Public Health Funerals

If someone dies in Pendle, and it appears that no funeral arrangements have been made, we have a legal responsibility to make sure that there is a proper cremation or burial. The legal requirement for this comes from section 46 of the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984.

This usually happens when the person who has died:

  • has no known relatives
  • has relatives who either don't want to, or are unable to make funeral arrangements

We usually get referrrals from care homes, family or friends of the deceased, or from the Coroner.

If you have a request for a Public Health funeral, please email environmental.health@pendle.gov.uk. This email address is only monitored Monday - Friday during office hours.

Help with funeral costs

If a close relative of the person who has died gets certain benefits or tax credits, they might be entitled to a Funeral Expenses Payment from the Department for Work and Pensions. This payment probably won't cover the full amount, but will give them a contribution.

There may be other funding available from charities. You can find charities that may be able to help by using the grant search on the Turn2Us website.

Crowd funding can also be an option if several people want to share the costs of the funeral.

Unfortunately we can't get involved if the funeral is already booked or has already taken place.

Reclaiming our costs

We have the right to claim the costs of arranging a Public Health funeral from the estate (money or property) of the person who has died.

We will search their home to see if we can find:

  • a will
  • documents relating to next of kin
  • bank accounts
  • savings
  • investments
  • any assets that can be sold

It is important that nothing is removed from the home before we have completed our search. If items are removed, we will ask that they are returned to us.

If we find a will, then the executor of the will must make the funeral arrangements, and we will take no further action.

After the funeral

The cremated remains are stored safely for a short time, and made available for family or friends to collect. If they aren't collected, they are scattered in the Garden of Remembrance at Burnley Crematorium. 

If the person who's died owned property or other assets, and we haven't been able to find anyone who should inherit them, then we refer the case to the Duchy of Lancaster.