Cost of ‘paupers’ funerals’ held in Telford last year revealed
All four of the funerals were paid by the council at a cost of £450 each.
Public funds were used to pay for four funerals of Telford men who died with no assets or family members able to meet the costs.
Details of the public health funerals paid for by Telford & Wrekin Council in 2025 appeared in data that was updated earlier this year.
Public health funerals are also known as national assistance funerals or paupers’ funerals and the most recent ones were paid for with a total of £1,800 of public funds, the data records.
Two of the men, aged 56 and 62, were married but estranged from their partners, the document records. The marital status of the other two, aged 71 and 80, was recorded as unknown.
Two of the men died with nothing in their estates while the status of the other two was ‘unknown’.
All four of the funerals were paid by the council at a cost of £450 each which has been the minimal cost since at least 2012.
Councils such as Telford & Wrekin have a duty to make arrangements for the funeral of the body of any person who has died within the borough, where it appears that the deceased has no living relatives or sufficient funds for a burial.
If the next of kin is not prepared to arrange and pay for the funeral, they will be asked to make a written statement to confirm that they are not prepared to do this, and to confirm they won’t have access to their relative’s property or funds.
As graves will be used for a second burial of a similar nature, permanent memorials are not permitted on the burial plot.
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