Public Health Funerals in East Dorset

We have a responsibility under Section 46 of the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984 to make arrangements and pay for Public Health Funerals in certain circumstances:

• when someone dies without making a will and appointing an executor, and
• when the council does not think there are any relatives or friends willing or able to make the funeral arrangements

The cost of the funeral is normally paid for using funds from the deceased person's estate (the belongings owned by that person). The council will only arrange and pay for a funeral if no one else is willing to do so.

Freedom of Information requests 

We are frequently asked for information about public health funerals, people who have died with no known next of kin, bona vacantia estates and estates which have been referred to the Treasury Solicitor, or Duchy of Lancaster or Cornwall.  In response to these requests, for the previous twelve months, we are releasing the following information about public health funerals.