Paupers’ funerals rise by 50 per cent in four years The number of people who have paupers’ funerals because they die penniless and without relatives to meet the cost is […]

The number of people who have paupers’ funerals because they die penniless and without relatives to meet the cost is soaring across the UK.

Councils have reported a 50 per cent rise in just four years in the amount of burials and cremations for which they have to pick up the bill.

“We do not want a return to the Victorian era spectre of the pauper‘s funeral” The i newsletter cut through the noise Email address is invalid Email address is invalid Thank you for subscribing! Sorry, there was a problem with your subscription. Lib Dem leader Tim Farron

Most people who receive a ‘public health funeral’ are cremated or buried in an unmarked grave.

The leap in numbers was attributed to the soaring cost of funerals and people’s savings dwindling as they live longer.

Since 2011, cash-strapped authorities have faced an £8.8m bill for ‘public health funerals’ – an average of more than £60,000 for each town hall.

The sharp rise was uncovered in freedom of information requests to councils in England, Scotland and Wales by the Liberal Democrats.

‘Gut-wrenching’

The statistics from the 216 which responded revealed that 1,465 paupers’ funerals were conducted in 2011, increasing to 2,202 in 2015.

Tim Farron, the party’s leader, told i : “Paupers’ funerals are gut-wrenching. At a time when people are grieving and vulnerable, they have to worry about debts. We do not want a return to the Victorian era spectre of the pauper‘s funeral.

“One of the saddest aspects of these funerals is how many of the cases I have heard about that involve an individual who has died is often not only without money, but without mourners too.

“Funeral poverty is often overlooked, but at a time when incomes are falling we need to make sure families have the help and support they need.”

Among the councils which responded, the largest number of the funerals was in Bristol which conducted 669 ceremonies since 2011 at a final cost of nearly £559,000.

More than 430 were organised in Doncaster at a cost of £660,150 and 361 took place in Brighton and Hove at a cost of £246,680.

Other areas with large numbers included Manchester (434), Fife (350), Leeds (312), Southwark, south London (301), Leicester (245), Croydon, south London (234), Aberdeen (225), Blackpool (230), Perth and Kinross (223) Taunton Deane, Somerset (208) and Coventry (207) .

‘Tragic figures’

Linda Thomas, vice-chair of the Local Government Association’s community wellbeing board, said: “These tragic figures speak for themselves. People, mostly elderly, are dying around us with no family or friends nearby to care for them.

“It is a sad fact that there are thousands of people across the country with no family or friends to arrange, attend or pay for their funeral. Nobody should find themselves in that position.

“Our ageing population is growing rapidly and so is the worrying picture of isolation and loneliness across the country.”

Carl English, of the Fair Funerals Campaign, warned that numbers would continue to rise “until sustainable action is taken to address funeral poverty”.

He warned of a “crisis in funeral affordability that is set to become worse as prices rises and government help stagnates”.