Vulnerable man cremated without family's knowledge

The family of a vulnerable man who died in Bexhill have said they were shocked to learn he had been cremated without their knowledge.

Christopher Reader, 44, lived in supported accommodation for several years before living independently with visits from carers, in a flat his family said had no heating or hot water.

Reader's mother and brother believe East Sussex County Council (ESCC) neglected him, though a safeguarding enquiry did not find any evidence of this. The family also believe the handling of his cremation was "cold".

Rother District Council (RDC) said in a letter apologising to the family that the responsibility for contacting next of kin "usually lies with the funeral directors".

RDC said: "It is usual practice for the funeral directors to liaise with next of kin regarding funeral arrangements, however, we have changed our practices to ensure that a discussion and record of responsibility occurs when the council appoints the funeral director.

"This should prevent these circumstances from arising in the future."

RDC said the family's contact details were passed to the funeral director, who was asked to "notify you when the ashes were ready for collection".

Reader's brother, Luke Ripley, and mother, Laura Walder, feel they should have been told when the cremation was planned.

Ripley said: "It's been so shocking - I've never heard of anybody being cremated without anyone contacting the family, at least.

Walder had previously expressed concerns that her son had been cremated as there had been no contact, but Ripley reassured her "they wouldn't do that".

The family said they were told they could collect Reader's ashes on 28 July.

"It was as cold as that," Walder said.

The family also feel Reader, who Ripley described as "extremely vulnerable", was failed while he was alive.

After five years in supported accommodation, he went to live independently in September 2025, a decision the family said was made by ESCC.

Ripley said that while Reader "didn't really want to go", the family were not initially worried as "we had the trust and the faith in the social services and the care agency".

However, Walder said Reader's bungalow had no hot water, heating or carpets, and the property's condition was not flagged by visiting carers.

Less than a year after moving in, Reader died in July "of natural causes," Ripley said.

At the time Reader was moving into the bungalow, Walder was receiving dialysis treatment and relying on Ripley's support, which he said made supporting his brother difficult at that point.

Going forward, Ripley and Walder want unredacted care logs, an inquest and for those responsible to be held accountable.

Ripley said: "I don't just want resignations because I think there needs to be a prosecution here, because someone is now dead."

Walder added: "He was put in there [the accommodation] and forgotten."

In Parliament this week, Eastbourne MP Josh Babarinde asked Housing Secretary Angela Rayner to facilitate a ministerial meeting with the family to discuss "how we can better protect vulnerable people in supported accommodation".

Rayner said she would do so, and was "devastated" to hear about the case.

A spokesperson for ESCC said: "Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Christopher."

They said the outcome of a statutory safeguarding inquiry, completed under Section 42 of the Care Act 2014, had been shared with his family.

These enquiries are undertaken when there is concern an adult may be experiencing, or is at risk of, abuse or neglect.

According to the shared outcome letter, there was "no evidence of provider neglect or organisational abuse".

The council said the inquiry identified several areas for learning and service improvement.

This included the oversight of repeated cancelled visits and no-access calls, welfare monitoring of individuals who have mental capacity but may remain vulnerable, and professional curiosity where concerns are emerging over time.

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