Analytics
• To display advertisements via Google AdSense to support our free service
• To protect against fraud, abuse, and security threats
• To comply with legal obligations

Legal Basis for Processing

Under the UK GDPR, we rely on the following legal bases to process your personal data:

• Consent: Where you have given clear consent for us to process your personal data for a specific purpose (e.g. cookie consent, marketing communications).
• Legitimate interests: Where processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests, such as improving our website, preventing fraud, and ensuring network security, provided these interests do not override your rights.
• Legal obligation: Where we need to process your data to comply with UK law.

Cookies & Tracking Technologies

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your browsing experience, analyse site traffic, and serve relevant advertisements. When you first visit our site, a cookie consent banner (managed by Google) will ask for your preferences.

Types of cookies we use:

You can manage your cookie preferences at any time via the "Privacy and cookie settings" link at the bottom of any page. You can also configure your browser to reject cookies, although this may affect some website functionality.

Third-Party Advertising (Google AdSense)

We use Google AdSense to display advertisements on our website. This service is provided by Google LLC and helps us keep our funeral planning resources free to use.

Google AdSense may use cookies and web beacons to serve ads based on your prior visits to our website or other websites. Google's use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads based on your browsing activity.

You may opt out of personalised advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings. Alternatively, you can opt out of third-party vendor cookies by visiting www.aboutads.info/choices.

For more information, please read Google's advertising privacy policy.

Analytics (Google Analytics 4)

We use Google Analytics 4 (GA4) to understand how visitors interact with our website. GA4 collects data such as pages visited, time on site, and general location. This data is used in aggregate to improve our content and user experience.

Google Analytics may transfer data to servers outside the UK. Google is certified under recognised data protection frameworks. You can opt out of Google Analytics by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

Sharing Your Information

We will not sell your personal data. We may share your data with:

• Service providers: Trusted third parties who help us operate our website (e.g. hosting providers, email services, analytics platforms, advertising networks).
• Legal requirements: Where we are required to do so by law, regulation, or legal process.
• Business transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of our business assets.
• Fraud prevention: To protect against fraud, abuse, or security threats.

Data Retention

We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected. Contact form submissions are retained for up to 2 years. Account data is retained for the duration of your account and up to 12 months after deletion. Analytics data is retained for up to 14 months in accordance with Google Analytics settings.

Data Security

We take the security of your data seriously. Our website uses HTTPS encryption (TLS/SSL) for all connections, and we employ appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. However, no method of internet transmission is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Your Rights

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

• Right of access: You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you, free of charge.
• Right to rectification: You can request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Right to erasure: You can request that we delete your personal data where there is no compelling reason to continue processing it.
• Right to restrict processing: You can request that we limit how we use your data.
• Right to data portability: You can request a copy of your data in a structured, commonly used format.
• Right to object: You can object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
• Right to withdraw consent: Where we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at info@arrangingafuneral.co.uk. We will respond within 30 days. There is no fee for making a request.

Third-Party Links

Our website contains links to external websites, including funeral service providers, bereavement organisations, and other resources. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these third-party sites. We encourage you to read the privacy policy of every website you visit.

Children's Privacy

Our website is not directed at children under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected data from a child, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.

Complaints

If you are unhappy with how we have handled your personal data, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK supervisory authority for data protection. You can contact them at ico.org.uk or by calling 0303 123 1113.