Council forced to back down on graves ‘fat tax'
Wolverhampton councillors had faced criticism for a 'lack of empathy' after they proposed charging hundreds of pounds more for bigger plots.
The Labour-run town hall confirmed to the BBC that a 20pc premium on 6ft-wide spaces had been agreed in May. It would have cost a family £2,700 as opposed to £2,250 for a standard plot.
A council spokesman had told reporters that the higher price reflected 'the increased costs incurred in providing them, including disposing of the additional soil'.
But when contacted by The Telegraph, a spokesman said it had decided 'not to proceed with the plans'.
The council had failed to consult Wolverhampton residents on the changes, instead only speaking to local funeral directors.
Ross Hickton, of Hickton Family Funeral Directors in the West Midlands, said the decision was a 'win for the people of Wolverhampton and a dose of common sense'.
'It's a great relief for funeral directors not having to have difficult conversations with families. It's a shame that the council didn't listen to our advice originally [in the consultation] as they would have saved themselves a lot of trouble.
'Other local authorities should take heed of what's happened here.'
'If you've paid into the system your whole life, through council tax and income tax, you shouldn't be forced to pay an additional 20pc tax,' Mr Hickton added.
'The 'fat tax' would 'push more people into funeral poverty. If you live in Wolverhampton, you have the right to be buried here without extra costs. You shouldn't be paying a premium for a basic right. It shows a lack of empathy for what a family goes through.'
The decision to introduce the extra charge was made after an increase in demand for larger graves, the council previously told the BBC.
The city has higher than normal obesity rates of 33.3pc, compared with the national average of 25.9pc, according to a 2021 survey.
The proportion of households that are overweight is gradually increasing, according to government data. In 2023-24, 64.5pc of adults in England were overweight or living with obesity. This is higher than the previous year, 64pc, and follows an upward trend since 2015, when the figure was 61.2pc.
The average coffin width has increased in the past decade, from around 20-22 inches to 22-24 inches, according to the National Association of Funeral Directors.
One of the first councils to introduce higher fees for larger graves was Houghton Regis Town Council in 2009.
On its website, the Bedfordshire town hall said: 'Where the coffin width is such that the burial encroaches into the next available burial plot, such that it cannot be used, the above fees will be increased by 50pc.' It would take the cost from £364 to £728.
Local authorities in Telford, Birmingham, Walsall, Coventry and Staffordshire also charge extra for wider coffins.
The National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors asked its members if their council charged more for bigger plots. Out of 165 respondents, 25pc said yes.
The BBC found that a third of 27 local authorities in the West Midlands charged more for wider graves.
A City of Wolverhampton Council spokesman said: 'No formal decision was ever taken on plans to charge more for larger burial plots.
'This is a common practice taken by councils around the country where higher charges cover the costs of providing a larger plot.
'However, while under consideration, we have decided not to proceed with the plans.'
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