Prevention of the lawful and decent burial of a dead body is an offence under the common law of England, Wales and Northern Ireland,"Hans Rausing charged with highly unusual offence" by Daniel Hoadley, The Guardian, Wednesday 18 July 2012 as well as Hong Kong. Outside of homicide (to be an added count) it is quite rare.Common Law Offences Charged and Reaching a first hearing in Magistrates' Courts, Crown Prosecution Service It is triable only by indictment and can be punished by, at maximum, life imprisonment, an unlimited fine or both.
An example of the offence, standalone, is detaining a body, for instance upon a claim for fees or a debt, refusing to deliver it to the executors for burial, or when entrusted with it for burial selling for dissection.
Burning a body instead of burying it was not illegal. It is now an offence to burn a body otherwise than in an approved crematorium.regulation 13, Cremation (England and Wales) Regulations 2008
Disposing of the dead body of a child with intent to conceal the birth (regardless as to when the child died) is a different offence; that under section 60 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861.section 60, Offences Against the Person Act 1861
References
See also
Concealment of a corpse, crime under Italian law