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Criticism of Wolverhampton burial 'fat tax' at council cemetery Criticism of Wolverhampton burial 'fat tax' at council cemetery
(about 7 hours later)
Rosemarie and Millicent said the extra charge for a wider burial plot was "discrimination"Rosemarie and Millicent said the extra charge for a wider burial plot was "discrimination"
The introduction by a council of a so-called "fat tax" for wider burial plots at one of its cemeteries has been criticised by residents and a funeral director. The planned introduction by a council of a so-called "fat tax" for wider burial plots at one of its cemeteries has been criticised by residents and a funeral director.
At Danescourt cemetery in Tettenhall, Wolverhampton, it will cost families £2,700 if they need to buy a 6ft wide plot, a 20% increase on the cost of a standard 5ft grave. At Danescourt cemetery in Tettenhall, City of Wolverhampton Council had previously said families would be charged £2,700 if they need to buy a 6ft wide plot, a 20% increase on the cost of a standard 5ft grave.
Funeral director Ross Hickton said the decision was "not really acceptable or fair" and labelled it a "fat tax". Funeral director Ross Hickton labelled it a "fat tax".
A spokesperson for the City of Wolverhampton Council said it was responding to an increase in demand for larger graves, with obesity rates of 33.3% in the city compared with a national average of 25.9%, according to a 2021 survey. Following the BBC investigation, a spokesperson for the local authority said on Thursday afternoon that it had decided "not to proceed with the plans".
It is not the only council to charge more for wider coffins, with local authorities in Telford, Birmingham, Walsall, Coventry and Staffordshire taking a similar approach. It had previously defended the move, saying that it was responding to an increase in demand for larger graves, with obesity rates of 33.3% in the city compared with a national average of 25.9%, according to a 2021 survey.
Wolverhampton resident Rosemarie McLaren said she felt the move was "discrimination, it's not acceptable". Local authorities in Telford, Birmingham, Walsall, Coventry and Staffordshire have already implemented charges for wider coffins.
Wolverhampton resident Rosemarie McLaren had said she felt the planned move was "discrimination, it's not acceptable".
"Someone like me who's a bit bigger, is going to be charged [more] because I'm fat," she added."Someone like me who's a bit bigger, is going to be charged [more] because I'm fat," she added.
Wolverhampton City Council opened a dedicated section for 6ft burial plots at Danescourt cemetery in TettenhallWolverhampton City Council opened a dedicated section for 6ft burial plots at Danescourt cemetery in Tettenhall
The decision to create a new dedicated section at Danescourt for larger coffins was taken by councillors in May.The decision to create a new dedicated section at Danescourt for larger coffins was taken by councillors in May.
A spokesperson said, before the approval, the authority contacted 25 funeral directors who serve the city to ask for their thoughts and 10 responded with one objection. A spokesperson said the authority had contacted 25 funeral directors who serve the city to ask for their thoughts and 10 responded, with one objection.
But Mr Hickton, from Hickton Family Funeral Directors, an independent company with seven branches across the West Midlands, said the consultation was "meaningless" and "didn't involve the public at all".But Mr Hickton, from Hickton Family Funeral Directors, an independent company with seven branches across the West Midlands, said the consultation was "meaningless" and "didn't involve the public at all".
"Essentially it's a fat tax," he said."Essentially it's a fat tax," he said.
"You know people have paid into the system their entire life, paid their council tax to Wolverhampton Council, and for them to be told [the grave is] 20% more because of the size of their loved one, it's not really acceptable or fair.""You know people have paid into the system their entire life, paid their council tax to Wolverhampton Council, and for them to be told [the grave is] 20% more because of the size of their loved one, it's not really acceptable or fair."
Funeral director Ross Hickton said it was not acceptable for families to have to pay more for a grave if their relative was overweight or obeseFuneral director Ross Hickton said it was not acceptable for families to have to pay more for a grave if their relative was overweight or obese
Matthew Crawley, chief executive at the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management, said the charge seemed reasonable. Speaking before the council backed down on the proposals, Matthew Crawley, chief executive at the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management, said the charge seemed reasonable.
"You have a finite amount of space to work with; therefore if you need to eat into a grave next door, say, then that needs to be accounted for," he said."You have a finite amount of space to work with; therefore if you need to eat into a grave next door, say, then that needs to be accounted for," he said.
"You also have to account for the idea that digging the grave itself will also need extra equipment to keep it safe.""You also have to account for the idea that digging the grave itself will also need extra equipment to keep it safe."
On the term "fat tax", he said: "Would it be more reasonable to maybe look at that as a concessionary fee for appropriate land usage?"On the term "fat tax", he said: "Would it be more reasonable to maybe look at that as a concessionary fee for appropriate land usage?"
He said the charges were in place in other areas and it was a change in response to the population in general getting larger and not wanting to turn people away as a result.He said the charges were in place in other areas and it was a change in response to the population in general getting larger and not wanting to turn people away as a result.
Matthew Crawley, from the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management, said they have to take into account the rate of obesity in the UKMatthew Crawley, from the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management, said they have to take into account the rate of obesity in the UK
Another Wolverhampton resident, Selena Harris, who lives in the city with her young family, was worried how people would afford it.Another Wolverhampton resident, Selena Harris, who lives in the city with her young family, was worried how people would afford it.
"It doesn't seem right, especially in a deprived area." she said."It doesn't seem right, especially in a deprived area." she said.
Ms Harris believed the council introduced the extra charges "to [try] and recoup costs, because councils are struggling at the moment". Ms Harris believed the council wanted to introduce the extra charges "to [try] and recoup costs, because councils are struggling at the moment".
Selena Harris said she was worried about how people would manage to pay the extra costsSelena Harris said she was worried about how people would manage to pay the extra costs
The council strenuously denied the claim.The council strenuously denied the claim.
Their spokesperson said they were doing it because it was needed and the extra costs reflected "the increased costs incurred in providing them, including disposing of the additional soil". It had earlier told the BBC it was introducing the changes "because there is a need for it" and the extra costs reflected "the increased costs incurred in providing them, including disposing of the additional soil".
"Many other local councils, including Birmingham and Walsall, charge higher fees for larger graves", they said, adding that costs for wider burial plots in Wolverhampton were similar or cheaper than in neighbouring authorities. "Many other local councils, including Birmingham and Walsall, charge higher fees for larger graves", a spokesperson had said, adding that costs for wider burial plots in Wolverhampton were similar or cheaper than in neighbouring authorities.
However, on Thursday afternoon the local authority's position changed, saying that "no formal decision was ever taken on plans to charge more for larger burial plots".
It said extra charges were a "common practice taken by councils around the country where higher charges cover the costs of providing a larger plot".
"However, while under consideration, we have decided not to proceed with the plans."
The National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors surveyed its members to ask if their local councils charged more for wider plots.The National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors surveyed its members to ask if their local councils charged more for wider plots.
Of the 165 who replied, a quarter said yes.Of the 165 who replied, a quarter said yes.
The BBC contacted 27 local authorities in the West Midlands and just over a third said they charged more for wider burial plots.The BBC contacted 27 local authorities in the West Midlands and just over a third said they charged more for wider burial plots.
However, not everyone the BBC spoke to was against the idea.However, not everyone the BBC spoke to was against the idea.
Russell Smallman, from Castlecroft, said: "There's a lot of obesity these days.Russell Smallman, from Castlecroft, said: "There's a lot of obesity these days.
"A lot of [people] bring it on themselves and they're not interested in doing anything about it, so I don't know whether you can sympathise really.""A lot of [people] bring it on themselves and they're not interested in doing anything about it, so I don't know whether you can sympathise really."
Russell Smallman said he was sympathetic to the council's planRussell Smallman said he was sympathetic to the council's plan
Mr Hickton, who is also the president of the National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors, said other funeral firms he had spoken to also had concerns.Mr Hickton, who is also the president of the National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors, said other funeral firms he had spoken to also had concerns.
One firm asked the council what would happen if a couple wanted to be buried together but one was already in a standard grave at Danescourt and the other needed a wider plot in the bariatric section.One firm asked the council what would happen if a couple wanted to be buried together but one was already in a standard grave at Danescourt and the other needed a wider plot in the bariatric section.
The BBC saw an email to the funeral directors which said families might ''have to consider burying the bariatric partner elsewhere, purchasing a second grave or exhuming the first partner to ensure they can be buried together".The BBC saw an email to the funeral directors which said families might ''have to consider burying the bariatric partner elsewhere, purchasing a second grave or exhuming the first partner to ensure they can be buried together".
''It truly is shocking, clearly the local authority has not taken into account family feelings here," Mr Hickton added. Mr Hickton added the plans to increase fees were also "an extra stress, burden and worry that a family really shouldn't have to go through".
"This is just an extra stress, burden and worry that a family really shouldn't have to go through." The council did not respond specifically to that point, but in a statement to the BBC a spokesperson said: "We are committed to ensuring our bereavement services continue to provide dignity and accessibility for all families."
The council did not respond specifically to that point but in a statement to the BBC their spokesperson said: "We are committed to ensuring our bereavement services continue to provide dignity and accessibility for all families."
They added that "while space allows, [families] will still be able to choose to place larger coffins at the end of existing rows at Danescourt at no extra cost".
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