A NEW service has been launched which aims to give Coventrians a cost-effective option when choosing their funeral arrangements.
The new funeral service, launched by Coventry City Council, aims to tackle the issue of costs and bereavement poverty.
A recent national report into funeral costs highlighted the average cost of a basic funeral is now around £4,100.
This figure is a 4.7 per cent increase on last year, and the cost of a funeral has gone up 126 per cent jump across the past two decades.
The report also showed the ‘average total cost of dying’, which includes burial or cremation fees, funeral director’s costs, a coffin, one funeral vehicle and additional admin/estate fees had reached £9,658.
The council already runs a crematorium in the city.
The authority’s cabinet member for city services, Coun Patricia Hetherton, said: “The Council is very conscious of the ever-increasing costs associated with funerals and for many people, this cost, which in many cases can be unplanned or predicted, is expensive and may affect a family’s ability to give their loved one a decent funeral.
“Although supporting those in real difficult financial situations was an initial factor, it has been becoming more apparent that many other local people are also having to consider their own financial situations currently, especially with the wider challenges around cost of living.”
