public health funerals

PippaGirl_2

If someone dies insolvent, no savings and they are estranged from their adult children and has no contact with them, can the estranged children be forced to pay for a funeral for their estranged Parent?

Note, one child is at university struggling to manage on student finance, the other children work minimum wage and are struggling to make ends meet ie pay private rent, bills etc and none of them have savings or any spare money each month once bills/food is paid. Plus they're estranged from the parent too.

Thank you.

Yorkshireman99

PippaGirl wrote: »

If someone dies insolvent, no savings and they are estranged from their adult children and has no contact with them, can the estranged children be forced to pay for a funeral for their estranged Parent?

Note, one child is at university struggling to manage on student finance, the other children work minimum wage and are struggling to make ends meet ie pay private rent, bills etc and none of them have savings or any spare money each month once bills/food is paid. Plus they're estranged from the parent too.

Thank you.

The relatives have no legal obligation whatsoever. The local authority or the hospital where the person died have to pay in full. It will be a simple but nevertheless dignified service usually cremation as this is cheaper.

Beenie

Please don't worry about this.

One of my relatives had a public health funeral ( I thought it had a different name but can't bring it to mind at the moment) arranged by the hospital where they had passed away.

It was no different to a 'normal funeral'. We were consulted about music and readings and the service was conducted by the hospital chaplain at the crematorium.

There was a bit of psychological pressure applied but, when it was made clear that no-one had any money, it was not mentioned again.

The only thing to bear in mind with a public health funeral is that you do not get to choose a date and time for your convenience. We had an early time slot but that actually didn't matter to us. There were only a couple of us at the service anyway.

Yorkshireman99

Beenie wrote: »

Please don't worry about this.

One of my relatives had a public health funeral ( I thought it had a different name but can't bring it to mind at the moment) arranged by the hospital where they had passed away.

It was no different to a 'normal funeral'. We were consulted about music and readings and the service was conducted by the hospital chaplain at the crematorium.

There was a bit of psychological pressure applied but, when it was made clear that no-one had any money, it was not mentioned again.

The only thing to bear in mind with a public health funeral is that you do not get to choose a date and time for your convenience. We had an early time slot but that actually didn't matter to us. There were only a couple of us at the service anyway.

Sadly there are doubtless some rogues who try an get the state to pay when the estate has the money. Nevertheless the LA or hospital should not put pressure on grieving relatives to pay.

These were called "pauper's funerals" but this is seen as non PC today. The OP should be reassured that there is no shame these days in the deceased or the family being unable to pay. It just happens. Come back here if you need more help.

KMA

You can pick up a leaflet from job centre plus (or phone and online no doubt) that does have a lengthy application form in cases where people are on low/no income and state benefits to help with funeral costs.


I was automatically sent one in the post when I contacted the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) when I notified them of my father's death. I understand that it may only contribute to costs and not pay the whole amount though and I guess you would only entertain this should you want to arrange the funeral on behalf of a relative. If estranged this might not be the case.


The public health/municipal funeral is basic but no different really from a 'simple' basic funeral that many folk choose for themselves/their family member. It is just as a previous poster noted, you have no choice on the date and tend to be earliest (least popular) timeslots.