District councils must arrange burial or cremation for certain bodies in their district when no suitable arrangements have been made, but must not cremate if that would go against the deceased’s wishes.
Welfare Services Act (Northern Ireland) 1971 An Act to consolidate certain enactments relating to welfare services. Part I (ss.1,2), Part II (ss.3‐12), Part III (ss.13‐21) rep. by 1972 NI 14 Ss.22‐24 rep. by 1972 NI 14 It shall be the duty of every [ district council] …. to cause to be buried or cremated the body of any person who has died or been found dead in its [ district], where it appears to the [ district council] that suitable arrangements for the disposal of the body have not been, or are not being, made otherwise than by the [ district council]. Subs.(2) rep. by SRO (NI) 1973/211; subs.(3) rep. by 1972 NI 14 A [ district council] …. … may recover from the estate of the deceased person, or from any person who, for the purposes of [ the Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1972 ], was liable to maintain the deceased person immediately before his death, expenses incurred under subsection (1)…. . . . Nothing in the foregoing provisions of this section shall affect any enactment regulating or authorising the burial, cremation or anatomical examination of the body of a deceased person; and a body shall not be cremated under this section where the [ district council] has reason to believe that cremation would be contrary to the wishes of the deceased. Ss.26‐29 rep. by 1972 NI 14 Part V (ss.30 — 35), Part VI (ss.36 — 44) rep. by 1972 NI 14 Ss.45‐47 rep. by 1972 NI 14 This Act may be cited as the Welfare Services Act (Northern Ireland) 1971. Subs.(2)(3) rep. by 1972 NI 14 Schedules 1 — 4 rep. by 1972 NI 14 1972 NI SRO (NI) 1973/211 1972 NI 14; SRO (NI) 1973/211 1972 NI 14 1986 NI 18 S. 25(5) excluded (temp.) (25.3.2020) by Coronavirus Act 2020 (c. 7), s. 87(1), Sch. 28 para. 13(4)(b) (with ss. 88-90) S. 25(5) expiry of earlier affecting provision 2020 c. 7, Sch. 28 para. 13 (25.3.2022) by Coronavirus Act 2020 (c. 7), s. 89 (with s. 90)