Public funerals and the Treasury Solicitor

The Council provides an extremely simple public funeral for deceased people who have no relatives or friends to carry out this for them. We do not offer a low cost or free funeral service for people who are unable to afford a funeral for a loved one. Please visit the GOV.UK  webpages for information on help with funeral costs. 

We are allowed to recover the costs of the funeral from the persons estate and if there are any funds left exceeding £500, we then pass the details of the estate to the Treasury Solicitor. Our role then ceases at that point and we do not administer the estate if there is one.

The funeral provided is extremely simple but dignified. It is usually the first or second time booking at Salisbury Crematorium; there are no flowers or hymns but we do let close friends know when the funeral is so they may attend.

A public funeral is unlikely to be according to an individual's wishes. It is very important therefore that you communicate your instructions to your relatives and friends by making a will and leaving details of how you would like your estate, no matter how large or small, managed after you have died.

It is not a subject people like to discuss but it does mean that those who administer your affairs after your death will know what your wishes are and what to do. It is also important to ensure that potential executors of your will are happy to perform this task.

There are different options available for writing a will ranging from going to a solicitor to the purchase of a will pack from a stationers such as WH Smiths. You should also consider the how you will pay for your funeral. This may be detailed as part of your will from savings or for example a funeral payment scheme.

This is a legal term that describes a situation where a person takes on legal responsibility for a person's affairs by meddling in them. If you are a friend who is not an executor and has no intention of taking on responsibility for a deceased persons affairs and you have access to the persons home, please do not remove any documents or possessions from the deceased home. Leave the property secure and hand the key to the authorities. This may be the police, coroners officer or housing association. We may not accept a funeral if we feel that individual(s) have intermeddled. If valuables, money or bank cards have been removed, this may become a police matter. We do check to see if any transactions have been made after the deceased's death.

We use suppliers approved by the council's procurement team. Service procurement contracts are advertised on The South West Portal..

Companies interested in becoming suppliers should register with The South West Portal..

This would be covered as part of the procurement process. An invitation to quote or tender is published depending on the value of the contract (high value contracts are also advertised in the Official Journal of the European Community). For more information please view the Wiltshire Council Procurement Strategy.

The council currently uses a funeral director who successfully bid for this work through our procurement process. For more information please view the Wiltshire Council Procurement Strategy.

The Councils finance team uses a firm to trace missing or unknown family members. In some instances Public Protection Services make use of this company. Should further details be required please contact financial services direct.

The member of the Environmental Control & Protection Team who covers the district the deceased person died in.

The member of the Environmental Control & Protection Team who covers the district the deceased person died in.

None.

Information regarding recent funerals conducted under the Public Health provisions are published in the table(s) above. All estates of a value of £500 or more are referred to the Treasury Solicitor in accordance with their guidance.

Cases referred to the Treasury solicitor along with relevant information, where available are published and accessible on the Unclaimed Estates List.

No.