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Chancellor Philip Hammond has given his strongest hint yet that he’s prepared to back the Sunday Mirror’s campaign to scrap child burial fees.

In a message to campaigning MP Carolyn Harris, the Chancellor urged her to make more representations to the Government ahead of the autumn Budget.

Whitehall sources say he may even bring the move forward to coincide with the upcoming local elections.

Now Mrs Harris, who lost her eight-year-old son and was forced to borrow money to pay for his burial, has written to Theresa May urging the PM to back the move.

(Image: copyright unknown)

She wrote: “The reality is that by waiting another six months until the Autumn Budget, over 2,000 more families will face the heartbreak of losing their son or daughter without the financial support so many of them need at this devastating time.

“In recent weeks, I have been contacted by more and more local authorities with the positive news that they will be scrapping their fees for children’s funerals.”

(Image: REUTERS)

Mrs Harris’s letter has already attracted almost 100 signatures pledging cross-party support. Among them are Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell and Tories including Philip Davies.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has already pledged his party’s backing.

He said: “It’s time for the Government to show some compassion and support for parents in difficult of times.”

Council decision to have 'massive impact'

Earlier this week Walsall Council in the Midlands became the latest local authority to scrap child burial fees.

It will cost the authority £32,000, but Councillor Diane Coughlan said: “As a council we were aware of the campaign and the work being done to scrap charges.

"We had a couple of sudden deaths of young people in the borough and that really brought things forward. So we asked officers to look at the cost to the council and it was negligible.

“But the impact it will have on families is massive, so we were delighted to take the decision.”