BEREAVED Scots are facing a postcode lottery when it comes to paying for burials and cremations, with families in some council areas paying thousands of pounds more than others.

 

A report from Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS), who have seen a "massive increase" in people struggling to pay for funerals, shows that costs have risen significantly across Scotland over the last year.

The figures reveal an average increase of 10 per cent for burials and five per cent for cremations, however some areas have introduced much higher price hikes, with Aberdeenshire Council increasing burial fees by 42 per cent (£420).

The Cost of Saying Goodbye report also reveals a £2,091 difference between the least and most expensive burial costs, the cheapest being the Western Isles at £694 and the most expensive being East Dunbartonshire at £2,785.

CAS spokesman Fraser Sutherland said the costs are a "major issue" which need to be addressed.

He said: "When someone dies you have to pay not just the funeral directors, florists etc, but you also have to pay your local authority for the costs of the internment and the lair.

"Whether you choose a burial or a cremation, the additional fees of funeral directors, florists etc. swell these basic costs considerably, but at least people can shop around and make choices about those services.

"The local authority charges are a major problem and need to be addressed urgently.

"We have seen a massive increase in the numbers of Scots coming to the CAB because they can't afford to pay these huge costs. We have met with Scottish Government Ministers and will continue to work with other campaign groups to highlight these issues and campaign for change."

The figures show that the average cost of a burial in Scotland is now £1,273, with all but two councils increasing fees over the last year.

Cremation costs are significantly less, with the average fee being £601, but there are still discrepancies between different council areas.

Inverclyde is the least expensive area for a cremation, with fees at £512, while Perth and Kinross is the most expensive at £749.

CAS also reports that the number of people coming to them with concerns about paying funeral costs increased by 35 per cent in the last 12 months.

The organisation's advisers recorded a total of 541 people raising these concerns.

Cruse Bereavement Care Scotland, a charity which helps those suffering the loss of a loved one, said they too have been made aware of people struggling to pay.

Chief executive Stewart Wilson said: "We believe bereaved people, particularly in the early days after a death, are often vulnerable and stressed and are concerned they may make choices or decisions they might not otherwise have made.

"We fully support CAS' work to highlight these issues and campaign for change."

A spokesman for local authority umbrella group said: "The cost of burials and cremations are rightly a matter for individual councils to determine based on local circumstance.

"Yes, there can be a variation in cost in the same way that there is a variation in property costs or land costs in different parts of the country.

"Indeed I would suggest that all individual elements of a funeral will vary in different parts of Scotland - not just the council part.

"The cost of cremations and burials is widely available from individual councils."

Philip McKay, head of roads and landscape services, said: "In previous years Aberdeenshire Council was one of the lowest charging councils in Scotland for burial charges.

"In order to better reflect the overall cost of the services provided, increased charges for 2015/16 were passed as part of the council's revenue budget."."