We have a duty under Section 46 of the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984 to take responsibility for funeral arrangements of anyone who has died in the borough if no suitable arrangements have been made.

This usually occurs where there are no friends or next of kin in a position to make the arrangements. Unfortunately we can’t help if someone else has already taken responsibility for arranging the funeral.

The police, the coroner, social workers or care home managers refer most cases to us.

What happens before the funeral?

Before we take responsibility for organising a funeral we will make reasonable enquiries to find relatives, friends or the executor of a will who may wish to make the arrangements themselves. There are many reasons why next of kin may not be in a position to make funeral arrangements. The council may ask them to confirm they are not able or willing to make arrangements before proceedings. 

We may conduct a search of the deceased’s property (or room in a care home) with a view to finding details of their next of kin, a will, and details of their estate (accounts, assets etc). 

We may also ask a genealogist to help us trace next of kin.

We will try and determine whether the deceased had any specific wishes or religious views that will affect the funeral arrangements and, in particular, whether they wished to be buried or cremated. We may not always be able to follow the exact wishes of the deceased but we will respect religious views and whether they wishes to be buried or cremated.

What sort of funeral does the council arrange?

Where we make arrangements for a funeral, it will be simplistic and remain dignified and will be accompanied by appropriate music.

We will normally arrange a cremation unless we are aware that the deceased wished to be buried. 

We will make sure that the preparations for the funeral are carried out in a dignified and sensitive way. We will also take into consideration the deceased’s religious and cultural background.

We will try and let family, carers and friends know the date, time and place of the funeral, so they can attend if they wish.

Who pays for a public health funeral?

The cost of any funeral is met out of the estate of the deceased.

If there are insufficient funds the executor is personally liable. Reasonable costs of any funeral (including a charge for the time in arranging the funeral) arranged by the Council are reclaimed from the persons estate, where there are sufficient funds.

Details of the charge made per hour of officers time can be found on our fees and charges page.

What happens to the ashes following cremation?

Following the cremation after 28 days the ashes are usually scattered in the garden of remembrance at the crematorium.

We will consider releasing ashes to next of kin (or others with their permission). It is important that next of kin make us aware of any other wishes regarding the ashes as soon as possible.

What happens to the deceased's belongings / estate?

The Council is not responsible for administering the Estate of the deceased. The Council will recover its reasonable expenses including officer time from the estate funds or through the sale of valuable items. 

Where there is no next of kin, the estate will be referred to the government legal department (subject to value of estate being in excess of £500 following all funeral costs). More information can be found on the government legal department website Treasury Solicitor’s Department.

Where the deceased lived in rented accommodation, once satisfied that there are no items of value, the landlord should take responsibility for clearing the premises at their costs. If the deceased lived in a care / nursing home, the home is accountable for the disposal of the effects.

There is a list of unclaimed estates held by the Treasury Solicitor on the gov.uk website.

We also publish a deceased person’s list showing the details of people whose funerals we have arranged, and any unclaimed estates.

Contact us

If you have queries about public health funerals please email our environmental health team.

Useful information for people arranging funerals for friends or loved ones

Deceased Persons list Jan 2019 - March 2023
SURNAME FIRST NAME MAIDEN NAME D.O.B. D.O.D. MARITAL STATUS LOCATION OF DEATH COST OF FUNERAL RECOVERED PAID BY COUNCIL OUR REF
WHITE RICHARD ANTHONY N/A 26.06.1939 7.1.19 U/K CARE HOME U/K N/A PAID BY ST.HELENS COUNCIL SR211330
KEOGH FLORENCE JEAN ROBERTS 01.02.1936 21.2.19 DIVORCED CARE HOME U/K N/A PAID BY CARE HOME SR212715
RIGBY LORRAINE N/A 18.5.64 23.4.19 SINGLE PRIVATE ADDRESS 1,536.00 167.01 1,368.99 SR213985
BROOKS JOYCE IRIS McKINLEY 3.9.22 23.4.19 WIDOW CARE HOME 2,177.00 2,177.00 NIL SR214300
POLLITT WILLIAM N/A 24.3.34 14.10.19 SINGLE CARE HOME 2,026.80 2,026.80 NIL SR218056
GRAHAM DEREK N/A 27.4.55 29.11.19 DIVORCED CARE HOME 1,536.00 1,405.52 130.48 SR219201
HORNYAK ROBERT N/A 12.7.71 5.2.20 DIVORCED PRIVATE ADDRESS 1,536.00 84.08 1,451.92 SR220614
ROWLES SYLVIA N/A 10.3.33 20.2.20 SINGLE CARE HOME U/K N/A PAID BY FAMILY SR220971
FARRIMOND JOSEPH N/A 24.8.41 10.4.20 U/K CARE HOME 1,106.00 728.93 377.07 SR222364
DIXON MAVIS FORD 4.7.39 15.4.20 DIVORCED CARE HOME 1492 1,492.00 NIL SR222363
BROMWICH PETER N/A 2.8.43 30.3.20 WIDOW PRIVATE ADDRESS 1,560.00 878.15 681.85 SR222187
MALCOLM LAURENCE TREVOR N/A 12.11.50 12.3.20 DIVORCED HOSPITAL 1,560.00 848.4 711.6 SR222025
CLARK MARGARET MAUREEN THORBURN 10.9.24 8.5.20 WIDOW CARE HOME 1,992.00 1,992.00 NIL SR223208
HODSON JOHN N/A 25.3.37 12.6.20 DIVORCED CARE HOME 2,159.00 2,159.00 NIL SR224460
BROADHEAD PHILIP N/A 11.9.51 19.7.20 SINGLE PRIVATE ADDRESS 1,560.00 1,560.00 NIL SR225626
SKELHORN BARBARA U/K 28.1.24 1.9.20 WIDOW CARE HOME 1,992.00 505.35 1,486.65 SR226675
SMITH TREVOR N/A 6.8.46 27.8.20 DIVORCED HOSPICE 1,560.00 N/A 560 SR226735
ANDERSON MICHAELA U/K 21.10.47 19.6.20 U/K PRIVATE ADDRESS 1,560.00 1,560.00 NIL SR224676
GILLBERTS ANNE-MARIE N/A 31.10.82 30.9.20 SINGLE PRIVATE ADDRESS 1,174.00 N/A 1,174.00 SR227705
DAVIES KARL N/A 26.9.65 12.10.20 SINGLE PRIVATE ADDRESS 1,560.00 1,507.80 52.2 SR228106
MCLOUGHLIN HILDA IVY U/K 28.10.28 4.10.20 WIDOW CARE HOME 1,560.00 1,560.00 NIL SR227749
FREEMAN MARJORIE N/A 22.4.29 13.9.20 SINGLE CARE HOME 2,572.00 2,572.00 NIL SR229021
URQUHART GEORGE WARREN N/A 23.3.57 18.11.20 U/K PRIVATE ADDRESS 1,560.00 N/A 1,560.00 SR229677
MELLOR JAMES N/A 19.5.46 27.11.20 DIVORCED HOSPITAL 1,642.00 1,642.00 NIL SR229757
WOODS SYLVIA CARR 18.7.33 3.11.20 WIDOW CARE HOME 2,097.00 2,097.00 NIL SR228565
MATHER FRANCIS ANTHONY N/A 15.3.54 20.11.20 SINGLE CARE HOME 1,560.00 1,560.00 NIL SR229233
BURNS ANTHONY STEPHEN N/A 22.9.59 23.12.20 SINGLE HOSPITAL 1,560.00 1,560.00 NIL SR229975
MERONI ANGELO N/A 05.01.1967 25.02.2021 SINGLE PRIVATE ADDRESS 1,560.00 1,471.46 88.54 SR231678
TEMPEST BRIAN N/A 22.08.1934 14.02.2021 SINGLE PRIVATE ADDRESS 1,187.00 1,187.00 NIL SR232135
LENEHAN CHRISTOPHER MARK  N/A 29.04.1960 08.03.2021 DIVORCED PRIVATE ADDRESS 1,584.00 1,584.00 NIL SR231896
HIGGINSON ALLAN N/A 13.01.1948 22.03.2021 DIVORCED  CARE HOME 1,891.00 1,891.00 NIL SR232935
MCDERMOTT HAROLD N/A 10.02.1949 14.04.2021 SINGLE HOSPICE 1,666.00 1,532.88 133.12 SR233018
CRAIG TERRY N/A 30.09.1981 25.04.2021 SINGLE PRIVATE ADDRESS 1,584.00 N/A 1,584.00 SR233411
MCMILLAN PHILIP N/A 06.07.1972 07.05.2021 SINGLE HOUSING ASSOCIATION 1,584.00 1,520.30 63.7 SR233728
FORSTER ALFRED N/A 16.06.1942 24.05.2021 SINGLE CARE HOME 1,269.00 1,269.00 NIL SR234877
ANNE FLANNERY CONCANNON 20.02.1941 01.07.2021 WIDOW CARE HOME U/K N/A PAID BY FUNERAL PLAN SR235351
DONALD CASSIDY N/A 22.02.1935 17.09.2021 MARRIED PRIVATE ADDRESS 2,184.00 N/A PAID BY PUBLIC BODY SR237266
ANDREW HODGKINSON N/A 04.11.1969 30.10.2021 SINGLE HOSPITAL 1,584.00 N/A 1,584.00 SR238251
NEIL JOHNSON N/A 25.12.1953 13.11.2021 SINGLE PRIVATE ADDRESS 1,187.00 1,187.00 NIL SR238706
SEAN GILMORE N/A 06.10.1967 02.12.2021 SINGLE PRIVATE ADDRESS 1,584.00 1,584.00 NIL SR239028
JOHN INMAN N/A 21.01.1972 15.12.2021 MARRIED HOSPICE 1,666.00 N/A 1,666.00 SR240575
COLIN RATCLIFFE N/A 11.06.1951 07.01.2022 SINGLE PRIVATE ADDRESS 1,187.00 NIL 1,187.00 SR240102
MICHAEL BAILEY N/A 23.03.1944 09.03.2022 SINGLE PRIVATE ADDRESS 1,609.00 1,609.00 NIL SR241007
EDWARD JOHN GARRATT N/A 09.04.1939 15.04.2022 SINGLE CARE HOME 2,023.00 NIL 2,023.00 SR 241780
CLIFFORD BARNES N/A 29.03.1943 04.04.2022 WIDOW CARE HOME 1,691.00 NIL 1,691.00 SR241588
PETER WILLIAM BATE N/A 04.08.1969 31.05.2022 SINGLE PRIVATE ADDRESS 1,200.00 NIL 1,200.00 SR242988
MARTYN  CLEMENTS N/A 24.03.1971 20.07.2022 SINGLE PRIVATE ADDRESS 1,609.00 NIL 1,609.00 SR244146
JOHN EDWARD GETTINS N/A 15.10.1974 28.07.2022 SINGLE PRIVATE ADDRESS 1,609.00 TBC TBC SR244413
ANDRZEY KONDRAT N/A 06.10.1957 03.08.2022 SINGLE PRIVATE ADDRESS 1,609.00 1,609.00 NIL SR244803
JOHN KENNETH BARNES N/A 18.08.1964 02.09.2022 DIVORCED PRIVATE ADDRESS 1,609.00 NIL 1,609.00 SR245261
ANDRZEY CHOJNACKI N/A 09.05.1969 07.10.2022 U/K PRIVATE ADDRESS 1,200.00 TBC TBC SR246437
PETER   MCLEAN N/A 21.10.1975 02.11.2022 SINGLE PRIVATE ADDRESS  1,691.00 NIL 1,691.00 SR246778
GRAHAM  HOLT N/A 30.04.1972 19.12.2022 SINGLE PRIVATE ADDRESS TBC TBC TBC SR247728
JOHN KEVIN  KING N/A 10.05.1951 23.12.2022 SINGLE CARE HOME 1,532.00 NIL 1,532.00 SR247729