Concern as cost of cremation rises 20pc
SHEFFIELD COUNCIL has blamed Government cuts for hiking cremation costs up by nearly 20 per cent.
The authority has increased cremation prices at Hutcliffe Wood and Grenoside from £690 to £824 in a year – the biggest rise in Yorkshire. But bosses said finding £40m of cuts meant making ‘difficult decisions’ and the money would help pay for refurbishments at Abbey Lane Chapel and City Road Cemetery.
The price rise brings charges in line with Rotherham Crematorium.
A Sheffield Council spokesman said: “With each year of budget cuts, making further savings becomes harder and harder. As a result, we as an authority have difficult decisions to make.
“We are having to find savings of around £40m across the council during this financial year, and we cannot do this by cutting spending alone. One of the changes we are therefore introducing is an increase in the cost of some of our bereavement services.
“It is unfortunately essential to raise fees in order to meet the rising costs of maintaining the crematoria and cemeteries to a high standard and also to be able to continue to further invest in our facilities.
“We also need to consider future pressures on bereavement services and will be continuing our programme of improvements to be able to further develop and enhance our services.”
But James Dunn, co-founder of Funeralbooker which arranges funerals, said: “These price hikes are the ultimate stealth tax, going completely unnoticed by families until their moment of need.”