Public health funerals

A public health funeral is arranged by Cheshire East Council when someone dies within the borough and there is no one able to make the necessary arrangements.

Funeral options

Funeral arranged by a funeral director

You can contact any funeral director directly. They can help you plan the funeral you want and explain the costs.

Public funeral

We may arrange a public health funeral when someone dies and:

• there is no known next of kin
• no suitable funeral arrangements being made

We will recover funeral costs from the deceased person’s estate. This helps reduce costs for local residents. 

Help with funeral costs

The next of kin may be able to pay for help for a funeral through the 'Social Fund'. You may be eligible if you receive:

• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Pension Credit
• Working Tax Credit which includes a disability
• Child Tax Credit if your reward is high enough
• Housing Benefit
• Universal Credit

Find out more on the GOV.UK funeral payments page.

What the council will do

Register the death

The next of kin or somebody who knew the deceased should register the death. If we cannot find them, we will register the death.

Find next of kin

If a death qualifies for a public funeral, we collect the deceased person’s belongings for safekeeping.

We search the property of the deceased person for:

• a will
• documents to help find relatives
• financial information to help pay for the funeral

If we find a Will, we ask the executor to make the funeral arrangements in line with the deceased’s wishes. The executor is the person responsible for looking after the estate of the deceased. The council will then take no further action.

We work with a genealogy research company to assist with finding relatives. If we find details of any family and friends, we tell them about the death and ask them to undertake the funeral arrangements.

Arranging the funeral

We make funeral arrangements with a funeral director who has a contract with the council. The service will be simple and dignified. It will usually take place early in the morning. Family or friends may arrange a minister or officiant at their own expense.

Cremated remains

After cremation, we scatter the ashes in the garden of remembrance at one of our cemeteries. If any next of kin, family or friends request the ashes, a charge will apply.

Paying for a public health funeral

We pay for the funeral from the deceased person's estate where possible. If there is not enough money, we will look at other options. 

Before we arrange a funeral, we may ask any next of kin to show that they cannot pay for the funeral themselves.

Property and belongings of the deceased person

We make the property safe and secure. All keys and belongings of the deceased person must be given to the council for safekeeping.

You must not remove items from the property unless you have legal authority to do so.

Once we confirmed that we are arranging the funeral, the council have the first claim on the estate.

We cannot arrange to dispose of furniture or the personal belongings of the deceased. This must be paid for by the estate or the property owner.

If money remains after the funeral costs are paid and there is no one to inherit it, we inform the Treasury Solicitor.

Freedom of information requests

You can request information about public funerals from informationrequests@cheshireeast.gov.uk.

• List of public health funerals (MS Excel, 24KB) last updated 5 March 2026.

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