A PIONEERING new service aimed at easing the financial hardship suffered by many families after the loss of a loved one will halve the cost of a funeral.

The Stirling Council pilot which will see the local authority take on several responsibilities normally associated with funeral directors in a bid to slash costs for mourners.

It comes after recent figures published by the Citizens Advice Bureau suggested 10 per cent of families struggle to pay the bill following the 55,000 funerals which take place in Scotland every year.

Stirling’s Direct Funerals service – the brainchild of council employee Thomas Rennie – will aim to offer an affordable and dignified alternative for families who already have access to a burial plot.

Under the scheme, a funeral will cost £1,800 – substantially less than the national average of £3,600.

The price will be a combination of the existing internment and lair fees, while council staff will take on extra responsibilities such as liaising with the bereaved, contacting funeral directors and carrying the coffin.

Stirling Council leader Scott Farmer said worrying about funeral costs was the last thing grieving families should be dealing with.

He said: “Funeral poverty is a serious problem and I’d like to thank Tam for his idea.

“I appreciate it and I remember only too well when I lost my own parents while studying at the University of Stirling and having the anxiety of going through that and the funeral costs.

“I was fortunate to have a big family but we’re not all in that position.

“I empathise with people who face these difficulties at unexpected times and I congratulate Tam for bringing this forward and look forward to an update where we can market it.

“It’s a matter of having the knowledge out there so the last thing on the minds of people in this situation should be how they’re going to deal with the financial consequences.”

Mr Rennie, 55, has worked for Stirling Council since 1994 and in the Cemeteries Service for past 17 years.

He developed his proposals through a scheme called The Lens, which is run through large organisations across the UK, including Stirling Council, and helps employees develop ideas.

He said he was proud to see his vision become a reality, adding: “By speaking to families, I know the financial cost of funerals can be a real struggle for them.

“This gave me the idea for the council to deliver more of the service to reduce the financial burden on families.

“I’m really proud to see Direct Funerals become a reality through the Lens, but there has been a real team effort in putting this in place involving many people in the service and within the council.

“Helping people is the motivation for everyone in the team and we are now fully prepared to provide this important service across Stirling.”

It comes after Scottish ministers scrapped burial fees for under 18s across Scotland earlier this year.

The Scottish Government announced bereaved families would no longer face council charges to bury their children, with £500,000 per year be put aside to fund the abolition.

Danny Gibson, deputy leader of Stirling Council, said Mr Rennie’s scheme “will make a genuine difference to people who are struggling with the affordability of funeral costs at a difficult time”.

He said: “As councillors, we are very much aware of what a sensitive and valued public service our cemeteries provision is to members of the public who rely on us in a time of need.”