Fraser and Fraser – Public Health Funerals and Empty Homes Services.

COVID-19 STATEMENT FROM FRASER AND FRASER

Fraser and Fraser remains fully operational for new enquiries and referrals from Local Authorities and other public sector bodies and we are actively managing all the cases already in progress. Should you need help to locate the next-of-kin of deceased service users, or other people relevant to the matters you are working on, we will continue to do our best to assist. Please don’t hesitate to contact us via email at [email protected] or phone on 020 7832 1400. Assuring you of our best attention, we send our best wishes to all.

Fraser and Fraser – working in partnership with Local Authorities since the 1970s

We work extensively with Bereavement Services Managers and other Local Authority Officers especially those arranging funerals under s.46 Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984.  Our role is to identify and locate the deceased’s next of kin so that they have the opportunity to take on the funeral arrangements, saving the Council the cost of a S.46 funeral. If the family cannot take on the funeral themselves, they will have the option to attend the S.46 funeral arranged by our Local Authority client, and to pay their respects. We are happy to help in any and all cases, whether or not the deceased left an estate. 

High standards

Whenever we take on an assignment, we become temporary custodians of our Local Authority client’s reputation and we are always mindful that our work, and how we conduct ourselves as we carry it out, reflects on them. By consistently delivering high levels of satisfaction we have maintained long-term relationships with our Local Authority clients, as well as building an enviable reputation for transparency and high professional standards.

How we work

We like to work in the way our Local Authority clients find easiest for them rather than operate a “one size fits all” model. Where we locate next of kin, we will invite them to consider our services in terms of the administration and distribution of the deceased person’s estate, if any, and set out our fees for doing so. The next of kin are under no obligation to retain our services and our experience is that the overwhelming majority are happy to do so.

No charge to the Council

There’s no charge to our Local Authority clients for these services. We do not pick and choose matters to work on. If our Local Authority client needs our help to locate relevant people, we will provide it, regardless of whether or not the deceased has left an estate to administer or, if so, as to its value. Our purpose is to be helpful, providing a valuable service to Local Authorities and, where the deceased has left an estate and we’re retained, to the next of kin or executors.

GDPR

Although GDPR does not apply to deceased persons, our Local Authority clients sometimes wish to pass us information regarding surviving people, whether or not family of the deceased. If so, we recommend that we put in place our GDPR-compliant data-sharing agreement. This is free of charge and enables the Council to pass us the necessary information compliantly with GDPR.

Regulation

We take every opportunity to encourage best practice within our sector: concerned with the lack of regulation in our industry, Fraser and Fraser partner Neil Fraser founded the Association of Probate Researchers, with all our Case Managers and Probate Staff certified by the Professional Paralegal Register and participating in Continuing Professional Development.

For assistance, please contact…

Our website is here and please contact Nick Beetham by phone on 020 7832 1400 or email [email protected] .