Cost of dying doubles as councils try to offset cuts

Town halls have been accused of imposing “death taxes” on bereaved families by raising cemetery costs to help pay for front-line services.

Some Scottish councils have doubled their charges for burials and cremations in recent years, while many others have increased them by more than 50 per cent, according to figures obtained through Freedom of Information laws.

The amount of money raised from burial fees has jumped by almost £6 million over the last few years, to more than £18m.

Councils chiefs say the cost of the services they charge for has been “historically low” and often subsidised.

The most expensive place to die in Scotland is Glasgow, where charges have jumped from £1,074 five years ago to £1,903 for the costs of a burial ceremony and cemetery lair.

The revenue raised by Scotland’s biggest city has jumped from £1.44m two years ago to £2.1m last year, the figures show.

The increases have come under fire from campaign group, the Taxpayers Alliance. Chief executive Matthew Elliot said: “It’s outrageous that even after you’ve died, councils are determined to reach into your pocket for even more of your money.

“Local authorities need to stop finding excuses to increase charges in a shameless attempt to raise revenue. They should focus on making real, lasting savings. Taxpayers already pay enough taxes over the course of their lives, they don’t need any more in death.”

A spokesman for Glasgow council said it had recently removing a discount which was contributing to a “substantial loss” on the service.

He added: “Unlike many other operators, our rates are all inclusive – we make no additional charges for doctors’ fees, music, urns, caskets and so on.”

In South Lanarkshire, interment costs have almost doubled since 2006-7, going up from £183 to £335. The total income collected by the authority has jumped from £358,753 to £608,695.

Costs have soared in Dundee from £567 to £1,023 for a coffin lair in recent years, while a cremation lair now costs £644, up from £370 from 2006-7.

In the Borders, the bill has jumped by more than 50 per cent for the cost of a burial lair and ceremony, from £603 to £872. Midlothian has seen the cost a cremation lair more than double from £129 to £262, while the cost of a burial lair has gone up from £318 to £488.

The steepest increase in Scotland has been in East Lothian, where the cost of a burial ceremony and coffin lair has jumped from £419 five years ago to £893 this year.

Councils collected £18.4m in burial charges last year, up from £17.2m in 2009-10. The figure five years ago was £12.6m.

A spokesman for local government umbrella body Cosla said: “Part of the problem is that, historically, the cost for the small number of services for which councils charge has always been extremely low and in some cases subsidised by the council.”

The Scotsman received replies from 26 of Scotland’s 32 councils to the Freedom of Information request.