The Government recognises the NAFD’s concerns

The National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD) is delighted to report that government consultation documents have formally recognised the profession’s concerns over two major issues, namely retained ashes and the inadequacies of the Social Fund.

At the last meeting of the Scottish Cross Party Group on Funerals and Bereavement civil servants from the Public Health division of the Scottish Government provided an overview of the Death Certification, Burial and Cremation consultation document, which incorporates the Group’s recommendations regarding retained ashes.

The document states:

Disposal of Cremated Remains

At present there is no legislation relating to the collection or disposal of cremated remains. The Cross Party Group on Funerals and Bereavement suggested that when new legislation is made it should include a provision which would make it a requirement that bereaved families should collect ashes from a funeral director’s premises within a set timescale unless they have provided a written request to do otherwise. The Cross Party Groups suggested that a maximum time limit of 5 years may be an appropriate timescale. If ashes are not collected within 5 years, then the ashes may be returned to the cremation authority for disposal. Any ashes currently being retained in funeral directors’ premises for a period of over 5 years, and where there has been no contact from the client who contracted for the funeral for over 5 years and where that client cannot be located or fails to respond to correspondence, shall be dispersed in a suitable location at the discretion of the funeral director.

The NAFD will be providing a response as part of the consultation process but we, and the MSPs, are delighted by this development, which is certainly a step in the right direction,” says NAFD chief executive officer Alan Slater.

Meanwhile, the Department for Work and Pensions has published a Green Paper entitled Social Fund Reform: debt, credit and low income households which contains a chapter on funeral payments and includes many of the concerns raised by the NAFD.

“Although there is no commitment to raise the existing £700 cap, our lobbying on this issue has delivered significant results,” adds Alan Slater.

“Our concerns about the Fund’s administrative problems, the inadequacy of the cap in funding a simple funeral, the need for better information on how much a simple funeral costs and the need to streamline the claims process have at last been formally recognised by the Government.  Our response to the consultation will propose solutions on how the profession’s concerns can be addressed and we will also be restating the need to increase the £700 cap.”