Ashes of 300,000 people unclaimed, undertakers say

The NAFD estimates the ashes of between 250,000 and 300,000 people remain unclaimed

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.

Matthew Uden says his business has held urns for more than 60 years

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."