Disclosure Log

Use of Genealogy Services for Next of Kin Tracing (FOI/6499)

Message from Nottinghamshire County Council - 08 October 2025

Dear Requester,
Request FOI/6499
Further to your request received I confirm that the Council has now considered your request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
 
  1. Does your local authority use a professional genealogy or heir tracing service to locate next of kin in any of the following circumstances:
    1. Where an individual has died intestate or with no known next of kin;
    2. Where the local authority has arranged a public health funeral under its statutory duties 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 We have searched our contracts register and we do not have information about a contract with any genealogists.
  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. We have sufficient numbers and are happy with the current panel of approved genealogists
  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 n/a

We hope you find this information useful.
The Council publishes Access to Information requests and responses on its online Disclosure Log. Only requests deemed to be in the public interest will be included and any request included within this log will be de-personalised accordingly.
To view the Council’s Disclosure Log, please visit our website.
If you have any queries about this email, please do not hesitate to contact us, quoting the reference number listed at the top of this letter in all communications.
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If after going through the Council’s Internal Review process you are still not satisfied, you can contact the Information Commissioner direct.
 
Information Commissioner
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire SK9 5AF		Helpline:
 
Email:
Website:		0303 123 1113
01625 545 745
[email protected]
www.ico.org.uk
 
Yours sincerely


Freedom of Information
Complaints and Information Team
Chief Executives Department
Nottinghamshire County Council
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