DEATHS IN CARE HOMES
ARRANGING A FUNERAL FOR AN ULTIMUS HAERES DEATH
1. If the resident who has died in a Care Home has no Will (which might specify funeral wishes) and no known blood relatives (who can make funeral arrangements), the estate may well fall to the Crown as
Ultimus Haeres and therefore becomes the responsibility of the National Ultimus Haeres Unit (N.U.H Unit) for investigation & subsequent reporting, if appropriate, to the Queen's and Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer Office (QLTR Office), Crown Office.
The N.U.H Unit can provide guidance for care homes on arranging funerals and this guidance is reproduced below
2. If the deceased resident had a pre-paid funeral bond, the Care Home Manager can organise the funeral in accordance with the instructions previously given by the resident to the bond holder.
3. If the deceased is believed to have sufficient funds for a private funeral, again the Care Home manager can organise it. However, the Manager must first check with the N.U.H.Unit. that there are adequate funds before instructing the undertaker. (NB. A passbook may not disclose an accurate balance if it has not been updated for some time and Standing Orders etc. may have greatly reduced the funds originally available).
4. Once it has been established that the deceased's estate has sufficient funds, the Care Home Manager should ask a local undertaker to provide a written estimate for either a cremation or a burial, depending on any known wishes of the deceased. Once the estimate has been received and the Manager is sure that the estate can pay the cost, the funeral can go ahead. (On average, a private cremation will cost from £1,800 plus VAT. Buying a new lair for a burial will obviously cost more.) The estate can, if it has the funds, meet the cost of one suitable floral tribute. No other expenses should be incurred without prior authorisation from the N.U.H. Unit.
5. It may be Bank or Building Society policy to request a copy of the undertaker's invoice and to make payment directly to him from the account held for the deceased. The Unit has no objection to this practice but it does vary between different Banks or Societies. It is in order to leave the undertaker's account to be settled by the QLTR Office after funds have been ingathered.
6. If the resident had his or her Care Home charges paid by the Local Authority, there may not be any funds available to pay for a private funeral. In such a case, the Manager should contact the Local Authority and request a funeral in accordance with the Authority's duties under the National Assistance Act 1948 the cost of such a funeral is approximately £600. It will be organised by the Local Authority. If sufficient funds are later collected by the QLTR Office, they will be used to repay the Local Authority for this expense.
7. Having ingathered the assets of the estate, but not in the meantime found any close relative with a valid claim to inherit under the Law of Intestacy in Scotland, the case is then reported to The QLTR Office, Crown Office who will administer the estate to completion then, if the net value of the estate is over £2,000 will advertis it in the National and Local Press
8. The QLTR Office can, where there are sufficient funds, authorise purchase of a headstone. At least two written estimates will first have to be submitted to the QLTR Office for approval. The QLTR Office can also consider a request for (say) a memorial bench, but in either case only after the estate funds have been ingathered and all prior debts paid. Any such request should be submitted in writing along with the written estimates to the QLTR Office.
Contact details for the The National Ultimus Haeres Unit :
National Ultimus Haeres Unit
Legal House
101 Gorbals Street
Glasgow
G5 9DW
Telephone number - 0844 561 4846
Fax number - 0844 561 4839.