Public health funerals
Freedom of Information Act 2000
In accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000, names and addresses may have been redacted or withheld under the following exemptions:
Section 21
Although we hold some of the information, we do not hold the information in its own right, but sometimes on behalf of the Government Legal Department. Some details of the estate of those persons who have died may have been passed onto them and can be accessed via the Government Legal Department (GOV.UK) or the Bona Vacantia website (GOV.UK)
Section 31(1)(a)
Under this section of the Freedom of Information Act, an exemption applies where disclosure would be likely to prejudice a range of investigations and conduct, including the prevention and detection of crime.
Disclosure of information on the assets of estates of deceased individuals, before steps had been taken by the Government Legal Department to secure the assets, could interfere with the statutory function of the Crown to collect bona vacantia (ownerless goods) and would provide an opportunity for criminal acts to be committed, including theft and identity fraud.
We will not disclose address details into the public domain where they relate to deceased's property, as it is likely to be unoccupied and might still contain the deceased's personal papers and effects. It is not in the public interest to disclose information relating to empty properties prior to a full and thorough securing of the assets of the estate. Additionally, giving out the names of the deceased taken with other information easily available such as the electoral roll, telephone directory entry or internet searches would make identifying properties easy.
Section 40
This section of the act provides an absolute exemption where disclosure of personal data about individuals would contravene any of the data protection principles set out in the General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018. Therefore, there is no requirement to consider the public interest in disclosure.
Section 40(2)
We do not provide information about the last known address of deceased persons on the basis that the information is exempt under section 40(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Disclosure of addresses may affect living individuals and it is possible that the disclosure would contravene the first data principle, which requires that personal data shall be processed fairly and lawfully by us. We do not believe that living individuals currently residing at the address where the deceased persons lived would expect their personal data to be made available in the public domain without their consent.
Last updated: 23/05/2023 15:49
