National Assistance Burials
- When does this happen?
- What happens next?
- Who Pays for the Funeral?
- When and where will the funeral be held?
- Burial or Cremation?
- Cremated Remains
- What happens to the person's Property and Personal Effects?
- Our Objective
The Council normally acts on written instructions received from the local Coroner's Officer. In some instances the Managers of Residential Homes, and Sheltered accommodation advise of circumstances where a death has occurred within their home / accommodation and, as far as they know, there are no relatives willing or able to make the funeral arrangements.
Where the Coroner has notified us of a death where, as far as he is aware, there is no one willing to make funeral arrangements the first thing we do is to collect the deceased's personal effects from the Police.
Where known, or where the death has been notified by the Manager or a Residential Home or Council sheltered accommodation, the residence of the deceased will be searched to try and find a Will or any other documents that will indicate the existence of any relatives, religious beliefs or funeral preferences.
Where details of family and friends are found these will be informed of the death and invited to make the funeral arrangements.
Close relatives will be asked to confirm in writing that they are not prepared to make arrangements for the funeral.
The cost of the funeral is usually met out of the estate of the deceased, if there are insufficient funds the executor is personally liable.
Where the deceased has not left a will the person arranging the funeral (normally their next of kin) is liable to meet the funeral costs.
If the next of kin is not prepared to arrange and pay for the funeral (for example where there are insufficient funds in the estate) they will be asked to make a written statement to confirm that they are not prepared to arrange and pay for the funeral.
When and where will the funeral be held?
The cemetery & crematorium Manager will then take responsibility for the funeral including Registration of the death and instructing the Funeral Director who holds the Public Health Funeral Contract to make the funeral arrangements.
Any known family and friends will be advised of the date and time of the funeral and are able to attend if they wish to do so.
Unless it appears that the deceased would have been against cremation the funeral arrangements will be made with the Funeral Director nominated by the Borough Council for a cremation service at Easthampstead Park Cemetery & Crematorium.
If the person had left paperwork or advised family or friends that they wanted to be buried suitable arrangement for burial is made.
In either case an appropriate religious or non-religious ceremony would be arranged in accordance (as far as possible) with the deceased's beliefs. At the Crematorium a Public Health Funeral is just like any other funeral with a Chapel service. Where possible the minister or officient conducting the service will have a chance to speak to the family before the service to make the service a personal one, where there are going to be mourners present a hymn may also be included. At the Cemetery a graveside service is normally held, and it is only normally the lack of a memorial that distinguishes the grave. No memorial is permitted on the grave unless the Exclusive Right of Burial is purchased.
The cremated remains of the deceased will be scattered in the gardens of remembrance unless other specific instructions are found amongst the deceased possessions or in a will. Any costs associated with specific instructions must however first be met either through the deceased estate or by family members. Where a family member wishes to retain the remains then they must be collected from the Crematorium as we regret it is not possible to arrange for remains to be couriered.
What happens to the person's Property and Personal Effects?
If the deceased left furniture or other personal effects the Council will make arrangements for the disposal of these items. If possible property is sold and the money offset against the cost of the funeral. The cost of clearing the property is normally met by the Council as part of the funeral costs where the person's possessions are of little monetary value. At the discretion of the Bereavement Service Manager personal items such as photographs are normally offered to the family.
In cases where there are assets that exceed the cost of the funeral, property clearance costs etc. the Council arranges the funeral and when all costs are known informs the Treasury Solicitor in accordance with rules set down by the Secretary of State.
We aim to comply with the requirements of the Public Health (Control of Diseases) Act 1984 in a sympathetic manner making appropriate funeral arrangements where it appears that no other person is willing or able to make the necessary arrangements. Where possible we will recover funeral expenses from monies available from the deceased's estate to limit the cost to the people of Bracknell Forest.
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