Question reference: S4W-27789
- Asked by: Nanette Milne, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 29 September 2015
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Current status: Answered by Alex Neil on 27 October 2015
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the comment in the Citizens Advice Scotland report, The Cost of Saying Goodbye, that people trying to meet the cost of a burial or cremation face a “postcode lottery”; what recent discussions it has had with local authorities regarding these costs, and what its position is on introducing measures to control how much can be charged.
Answer
The Scottish Government is aware of the ongoing concerns around the increasing cost of funerals in Scotland. I announced on 5 October 2015 that John Birrell, the chair of the Scottish Working Group on Funeral Poverty, will consider funeral costs with a view to making recommendations to tackle rising costs. The Scottish Government is also considering what can be done to raise awareness and help people better understand the cost of a funeral and how to plan for this expense.
The Burial and Cremation (Scotland) Bill was introduced in the Scottish Parliament on 8 October 2015. During the development of the Bill, officials met with representatives of local authorities to discuss all aspects of burial and cremation, including funeral costs. These discussions are reflected in the Bill, and will also inform the other strands of work being taken forward in relation to funeral costs.