Public Health - community funerals
Our Bereavement Services department deal with Public Health Section 46 funerals under the Control of Diseases Act 1984. These are often called -
- Public Health Funerals
- Paupers Funerals
- Welfare Funerals
We call them Community Funerals. These funerals occur when there is no one -
- capable
- willing
- available
to make the necessary funeral arrangements, or, they simply do not have the financial resources to progress matters.
Information about the Public Health community funeral process
When we become aware of a deceased person with no known Next of Kin, we make reasonable enquiries to find out whether there are any living relatives. We use information from the police, neighbours, and other council departments’ records, if available.
Information may also be available from the coroner. We will additionally use the services of a reputable firm of genealogists, to try and locate next of kin. We do not pay for this service. If there is a residual estate after the deduction for the council’s costs has been taken, the genealogists can help the next of kin to recover any monies due to them. They will charge for this service.
A Hull City Council Bereavement Officer will usually visit the home of the deceased to search for a will or evidence of family connections. Depending upon the case, Hull City Council officers may tell DWP, Council Tax and Council Housing teams of the death of a person. Notices of the death and funeral and obituaries are not published in any newspapers.
Hull City Council do not accept responsibility for winding up the estate of the deceased. The officers will arrange for the cremation or interment. They will recover the council’s costs from the assets that are available. They will then will close the case. Qualifying bona vacantia estates are referred to the Treasury Solicitor. The ashes are retained for a period of one month from the date of the cremation. If not claimed during that time they will be scattered in the gardens of the crematorium.
If family or friends wish to make funeral arrangements, it will not be dealt with as a Community Funeral. All arrangements will be at their own expense. They are encouraged to do so to have the funeral they would want for their loved one. The Hull City Council team will not be involved.
Hull City Council does not use the services of a Funeral Director. All arrangements are made by the authority as part of its Affordable Cremation Service. There is also no church service. A very short chapel service is conducted which includes a reading.
The contact details for the Bereavement Team are -
Hull Bereavement Services
Chanterlands Crematorium
Chanterlands Avenue
Hull
HU5 4EF
Email - bereavement.services@hullcc.gov.uk
Telephone - 01482 614 976