ash cash
n.— «The Church of England is taking steps to ban “ash cash” payments to clergy for taking funerals at churches and crematoria. Instead, the money will go direct to dioceses. The move will stamp out the “crematoria cowboys,” clergy who supplement meagre or non-existent incomes by conducting dozens of crematorium funerals at £96 a time.» —“Church sounds death knell for ’ash cash'” by Ruth Gledhill Times (London, United Kingdom) Jan. 22, 2008. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
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I’m sure ‘ash cash’ is also referred to the money paid to doctors to sign pro-forma certificates prior to the release of bodies for cremating.
I read this in Colin Douglas’s book ‘The Houseman’s Tale’ c 1978
Very interesting site this is though.