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However, in council areas like Glasgow, East Ayrshire and North Lanarkshire, council workmen will do it free of charge.

With council tax set to rise across the country, Scots could feel an even sharper pinch from April as most authorities are rethinking discretionary charges to help balance the books.

Despite this, MSPs have asked public spending watchdog Audit Scotland to probe what councils are charging for services not covered by council tax amid concern the rises are unfairly hitting the vulnerable and elderly unfairly in the pocket.

Scottish Conservative local government spokesman Graham Simpson said: “Councils are increasing charges because their funding has been slashed by the Scottish Government. No one wants to see people charged more for services, but local authorities have been backed into a corner by the SNP.

“It is important that charges are fair though and in some areas the prices can hardly be described as that.”

Labour MSP for Central Scotland, Elaine Smith, said: “Alarms for older residents and burial costs are but a few examples – prices for meals on wheels and lunch clubs are also going up. It may well be the most vulnerable who are having to pay.

“I am concerned that a lot of people in Scotland are not aware of these extra charges or the cuts that underlie them and no doubt that suits the Government.

“I am pleased Audit Scotland are looking into this, as hidden costs like this can really make the difference in hard economic times.”

Councillor Peter Johnston, health and wellbeing spokesman for the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, said many charges were means- tested and added that councils were trying to be more consistent in their charging policies.

He said: “Councils understand the sensitivities around charging for local services and are acutely aware that paying for services can be extremely difficult.

“That is why councils make every effort to balance the contribution of individual citizens and the duty of the council to raise the resources needed to underpin good quality community care services.”

Audit Scotland said fees, charges and other specific grants together accounted for £4.9bn of local government income in Scotland, outstripping council tax and housing income combined (£3.2bn).

The figure was £324m (7.2%) more than in 2014/ 15 and, Audit Scotland says, fees and charges was the largest growth area in council income.

An Audit Scotland spokeswoman said: “As the Accounts Commission reported in November, Scottish councils last year raised an increasing proportion of their income through fees, charges and specific grants.

“We plan to undertake further analysis to identify trends in fees and charges and will report in 2017 as part of our local government overview reporting.

“This is an area of interest to the commission which we will continue to monitor for our future work.”

A Scottish Government spokesman said it would consider Audit Scotland’s report when it was complete.

He added: “Fees and charges are a matter for local authorities.

“The 2017- 18 Draft Budget local government finance settlement figures, taken together with the opportunity to raise additional council tax, provide a package of measures that confer additional spending power to support local government services of £241 million or 2.3% based on the LG Finance settlement presentation.”

Back at his home in Kilmarnock, the mechanics of local government funding hold scant solace for Billy.

“It’s scandalous how much it all costs,” he said. “I just don’t understand how it all differs so much.”