Solution needed to deal with up to 300,000 sets of unclaimed ashes across UK A “workable solution” is needed to deal respectfully with up to 300,000 sets of unclaimed ashes across the UK, the National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD) has said.
Reasons for this are varied, the NAFD said, from family disputes, to illness, a desire to inter two sets of ashes together, or that a grieving relative is struggling with the decision to collect ashes.
The NAFD said it agrees with the overall intention of the commission’s proposals but said four weeks may not be a long enough period and suggest extending this to eight weeks at a minimum.
It stated: “If the applicant does not respond within four weeks, the funeral director should be able to return the ashes to the crematorium, and the crematorium should have a duty to accept them.
The Law Commission has undertaken a consultation on reforming the law around burial and cremation and has proposed a deadline to collect unclaimed ashes before they are returned to a crematorium.
