Copyright

We are working hard to encourage a fair and responsible attitude to copyright.


Can Careprint help me with copyright?

Yes of course. When using our fully inclusive artwork service we include:

  • advice and support on securing permission to include copyright texts
  • standard acknowledgements where required by law

Additionally as part of this service we provide:

  • bespoke artwork within 4 working hours
  • support around the clock 7 days per week
  • unlimited proofs until confirmed
  • print and despatch for next working day once confirmed

What is copyright?

Copyright is the intellectual property rights belonging to the authors, composers and publishers of hymns, songs, readings, prayers, liturgy, images etc. 

The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (UK) gives copyright owners the right to charge anyone who wants to copy their work for any use.

How do I know if a work is copyright?

Generally in the UK copyright lasts for 70 years from the end of the year in which the author/composer dies, or 25 years for publisher rights. Works are then normally considered to be free of copyright and in the public domain. This means they may be used without permission.

However, there are exceptions, for instance where historic works have been discovered, rearranged, or republished. 

Some authors allow their work to be placed in the public domain during their lifetime.

The table of hymns on P38 shows a selection of popular hymns for funerals and their copyright status as at 1st May 2024, and information on P39 covers other key elements.

Am I allowed to use copyright materials?

In general, yes, provided you have secured permission from the copyright holder.

In the vast majority of cases there are existing arrangements in place to simplify this process:

  • Many churches and crematoria hold a Copyright Licence which gives permission to print a wide selection of copyright hymns and songs in a service sheet (see below)
  • Most publishers allow you to include a number of verses from the bible without applying for permission (see below)
  • Extracts from Common Worship (CofE), Book of Common Prayer (CofE) and the Roman Catholic Missal, may be freely reproduced subject to certain conditions (see below)

However, individual permissions may be needed for other copyright works.

Who is responsible for copyright compliance?

Everyone has a part to play.

  • The family representative arranging the funeral and placing the order should ensure that permission is in place to use any copyright materials. 
  • Careprint should ensure that all artwork they prepare and print is copyright compliant
  • The venue has ultimate responsibility for ensuring necessary permissions are in place

If a funeral director holds a copyright license, or the family/funeral director have secured written permission from another source, such as the author or publisher, then the venue’s responsibilities would be met. 

Do I have to worry about this if I do my own artwork/print?

Put simply, Yes. Further information can be found at www.careprint.uk/copyright.html.

What is a Copyright Licence?

A copyright licence secures permission to use a wide range of copyright worship hymns/songs in worship aids, such as service sheets without the need to obtain individual permissions from authors/copyright holders. They do not cover any other readings, poems, liturgy, or images.

There are two main providers of copyright licences, which many places are already signed up to: 

Both offer an annual licence and a single event licence

Licences are available to:

  • churches for use anywhere their congregation and minister worship
  • crematoria, gardens of remembrance for use only in their premises
  • funeral directors for use at any funeral they organise anywhere

NB: Not all hymns are covered by both licences

Careprint has no affiliation to CCLI or OneLicense and receives no commission or reward for promoting their services.

How does a Licence look after hymn and song writers?

When a worship hymn or song that is copyright is used in a service sheet, acknowledgements to the author and copyright holder must be printed under the relevent text. For clarity it may be useful to also include the licence number:

Arthur Peterson (1922 - 1997) © The Peterson Estate CCLI/OneLicense No: 000000

The licence holder reports useage of the hymn to CCLI/OneLicense who then pay royalties to the author/copyright holder for each use. This is a bread and butter income stream to many writers.

What happens when no licence or other existing permission is available?

Copyright compliance is not just a legal obligation, but an ethical one. Copyright exists to support the rights of creators and provides a level of protection and compensation for their valuable work, which brings so much comfort at funerals and memorial services. 

If no licence or existing permission is available you can

  • obtain written permission from the individual copyright holders
  • consider a single event licence to cover any copyright worship hymns/songs
  • not print the words (headings are okay) and use other published resources such as a hymnal
  • choose an alternative text that is not copyright (public domain)

Liturgy and Prayers

Based on faith, and unless otherwise directed, we will default to the following versions:

Church of England

  • Common Worship 2000 (default)
  • Book of Common Prayer (if requested)

Roman Catholic

  • Roman Missal © 2010

United Reformed Church

  • URC Worship Book (Supplement Prayer Book: Full to the Brim)

Baptist

  • Gathering for Worship

Bible Extracts

It is a popular misperception that the bible is out of copyright because it is thousands of years old. This is not the case. The original texts of the bible were printed in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek and no-one is likely to claim copyright on those. However, the versions we use today are translations that have been regularly updated over the centuries, and copyright of these is owned by publishers and translators.

The good news is almost all publishers allow limited extracts of the bible to be freely used in one off Order of Service sheets, provided the initials of the bible version are included in the title. For example, if using the New Revised Standard Version of the bible you would need to print: ‘John 14: 1-6 NRSV’

Based on faith, and unless otherwise directed, we will default to the following versions:

Church of England/United Reformed/Methodist

  • New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
  • Psalms from Common Worship

Roman Catholic

  • English Standard Version Catholic Edition (ESVCE)
  • Psalms from Abbey Psalms and Canticles

Baptist

  • King James Version (KJV) – original 1611/1769 edition

Secular Readings and Poetry

Many popular readings and poems are in the public domain. Quite often authors who are still alive, or died within the last 70 years, also want their work to be shared freely. Some don’t and are quite strict about their copyright and having permission to print.

Popular Music Lyrics

Most modern pop songs are copyright and permission should be sought from the copyright holder before reproducing the words.

Images

When sourcing images you should be mindful of their copyright status. For example, if it is a character from a film or television programme there is a very strong chance it is copyrighted and permission will need to be obtained before use.

Internet

Accessing copyright texts online is all too easy. Just because it is online does not mean you are allowed to print it without permission. Many website hosts have permission to display the texts, some do not!

General

As part of our fully inclusive service we will evaluate the copyright status of all the texts that you want to include. We will include any standard copyright notices that are required by law, and highlight any areas where further information is required. Useful things to tell us when placing an order are:

  • The faith of the service (if not immediately apparent)
  • The licence numbers of any CCLI or OneLicense subscription held by the venue or funeral director
  • What version of the bible has been used for any extracts requested