Councils accused of profiting from grief as funeral costs soar

SCOTLAND’S councils have been accused of cashing in on grieving families after it was revealed they are now making millions of pounds a year from funeral services.

Official figures show that some councils made a huge profit last year from burial and cremation charges.

They raked in millions as the cost of services rocketed for bereaved families – forcing many of them deep into debt.

In 2017-18, councils made a profit of £3.1million on ‘cemetery, cremation and mortuary services’.

In previous years, the services had been loss-making and cost local authorities more than £16million between 2013 and 2017. The average cost of a funeral service in Scotland is now £3,598.

The basic cost of an interment alone has soared by more than 75 per cent in the past eight years.

Adam Stachura, head of policy at charity Age Scotland, said: ‘These new figures are eyeopening and beg the question as to how this financial turnaround has been achieved.

‘While it is important that councils have enough money to provide the range of vital services they deliver, it is important it isn’t on the back of those who are vulnerable and on the lowest incomes.

‘There is already a huge variation in the cost of cremation and burial lairs across Scottish councils, sometimes into the hundreds of pounds, which has caused problems for many older people who struggle to afford the cost of funerals for their loved ones.’

Mr Stachura said funeral poverty was now ‘a real concern’.

Figures from the Scottish Government show that, across all 32 local authorities, cemetery, cremation and mortuary services made a profit of £3.09million in 2017-18.

This compared to a £1.48million loss in 2016-17, a £2.13million loss in 2015-16, a £4.79million loss in 2014-15 and a £7.94million loss in 2013-14.

Last year, 12 of the 32 councils made a profit on the services. Aberdeen City Council made the biggest profit, at £1.25million, followed by Glasgow, at £949,000, South Lanarkshire, at £896,000, Highland, at £867,000, and Falkirk at £777,000.

Ruth Mendel, policy officer at Citizens Advice Scotland, said: ‘We understand that councils are under huge financial pressures at the moment. However, we would hope that they would all work to do everything they can to reduce the costs of burials and cremations for people at this difficult time in their lives.

‘Anyone finding it hard to cope with the cost of a funeral can get free, confidential advice from their local Citizens Advice Bureau.’

Scottish Conservative local government spokesman Alexander Stewart said: ‘While local authorities need to cover costs, they should not be seen to be making huge profits at the expense of grieving families.’

He said families should be charged ‘an appropriate amount’.

According to research by BBC Scotland, basic interment fees have soared by 77 per cent in eight years, to an average of £705. But Citizens Advice Scotland indicates the overall average council burial charge has rocketed from £1,176 in 2014 to £1,428 in 2017. When other costs, such as the wake, flowers, limousine and minister are included, it is estimated that the average cost of a funeral in Scotland is now £3,598.

Liberal Democrat MSP Mike Rumbles said the ‘burden on bereaved families’ was ‘a direct result of the SNP’s unsatisfactory settlement for local government’.

Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell said: ‘We are at the forefront of tackling funeral poverty... and are working with the funeral industry, councils and the third sector to tackle this issue.’

Council umbrella body Cosla said burial fees are ‘an operational matter for individual councils’.

Comment – Page 16

‘Burden on bereaved families’