Increase in burial costs behind surge in 'pauper's funerals'
These services – officially known as public health funerals – are council-funded services held when the deceased’s family either cannot be found or are unable to meet the burial costs.
According to a report considered by the overview and scrutiny committee on Monday, Wealden District Council organised and paid for 16 such funerals last year.
Council officer Catherine Beaumont said: “We certainly have noticed, over the last five or six years, a gradual increase in the number of these public health funerals.
“Basically this is because the cost of funerals in general have tripled in cost. So what is happening is that people are struggling with even doing a basic funeral.
“We have had 13, I think, this year since April, so there is a general increase over time in this type of funeral. We are trying to put more resources into it, but it is something that can be a little bit labour intensive.”
According to the report, the council-funded funerals this year included a service for an unidentified woman found dead at Cuckmere Haven, attended by more than 100 people in September.
Original story via on The Argus
