South Lanarkshire Council to review charges for cremating under 15s

Mar 11 2010

A HAMILTON minister criticised South Lanarkshire Council this week for charging almost £200 to cremate the bodies of children.

Reverend David Burt said the fee was adding to the distress of families devastated by the loss of young loved ones, with charges applying for those up to the age of 15.

The Hillhouse Parish Church minister called on officials to fall into line with North Lanarkshire Council, which does not charge for the cremation of children’s bodies.

South Lanarkshire Council, however, which operates the crematorium at Sydes Bay, Blantyre, point out that they take no fee for the cremation of stillborn babies, and a spokesman added: “The cost for cremation of a child up to age 15 years is £182.50, which is 50 per cent of the adult fee.”

The spokesman said the levy was “currently under discussion” with Land Services, the department that operates the crematorium.

North Lanarkshire Council confirmed that they made no charge for children under the age of 15 from within the local authority area, although they did impose a fee for children from other areas, including South Lanarkshire.

Glasgow City Council, which operates the crematorium at Daldowie, levy no charge for the cremation of the bodies of children under the age of one.

They do, however, charge £166 for children aged between one and seven from within the authority’s area, and £247 for youngsters aged between seven and 16.

A Lanarkshire undertaker said most funeral directors do not normally charge for their services when it came to the funerals of children under 16.

“The only things [families] would have to pay for would be the cremation fee or burial fee,” he said. “We don’t charge for the coffin.

“The funeral of a child is not something for which people usually plan.”

Rev Burt told the Advertiser: “In the past few months, I have had the sad duty of conducting two child funerals.

“ One involved a baby who was cremated at Daldowie where there was no charge, and the other one was at South Lanarkshire Crematorium where the family had to pay more than £188.

“My view is that to impose a charge is just wrong, especially when other councils are asking for no fee.” The reverend plans to write to South Lanarkshire Council chief executive Archie Strang on the issue.

“It is just ridiculous when you consider the small amount of money that they must make from child cremations,” the minister added.