All you ever wanted to know about 'Ash Cash'

I know it is rather distasteful to follow a posting about a patients death with one about money, and money that is gained from the passing away of a patient, but that is the reality of medicine. People live, people die, the job goes on. And on. And on.
What is 'ash cash'? It is the name given to the monetary reimbursement given to doctors who fill out the cremation form.
Why get paid? It is a legal document, like making a will, and therefore, like one would pay a lawyer for his time and expertise, doctors get paid for this.
Do people abuse the system? Well, for £62 I really doubt that anyone would commit manslaughter, and after all there is no guarantee that the person will be cremated. Unless they are from a religion that proscribes cremation....but even then, one would have to have something seriously wrong with one's higher mental function, to think of killing patients for the cremation form money. In fact the form does have a question asking whether the person filling it out will be a beneficiary of the deceased's death. The answer is no. However 'assisting' a patients death to benefit more substantially is another issue. But as we've all had enough of Shipman, lets leave it at that.
Surely there's a catch? The form includes this question asking whether the person filling out the form will be a beneficiary of the deceased's death. Well, although the answer is meant to be no, in a way its a yes, cos you are getting money. Also, some people, especially those working on care of the elderly wards, tend to do quite well with regards to a supplemental income from cremation forms - a fellow house officer for instance has recieved payment for over ten forms in the space of 6 weeks. However the tax man was quick to catch on, so now that's something that needs to be declared.
And there's one other catch, if the deceased has a ICD/pacemaker, it can trigger an explosion in the crematorium, so unless the person who signs the form checks by examining the patient externally, they can find themselves footing a hefty bill to pay for a new crematorium. I have been told they are not very cheap.
What prompted this post? I got my first cheque today. Not sure which patient was cremated (I have only filled out two cremation forms). And I am not sure what to make of the money. I am generally the saving-type, but I'm not so sure now. Or maybe that's cos I'm looking for an excuse to spend! Ah well, I'm only human.