A public health funeral is the cremation or burial of someone who has died, usually alone, is unclaimed and often without funds to provide for their own funeral.
Public health funerals are also known as national assistance funerals and paupers' funerals.
The council uses the shared service provided by the Public Protection Partnership to arrange public health funerals. You can find out more about this service on the Public Protection Partnership website.
If you want to request a public health funeral, you can:
- phone: 01635 503242 (for Environmental Health enquiries)
- email: ehadvice@westberks.gov.uk (put public health funeral enquiry as the subject line)
What we provide for a public health funeral
If no one is prepared to arrange the funeral, we will take responsibility for making the arrangements. This includes:
- registration of the death
- instructing a funeral director to collect the body
- providing a coffin
- transporting the deceased to the crematorium by private ambulance
- arranging the cremation
There is no charge for this.
Religious services
In carrying out its legal duty the council does not provide for a service as part of the cremation or burial.
If you want to arrange for a minister or officiant to take the service, you must pay for it yourself. You should include this detail with your enquiry.
Cremated remains
The cremated remains of the deceased are normally scattered in the grounds of the crematorium. This is unless other specific instructions are found in the deceased’s possessions or in a will.
If the council has a request from a family member or anyone who can evidence a relationship, the ashes will be released into their care. Ashes can be collected from the crematorium. You should include this detail with your enquiry.
Public health funeral data
To aid transparency, we publish information relating to the public health funerals we have carried out.