Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984 - Funerals
Under the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984 the Council has a duty to arrange funerals where there is no one willing or able to arrange and pay for it.
Usually, the deceased will have left nothing of value in his or her estate to cover funeral costs, in which cases the council has to fund these. In other instances, where it is obvious that the value of the estate exceeds £20,000, the matter is referred to the Treasury Solicitor in London.
The Council initially pays for the funeral but can claim the costs back from the estate at a later date. If a person dies in hospital, however, the duty falls on the local NHS Trust to make these arrangements.
Find details on estates of people dying intestate in the Harrogate district that have been transferred to the Treasury Solicitor's Department since December 2008
For further information please contact Member Services on 01423 556072.