Ashes of 300,000 people remain unclaimed, undertakers say
The ashes of up to 300,000 people remain unclaimed at funeral parlours across the UK, according to an industry group.The National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD) came up with the estimate in response to a consultation by the Law Commission, which is seeking to make broad reforms to the law of burial and cremation in England and Wales.Matthew Uden, who runs of W. Uden and Sons, said his funeral parlours across south London hold the unclaimed ashes of about 200 people - some dating back to the 1960s.The Law Commission proposes that if a funeral director has not heard from the next of kin for four weeks they should have the right to return the ashes to the crematorium.
It said that such legislation should be retrospective to apply to all the ashes the funeral directors have accumulated over the years.Rachel Bradburne, the director of external affairs for the NAFD, said: "There needs to be something put in place going forward so the backlog doesn't build up and the Law Commission's suggestion seems very sensible. "There also then needs to be an additional solution, which is how to address this additional legacy, the legacy ashes if you like."She said solutions could include "mass scatterings" or events to properly handle their dispersal.
One of the oldest ashes held at Mr Uden's funeral parlour are those of 68-year-old Elsie Elanor Agnes Emler, who died on 15 April 1965 at Farnborough Hospital in Kent. Apart from the Certificate of Cremation, there are no records of her or any recorded contact with her family.When asked why so many ashes remain uncollected Mr Uden said: "I think the main reason is families don't know what to do with them. "I think they don't have a definite plan, a definite route of what they wish to do with their loved one's cremated remains. "They almost put it in the back of their mind and want to forget about it. And as years pass they feel, well we might as well just leave them with the funeral directors."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
02-06-2025
- The Guardian
Man fined after burning Qur'an outside Turkish consulate in London
A man has been fined after he set fire to a Qur'an outside the Turkish consulate in London, in an act that was deemed 'motivated at least in part by a hatred of Muslims' by a judge. Hamit Coskun, 50, who was found guilty of a religiously aggravated public order offence on Monday, called his prosecution 'an assault on free speech'. In February, Coskun travelled from his home in the Midlands to Rutland Gardens, Knightsbridge, where he set fire to a copy of the Islamic holy book and shouted 'f*** Islam', 'Islam is religion of terrorism' and 'Qur'an is burning'. Coskun, who was born in Turkey and is half Kurdish and half Armenian, argued in court that he had protested peacefully and burning the Qur'an amounted to freedom of expression. The district judge, John McGarva, found that Coskun's actions were 'highly provocative' and said he was 'motivated at least in part by a hatred of Muslims'. Coskun had argued his criticism was of Islam in general rather than its followers but Judge McGarva said he could not accept this. Coskun's legal fees are being paid by the National Secular Society (NSS) and the Free Speech Union (FSU), both of which criticised the ruling and said they intend to appeal 'and keep on appealing it until it's overturned'. The advocacy group Muslim Engagement and Development (Mend) quoted the judge's sentencing remarks on X, commenting on the ruling with the hashtag #hatespeechisnotfreespeech. The ruling has also prompted comment from figures in Westminster. The prime minister's official spokesperson, who was asked about the case, declined to comment but said there are no blasphemy laws in England nor are there any plans to introduce any. Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the Conservative party, said on X that the case 'should go to appeal'. 'Freedom of belief, and freedom not to believe, are inalienable rights in Britain,' she said. 'I'll defend those rights to my dying day.' McGarva, who issued a fine of £240, rejected the idea that the prosecution was 'an attempt to bring back and expand blasphemy law'. In his ruling, he said burning a religious book and making criticism of Islam or the Qur'an are 'not necessarily disorderly', but added: 'What made his conduct disorderly was the timing and location of the conduct and that all this was accompanied by abusive language.' The judge said Coskun, who is an atheist, has a 'deep-seated hatred of Islam and its followers' based on his experiences in Turkey and the experiences of his family, and that it was 'not possible to separate his views about the religion from his views about its followers'. The judge said: 'A criminal conviction is a proportionate response to the defendant's conduct. 'I am sure that the defendant acted in a disorderly way by burning the Qur'an very obviously in front of the Turkish consulate where there were people who were likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress and accompanying his provocative act with bad language. 'I am sure that he was motivated at least in part by a hatred of Muslims. I therefore find the defendant guilty.'
Belfast Telegraph
02-06-2025
- Belfast Telegraph
Families raising disabled children ‘being driven further into debt', reveals Cost of Caring report
In its Cost of Caring report, charity Family Fund said families struggled with additional costs for items such as specialist equipment, utilities, medical appointment travel, food and increased wear and tear on the home. Its survey of 2,362 families UK-wide included testimony from 266 families in Northern Ireland, including Belfast single parent Julie Ann, who has two daughters: Ella, who's five, has autism, and is in a specialist unit in a mainstream school, while Niamh is two. Julie Ann, who did not want to share her surname, is due to start a new job after having to give up her job of 18 years to care for Ella. She recently had to turn to Family Fund for help. She said: 'I was mentally drained from everything that was going on, and the pressure of having two children, and then Ella having complex needs. Ella only goes to school for four and a half hours a day... so I can only work certain hours. It took them six months to get her into her new school.' Julie Ann said her flexible-working request was declined and her nearest crèche didn't have availability. 'Ella doesn't have enough opportunities and I feel all this guilt,' the mum explained. 'Now my fridge-freezer is broken and I know I'm going to have to replace it. My washing machine is beeping every time it's on. It's working, but I'm guessing it's on its way out. Being a single parent, and then obviously with the two girls, the mortgage and everything else, it's a stretch.' Through Family Fund, however, she received a grant for a bed and the mattress and was 'absolutely delighted' because her own funds would not have stretched to cover the costs. She was able to move her two-year-old into Ella's old cot bed safely, with Ella using the new bed bought with the help of Family Fund. According to Family Fund, families are struggling with non-stop caring and are unable to afford essentials such as food and heating. Cheryl Ward CBE, Family Fund's chief executive, said: 'This report highlights stark findings, with no improvement since our 2022 surveys. 'As caring costs increase for families, barriers to paid work as a route out of poverty remain unchanged, including a lack of suitable childcare. 'Until these challenges are addressed, families raising disabled and seriously ill children can't escape the cycle of living in debt, going without essentials like food, clothing and furniture and experiencing poor mental health. 'We're supporting rising numbers of families each year with basic items like washing machines, beds, clothing and equipment. 'Parent carers are going to huge lengths to do the best for their children, regularly sacrificing their own wellbeing in the process. 'Families raising disabled children are at the sharpest edge of income instability. The Child Poverty Strategy provides an unmissable opportunity to listen to what families have to say and tackle the very real and pressing issues they face every day.' The charity, which gives essential grants and services to families on low incomes raising disabled or seriously ill children and young people, shared key findings: Benefits are not keeping pace with the cost of living The survey found that 44% of families raising a disabled child cannot meet day-to-day living costs, despite receiving disability benefits. And 87% of parents and carers have no savings at all, so can't replace essential items when they break, like a washing machine or bed. Caring is a barrier to work for most Just 7% of parent carers say they're able to work as much as they would like to, as a direct result of caring responsibilities. They provide the equivalent of an extra full-time unpaid caring role every single day, across personal care, supervision, medication, therapies and medical appointments. And 60% of parent carers said having no suitable childcare was a barrier to work, with one parent saying they had been on a waiting list for five years. Just over two-thirds (77%) of families who responded said they have multiple disabled or seriously ill members being cared for at home. Being unable to afford basic essentials Families are now living without the basics, with a resulting poorer quality of life. Over half of parents and carers (51%) continue to report skipping or cutting the size of their meals (down from 54% in 2022), 33% can't afford to keep their homes warm, 46% can't afford necessary dental treatment, 17% can't afford over-the-counter or prescription medicine for themselves, and 11% are unable to afford basic toiletries. Depleted mental and emotional health The stresses on parent carers have left over a quarter (28%) reporting probable clinical depression; 68% of children are negatively affected by their family's financial situation, which impacts on emotional wellbeing, health, development, or education; and 22% of families say they're unable to celebrate birthdays and festive occasions due to financial pressures. The charity said it gave over 200,000 grants and instances of support to families in 2024/25 compared to 150,000 last year.
Daily Record
29-05-2025
- Daily Record
Rare Scottish Golden Eagle spotted as majestic bird seen soaring south to England
Conservationists and environment lovers have something to cheer about as a rare Golden Eagle was spotted in England After vanishing from England more than a century ago, golden eagles are making a remarkable comeback, soaring south from Scotland in a revival that has thrilled conservationists and bird lovers alike. Among the majestic birds spotted across the border this year is a young male named Talla, who recently turned heads in Northumberland National Park, much to the amazement of wildlife enthusiast Ian Glendinning. 'It was the end of March and I was driving in a remote corner of the national park with a couple of friends and the rear passenger suddenly shouted out 'what on earth is that?'' he told the BBC. 'I looked over to my right and about 30 metres away there he was, sitting on a rocky outcrop." Talla is one of around 50 golden eagles now thriving in the Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway, an extraordinary rise from just a handful in the region less than a decade ago. Their resurgence is thanks to the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project (SSGEP), launched in 2018 in a bid to boost dwindling numbers. Since then, the project has successfully relocated 28 juvenile golden eagles, collected from the Highlands at six to eight weeks of age, along with 15 older birds aged between four months and three years. 'Thanks to our satellite tagging, we can confirm that some are beginning to venture into Northumberland and further afield and these sightings reaffirm the importance of us extending our groundbreaking work,' said Michael Clarke, chair of SSGEP. The golden eagles have now been tracked far beyond the Borders, gliding over the North Pennines, the Lake District, and even as far south as the Forest of Bowland in Lancashire and Nidderdale in Yorkshire. 'While it is too early to say if they are settling in these areas, it is a potentially exciting and significant milestone,' Mr Clarke added. Once wiped out across England and Wales by the mid-1800s due to persecution by gamekeepers and landowners, golden eagles only made a fleeting return following the First and Second World Wars, when driven shoots temporarily ceased. The last known English resident disappeared from the Lake District in 2015. Now, the golden eagle, the UK's second-largest bird of prey after the white-tailed sea eagle, may finally be reclaiming its lost territory. These powerful raptors are known for their incredible hunting skills and wide-ranging territories, with pairs covering up to 150 square kilometres. They favour remote, undisturbed landscapes and are most commonly found in the Scottish Highlands and islands, where they glide silently above open moorland and craggy cliffs. They feed on a variety of prey, from rabbits and red grouse to squirrels, smaller birds and even fish. They also scavenge carrion, playing a vital role in recycling nutrients through the ecosystem. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Dwarf birch and downy willow trees once offered ideal nesting spots in Scotland's uplands, but widespread overgrazing by deer and sheep has devastated these habitats. Nonetheless, golden eagles continue to adapt, building vast nests in the most secluded spots, from rocky cliffs to towering trees, and returning to them year after year. The birds mate for life and build multiple nests within their territory, selecting their preferred site depending on the season and weather. The largest golden eagle nest on record measured an incredible 4.5 metres deep. Most golden eagles live between 15 and 20 years, though some have been known to reach 30.
