Alun Davies, Cabinet Secretary for Local Government & Public Services
This was published under the 2016 to 2021 administration of the Welsh Government
The Welsh Ministers committed earlier this year to make sure fees are no longer charged by local government in Wales in relation to the burial of children.
This was in recognition of the significant variation in the approach currently adopted by councils – in terms of whether fees are charged, what fees are charged and even how a child is defined for these purposes. It is hard to justify that a family burying a child in one part of Wales could pay hundreds of pounds in local authority fees while a family in another part of Wales would pay nothing.
This commitment has been taken forward in close partnership with local government, recognising and building on the action already taken by a number of councils on this issue.
The Welsh Government has now signed an agreement with the Welsh Local Government Association and One Voice Wales to end burial and cremation fees for children. This will ensure a fair and consistent approach is put in place across Wales.
To support local government in making this step, the Welsh Government is making funding available in recognition of the financial implications of not charging these fees.
This funding will be provided to all local authorities, on the basis of an established formula, with the expectation that they will make local arrangements to distribute an appropriate amount of this funding to any community councils, and other providers of cemeteries and crematoria, in their area who are responsible for burials and/or cremations and have agreed to stop charging.
A copy of the agreement is attached.