Victory on end of child burial fees

Now rest of the UK must follow

IN a victory for the Sunday Mirror’s campaign to scrap child burial fees, officials have announced the charges are to go.

Along with the Labour Party, we have been calling for an end to the unfair system that sees thousands of grieving families a year hit with fees.

The Welsh government has now axed the costs, putting pressure on the rest of the country to follow.

At the Welsh Labour Party conference, leader Carwyn Jones said: “Today I am pleased to confirm that the Welsh Labour Government will step in, and make sure that burial charges for children will no longer apply in Welsh communities.”

He also paid tribute to the “tenacious and dignified campaign” being fought by Labour Swansea East MP Carolyn Harris.

Mrs Harris had to take out a loan and rely on a whip-round to pay £1,750 costs when she lost son Martin in a crash in 1989. She is leading a bid to end council charges for the 5,000 kids who die each year.

The proposal would cost just £10million a year, a fraction of overall government spending. Mrs Harris said: “I’m delighted and proud Labour in Wales has taken this decision. We need the rest of the country to follow their example. These are cruel charges at a time people are at their most desperate.

“There is nothing like the heartbreak of losing a child and it is within the government’s gift to try and ease the grief of these families just a little.”

Introducing the policy in Wales is expected to cost £750,000 to £1million per year. Some local authorities, including Swansea and Cardiff, have already scrapped funeral charges.

Kate Lee, chief executive of children’s cancer charity CLIC Sargent, said: “It’s fantastic news, especially in the week Co-Op Funeralcare announced it will extend its free children’s funeral service to include 16 and 17-year-olds.

“Grieving parents should not suffer this added indignity and distress. We will continue to fight for a children’s funeral fund to support families.”

Prices for graves can range from £125 to £4,000.

CAMPAIGN Labour MP Mrs Harris