Decision details

The Director, Public Health, Protection and Community Services provided the Cabinet with the report, which proposed that the Council pilot a reduced cremation fee for funeral directors offering direct or simplicity cremations in Rhondda Cynon Taf.

The Director spoke of the increase in funeral costs, which can be unaffordable to those on the lowest incomes and advised of the increase in demand for a more affordable “direct”, “simplicity” cremation or “cremation without ceremony”, where a funeral director arranges a service with no mourners and brings the deceased directly to the crematorium with no religious service or attendees. The Director proposed that the Council offer a 12 month pilot of a reduced fee of £560 for a direct cremation, which is comparable with other crematoria in Wales that offer this service and would provide assistance to those who struggle to meet funeral costs.

The Cabinet Member for Stronger Communities, Well-being & Cultural Services endorsed the proposal and was pleased to see that it would offer greater choice for residents and help towards tackling poverty, whilst meeting the demand for a non-traditional funeral.

The Leader and Deputy Leader spoke positive of the proposal and requested that it be clearly advertised on the Council’s website and that families are notified of the option when registering a death, to which the Director confirmed.

The Cabinet RESOLVED:

1.    To approve a twelve month pilot of a reduced cremation fee for funeral directors offering a direct cremation service in Rhondda Cynon Taf; and

2.    That the fee is set at £560 with effect from 1st December 2019.