Municipal funerals
The law places a duty on local authorities to deal with the funeral arrangements where a person dies within the borough and there is no one else willing or able to do so (where the person was living at the date of their death is not relevant).
The only exception is where the person died in hospital, in which case the health authority is responsible for making the appropriate arrangements. The law also requires that the local authority recovers their costs.
The council would only get involved if someone dies within the borough and there was no one else willing or able to make the funeral arrangements. A referral letter is received from a Coroners Officer, hospice, residential home or hospital (if pronounced dead before admission).
If a family makes a referral they are advised that the funeral is the first claim on the estate and therefore the London Borough of Barnet would endeavour to recover costs.
There is no financial help towards the costs of a funeral from the council. However, if the person responsible for arranging the funeral is on benefits they are advised to contact their benefits office to see if they are entitled to any contribution. It has to be the person responsible for the arrangements who is on benefits and not the person who has passed away.
If you would like any further information please contact Tracey Creek, Community Resources Manager, Adult Social Services using the details in the menu on the left:
