Council to extend policy

Council chiefs are set to remove burial and cremation charges for young people aged up to 18.

Presently, there are no charges for child burial or cremations for under-16s.

However, South Lanarkshire councillors are set to meet next week to extend the policy.

A report going before the community and enterprise resources committee states: “The council’s bereavement services currently do not charge for child burial or cremations for under-16s.

“The service does, however, charge for the purchase of a new lair when this is required as this would normally be used for a further two burials and a number of internment of cremated remains (ashes) and it is not proposed to amend this arrangement at this time. There are also already arrangements in place for pregnancy loss with Lanarkshire Health Board, where cremations are already provided to parents at no charge.”

And the report goes on: “It is considered appropriate to propose that South Lanarkshire Council adjust the current age restrictions on charges for child burial internments and cremation and extend them to cover children aged 18 and under from September 1, 2018.”

It is expected that a further report will be submitted to a future meeting of the committee outlining any further changes proposed once the final guidance has been agreed.