London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Chelsea 1962

Annual report of the Medical Officer of Health for the year 1962

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27
NATIONAL ASSISTANCE ACTS. 1948/1962
(Continued)
The Public Health and. Baths Committee have welcomed the
wider powers now available which will be used whenever needed,
and provision has been made in the annual estimates for 1963/64
to increase the Council's grant to the Chelsea Old People's Welfare
Committee to meet the increased cost of the "Meals on Wheels" service,
and to help towards financing other services - for example, domiciliary
chiropody and holidays at the seaside.
(d) National Assistance Act. 198 - Section 50.
Burial or Cremation of the Dead.
Under Section 50 of the above Act the Borough Council is required
to arrange for the burial or cremation of any person who has died or who
has been found dead in the Borough, if it appears in such cases that no
other suitable arrangements can be made. Cremation is not carried out
having regard to the many legal, religious, administrative and practical
difficulties, and disposal is always by way of interment which obviates
any suggestion that the Council has acted in an unauthorised manner.
The Borough Council has power to recover from the estate of a
deceased person the expenses incurred in carrying out this duty, in so
far as these expenses are not covered by a Death Grant under the
National Insurance Scheme.

During the year seven burials were arranged by the Council's Contractor as follows:-

MalesFemales
(Aged)7 weeks35 years(unknown woman)
50 years60 years
80 years73 years
86 years