Surely Local Authorities Can Dispose Of Bodies Cheaper Than This...

[ToraToraTora]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-46796036
Not withstanding the newer firms doing cheap "funerals" for just over a grand, surely the local authorities own the crematoria anyway, I don;t see why this is such an expense. Once body cleared for disposal, in the oven, sorted. Anyone with more direct knowledge shed any light?

[naomi24]

Birmingham spent the most by far, saying //"As the largest local authority in the UK, Birmingham's spend on public health funerals will inevitably be higher when compared to other cities, reflecting the population it serves."// but that doesn’t make sense. On average it spent vastly more per funeral than other areas. Why should a pauper’s funeral cost so much more in one area than in any other?

[douglas9401]

Cultural sensitivities, Naomi.

[TonyV]

If you read the details doesn't say how burials or cremations were done so you can't work out cost per person easily?

[TonyV]

Even how many

[woofgang]

2,507 per funeral (990437 / 395) guessing that cost will also include removal of the body, any "special services" depending on the state of said body and storage until the disposal. I think that the simple funerals advertised only cover the actual funeral with no storage or special services so doesn't sound too outrageous to me.

[dannyk13]

//The services, known as a "pauper's funeral", typically include a coffin and the services of a funeral director. Family and friends can attend but the "no frills" service does not include flowers or transport for family, and some council burials take place in an unmarked shared grave//

[jno]

On average it spent vastly more per funeral than other areas

That's not what it says. It doesn't say "on average". Birmingham has the third highest rate of pauper funerals, and it looks as if it's the biggest area, since London is broken down by borough. So you'd expect the total to be higher than anyone else, and it is.

[KARL]

I entirely agree with your sentiments that the lowest cost option for basic funerals, i.e. the simple disposal of a body, is overpriced. For the uplift of waste from the kerbside at our house I need only pay the council £15 for a quantity far exceeding the volume and weight of a non-obese (see recent thread for discussion on obesity, if interested) human body. Granted that there is perhaps a bit more sensitivity involved than simply putting to landfill, but an average of above £1000 still seems high, even allowing for inherent inefficiency in everything government run.

[naomi24]

Exactly Danny, so why should that cost so much more per funeral in Birmingham than it does in Portsmouth?

[naomi24]

jno, you're right. I've got the wrong end of the stick.

[dannyk13]

Naomi, because there is no control over the cost set by the local council.

[jno]

naomi, it does not say how much the cost per funeral is in Portsmouth. Read the story before commenting.

[jno]

apologies, naomi, your last post wasn't there when I posted. There are insufficient figures in the story to make any comparison of who's charging what per funeral, only the grand totals.

[dannyk13]

Karl //even allowing for inherent inefficiency in everything government run.//
Nothing to do with the Government, this is under the control of local authorities.

[naomi24]

jno, //There are insufficient figures in the story to make any comparison of who's charging what per funeral, only the grand totals.//

Indeed.

[ToraToraTora]

OK but what I don't get is, why is a funeral even necessary. The Local authority has crematoria, just take the body down there and incinerate, end of. Why are the necroparasites allowed anywhere near the situation? They don't need a "funeral".

[dannyk13]

TTT, cremation is not allowed by some religions.

[naomi24]

Apart from someone being present to perform a short ceremony of committal at the graveside as a token of respect for the deceased, that appears to be basically what happens, TTT. There is no funeral service.

https://www.funeralzone.co.uk/help-resources/arranging-a-funeral/what-is-a-paupers-funeral-public-health-funerals-explained

[woofgang]

just had another thought......councils charge for the use of their crematoria....so I guess that a part of the cost to the council is in lost revenue....which is reasonable and generally how businesses calculate the cost of things. The army do the same when they say that such and such an operation costs them xxx amount. they take into account the salaries and costs of the staff involved, even though they would not really have that money or have saved it if they hadn't undertaken the operation.

[ToraToraTora]

"TTT, cremation is not allowed by some religions. " - we are talking about unclaimed bodies, etc, religion is not a concern here, we are talking about disposing of bodies. If relatives etc care about the religion of the deceased they can pay for an appropriate funeral.