Finders International have launched a major social initiative which should benefit hard pressed local authorities and hospitals.

When a Public Health Act funeral is being planned, usually at the Council or Hospital’s expense, these organisations can now ask Finders International for a subsidy payment towards this cost by applying to their new Funeral Fund.

These will be cases where there genuinely are no known next of kin (rather than next of kin simply refusing to pay) and Finders International will have done the research to confirm this. On receipt of an application for a subsidy, Finders will assess each case on its merits and decide whether or not to grant a payment, which could be to fund the funeral completely or partially.

How will the money for the fund be raised?

When someone passes away with no known next of kin Councils, Hospitals and others can refer these cases to Finders International who will trace next of kin, free of charge to the Council or Hospital or the referring party in all cases. Where there is less than £5,000 in the estate Finders will not seek any payment from anyone. When the estate is over £5,000 they agree a simple commission fee with the next of kin traced whereby Finders receive payment from their net entitlement at the same time as they receive their money.

Finders will transfer some of the commission earned on these cases to our new Funeral Fund and will also raise money through various charitable events and periodically donate to the Fund.

With hundreds of thousands of pounds being spent on Public Health Act funerals every year, Finders hope to make a small difference by giving funds to deserving cases.

A simple application form can be downloaded or completed online and certain terms and conditions will apply of course, but we look forward to helping Councils, Hospitals and others in the future.

Any questions? Please call Finders free on 0800 085 8796 or email fiff@findersinternational.co.uk.