Frequently asked questions about public funerals

How many public health funerals has this local authority arranged each year?

2018/19 - 22
2017/18 - 18
2016/17 - 29
2015/16 - 35
2014/15 - 11
2013/14 - 14
2012/13 - 27
2011/12 - 19
2010/11 - 6

How much does a public heath funeral cost on average?

Current average is around £1600.

How much has the council spent on public health funerals during the following years?

2018/19 - £38,069
2017/18 - £31,484
2016/17 - £40,443
2015/16 - £51,100
2014/15 - £14,000
2013/14 - £16,800
2012/13 - £31,050
2011/12 - £21,375
2010/11 - £6,600

How were the funerals providers found - on a case-by-case basis or part of a larger contract? 

Contracted, after a tendering process.

What was the age and gender of the youngest person and oldest person to be given a public health funeral?

2018/19 - youngest = 41 year old male, oldest = 80 year old female
2017/18 - youngest = 41 year old male, oldest = 86 year old female
2016/17 - youngest = 33 year old male, oldest = 87 year old female
2015/16 - youngest = 33 year old female, oldest = 85 year old female
2014/15 - youngest = 27 year old male, oldest = 92 year old female
2013/14 - youngest = 38 year old male, oldest = 82 year old male
2012/13 - youngest = 48 year old male, oldest = 79 year old male
2011/12 - youngest = 41 year old male, oldest = 90 year old female
2010/11 - youngest = 27 year old male, oldest = 96 year old female

How many burials were there each year? How many cremations were there each year?

2018/19 - no burials, 22 cremations
2017/18 - 1 burial, 17 cremations
2016/17 - no burials, 29 cremations
2015/16 - no burials, 35 cremations
2014/15 - no burials, 11 cremations
2013/14 - no burials, 14 cremations
2012/13 - 1 burial, 26 cremations
2011/12 - 2 burials, 17 cremations
2010/11 - 1 burial, 5 cremations

Where does this local authority bury/cremate a person for a public health funeral?

Cremations take place at Morriston Crematorium. Burials have only been in existing family plots, so various locations.

How many times is an unmarked grave used?

Never.

Of these public burials, how many were carried out because: a) No next of kin could be contacted; b) The family were unable to pay for a funeral?

We do not specifically hold this information, but an estimate would be the majority are carried out due to the family being unable to pay for a funeral. This is possibly as high as 95%.

Has the council at any time used a genealogist, probate researcher or tracing agent to locate the next of kin of a deceased person whom the authority is to undertake, or has undertaken, a public health funeral?

No.

The council releases information regarding cases on a quarterly basis and a quarter in arrears. We do not believe it to be in the public interest to provide more recent personal information. Giving out the names of the recently deceased, when combined with other sources of information, for example the electoral roll, telephone directory or 192.com would make identifying potentially empty properties fairly easy and could promote criminal activity. This information is therefore exempt under Section 31.

Some information may be accessible elsewhere, namely Bona Vacantia.