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| 'Pauper funerals' in Wales increase due to burial costs | 'Pauper funerals' in Wales increase due to burial costs |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| The number of public health funerals in Wales is increasing with some families unable to pay to bury their loved ones. | The number of public health funerals in Wales is increasing with some families unable to pay to bury their loved ones. |
| The head of the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) has told BBC Wales he believes the problem will get worse. | The head of the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) has told BBC Wales he believes the problem will get worse. |
| People are being turned away by funeral directors because they cannot afford deposits, leaving councils to foot the bill for so-called "pauper funerals." | People are being turned away by funeral directors because they cannot afford deposits, leaving councils to foot the bill for so-called "pauper funerals." |
| BBC Wales' Week In Week Out programme found Welsh councils have increased charges by 168% in the last 10 years. | BBC Wales' Week In Week Out programme found Welsh councils have increased charges by 168% in the last 10 years. |
| This is three times the rate of inflation recorded the Office of National Statistics over the same period. | |
| On average it now costs well over £800 to buy a grave in Wales. | On average it now costs well over £800 to buy a grave in Wales. |
| Last month a report found the average cost of a cremation in the UK was £2,720 and a burial was £3,462. | Last month a report found the average cost of a cremation in the UK was £2,720 and a burial was £3,462. |
| Joanne Sunter, from Portmead in Swansea, said she was turned away by four funeral directors because she was unable to pay a deposit of hundreds of pounds up front. | Joanne Sunter, from Portmead in Swansea, said she was turned away by four funeral directors because she was unable to pay a deposit of hundreds of pounds up front. |
| "I was heartbroken. My mother was in a mortuary rotting and none of these people would help me," she said. | "I was heartbroken. My mother was in a mortuary rotting and none of these people would help me," she said. |
| "I just wanted to put her to rest as did my brother and sister and the rest of the family." | "I just wanted to put her to rest as did my brother and sister and the rest of the family." |
| Funeral directors like Clive Peterson in Cwmbran blame local councils saying increased charges for services associated with burial and cremation are the reason funerals have become so expensive. | Funeral directors like Clive Peterson in Cwmbran blame local councils saying increased charges for services associated with burial and cremation are the reason funerals have become so expensive. |
| "There doesn't seem to be any control," he said. | "There doesn't seem to be any control," he said. |
| "For instance we've had notification in recent times that Caerphilly District Council are putting up the burial fees up by 18% plus inflation, every year for the next five years." | "For instance we've had notification in recent times that Caerphilly District Council are putting up the burial fees up by 18% plus inflation, every year for the next five years." |
| A public health funeral consists of a simple service after which the deceased is either cremated or buried in an unmarked grave which could potentially be reused three or four times. | |
| At least one such funeral - traditionally held when there is no remaining next-of-kin - takes place in Wales every week. | At least one such funeral - traditionally held when there is no remaining next-of-kin - takes place in Wales every week. |
| "Growing trend" | "Growing trend" |
| But Week in Week Out has found councils are dealing with more cases where families simply cannot afford to pay or because funeral directors have turned them away. | But Week in Week Out has found councils are dealing with more cases where families simply cannot afford to pay or because funeral directors have turned them away. |
| The programme asked every council and local health board in Wales, through a freedom of information request, how many public health funerals they dealt with on an annual basis from 2001 to 2010. | The programme asked every council and local health board in Wales, through a freedom of information request, how many public health funerals they dealt with on an annual basis from 2001 to 2010. |
| Due to reorganization not every health board was able to respond but the figures gathered suggest numbers had doubled over the decade. | Due to reorganization not every health board was able to respond but the figures gathered suggest numbers had doubled over the decade. |
| Steve Thomas, chief executive of the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA), said: "I'm not surprised by that, and I suspect we will see a growing trend towards this. | Steve Thomas, chief executive of the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA), said: "I'm not surprised by that, and I suspect we will see a growing trend towards this. |
| "Now it's not a trend any of us would welcome, but it does it reflect the nature of society and probably the problems we have in the economy at the moment." | "Now it's not a trend any of us would welcome, but it does it reflect the nature of society and probably the problems we have in the economy at the moment." |
| Week In Week Out: The Cost Of A Welsh Funeral will be broadcast on Tuesday, 11 October at 22:35 BST on BBC1 Wales. | Week In Week Out: The Cost Of A Welsh Funeral will be broadcast on Tuesday, 11 October at 22:35 BST on BBC1 Wales. |