Criticism of burial fat tax at council cemetery

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.

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.

Funeral director Ross Hickton said the decision was "not really acceptable or fair" and 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 to a national average of 25.9%, according to a 2021 survey.

Wolverhampton resident Rosemarie McLaren said she felt the move was "discrimination, its not acceptable".

"Someone like me whos a bit bigger, is going to be charged [more] because Im fat," she added.

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.

But Mr Hickton, from Hickton Family Funeral Directors, an independent company with seven branches across the West Midlands, said the consultation was "meaningless" and "didnt involve the public at all".

"Essentially its 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, its not really acceptable or fair."

Another Wolverhampton resident, Selena Harris, who lives in the city with her young family, was worried how people would afford it.

"It doesnt 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".

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".

"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.

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.

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.

Russell Smallman, from Castlecroft, said: "Theres a lot of obesity these days.

"A lot of [people] bring it on themselves and theyre not interested in doing anything about it, so I dont know whether you can sympathise really."

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.

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.

"This is just an extra stress, burden and worry that a family really shouldnt have to go through."

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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