Having handed my father over to the local authorities to cremate do I have to sign anything off as next of kin

Did they ask you to?

You can not be forced to sign anything about the death or expense of another person.
They may ask, but you have no legal obligation

My son had been hospitalized for 11 days and died. The hospital deemed his girlfriend next of kin. What things are his family responsible for. His girlfriend's family said, once he dies we are out of here. Let us know when the funeral is. They feel the finances are our responsibility. Is that true?

Did they ask you to?

No, they told us.

No, they told us.

You answered a question I asked someone else several years ago. :)

You should really have started a new thread.

Ask, tell, it amounts to the same thing. Did you sign it? What did it say?

Please, to clarify, what is it you want to know?

... They feel the finances are our responsibility. Is that true?

Sorry for your loss.

Whether the medical expense and funeral expenses are your responsibility depends on what you agreed to pay. That's why I asked what, if anything, you have signed.

It also might depend on the jurisdiction (state or country) in which you are located.

I know that this appears to be a dead thread, I guess dormant would be a better word, but since when can a hospital deem who is next of kin?