Public health funerals and exhumations

Public Health Act funerals

Public health funerals are provided by local authorities for people who have passed away and have no next of kin, or whose next of kin, relatives or friends are unable or unwilling to make the necessary arrangements for a funeral.

In these circumstances, the Council will arrange the funeral under Section 46 of the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984.

These funerals are assessed for eligibility on a case-by-case basis. For more information, please contact our Environmental Health team on 01252 774421 or email eh@hart.gov.uk.

You can also view the list of Section 46 Public Health Funerals arranged by Hart.

Exhuming human remains

The process of moving a person's remains from a grave is called an 'exhumation'. 

You may need to exhume human remains to:

• move a body from the original grave site to a new grave
• deepen an existing grave for a further burial
• send them for cremation

You need a licence to remove human remains from the ground. You’ll need to get the signature of any close relatives, the owner of the grave plot and the burial authority.

An Environmental Health officer must be present at the exhumation. The exhumation can't go ahead if the conditions of the licence are not met, or there are public health or decency concerns.

Apply to exhume human remains