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Response 3820784

Response to request for information

Reference

3820784

Response date

1 October 2025

Request

  1. Does your local authority use a professional genealogy or heir tracing service to locate next of kin in any of the following circumstances:
    • Where an individual has died intestate or with no known next of kin;
    • Where the local authority has arranged a public health funeral under its statutory duties?
  2. If so, please could you provide the name(s) of the genealogy firm(s) or individual genealogist(s) your authority has used for this purpose in the past five years?
  3. If your authority maintains a list or panel of approved genealogists or firms for such services, I would also like to request information on how my firm can apply to be considered for inclusion on that list.
  4. If you do not work with genealogist, can you confirm that should you be unable to locate next of kin, you then refer details straight to the Treasury Solicitor without the involvement of any professional genealogist?

Response

  1. Does your local authority use a professional genealogy or heir tracing service to locate next of kin in any of the following circumstances:
    • Where an individual has died intestate or with no known next of kin - response = yes
    • Where the local authority has arranged a public health funeral under its statutory duties? response = yes
  2. If so, please could you provide the name(s) of the genealogy firm(s) or individual genealogist(s) your authority has used for this purpose in the past five years?
    • Fraser & Fraser
    • Finders International
  3. If your authority maintains a list or panel of approved genealogists or firms for such services, I would also like to request information on how my firm can apply to be considered for inclusion on that list.
    • Not applicable
  4. If you do not work with genealogist, can you confirm that should you be unable to locate next of kin, you then refer details straight to the Treasury Solicitor without the involvement of any professional genealogist?
    • Not applicable

FOI Other