Councils slammed for charging ‘fat tax’ on burials of larger coffins
Funeral directors warn of new ‘fat tax’
- Funeral directors are raising concerns about a "fat tax" where families face additional charges for burying overweight or obese individuals due to larger coffin sizes.
- A survey by the National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors (SAIF) revealed that a quarter of funeral directors report their local authorities imposing extra fees for "bariatric burials", ranging from under £100 to more than £1,000 in some areas.
- Ross Hickton, SAIF's national president, condemned these additional costs as discriminatory, arguing they unfairly burden families who have already paid taxes.
- Wolverhampton Council had considered implementing a 20 per cent extra charge for larger burial plots but has since decided not to proceed with the plan.
- Controversy also surrounds Wolverhampton Council's reported intention to create a separate section for larger graves at Danescourt Cemetery, which critics view as penalising and stigmatising.