Welfare funerals
What happens if the deceased died within the borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme
We are responsible for making funeral arrangements for anybody who dies within our boundary where no other arrangements are being, or are likely to be made, e.g. when the deceased has no family and they haven’t left a will. This responsibility is placed on us by S46 of the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984. S46 of the Act also states that we may recover all their costs incurred in making the funeral arrangements from the estate of the deceased (i.e. their property and possessions).
A table providing the information that we can publish regarding welfare funerals that we have completed can be found here: