Co-op Funeralcare welcomes announcement on child funeral fees

01 April 2018

• UK’s largest funeral provider welcomes move to cut child funeral fees
• The changes will help thousands more bereaved families across the UK

The UK’s leading national funeral provider, Co-op Funeralcare, welcomes today’s government announcement on the abolishment of child funeral fees.

For the last 30 years Co-op has helped over 25,000 families who’ve lost a child. In March 2017, Co-op launched a new free child funeral policy, providing additional funding support for thousands of bereaved parents of children up to the age of 18. Since introducing the policy, the business has been calling upon government, local authorities and private organisations to follow its lead in waiving child funeral fees.

In addition to the charge for funeral director services, approximately a third of the average cost of a funeral is made up by third party charges, such as burial or cremation charges. These vary greatly by region but on average across the UK amount to £1,055¹.

Today’s government announcement, combined with Funeralcare’s policy, will offer bereaved families much greater support with funeral costs.

In some locations such as Wales, the Wirral, Ipswich, Harrogate, Cheshire West and Chester Local Authorities had already waived both burial and cremation fees up to the age of 18². However, the announcement of the Child Funeral Fund will mean that there will be no regional restrictions or limitations to any family having to cover the cost of their child’s funeral.

David Collingwood, Director of Funerals for Co-op Funeralcare said:

‘’The emotional impact of losing a child is more than enough to bear for any parent. To have planned for a positive future for your child, and then be faced with their loss at whatever age is something no parent should have to experience.

‘’Having to manage the practical aspects of organising the funeral together with suddenly finding the money to pay for such an event only adds to this unimaginable grief. At the beginning of 2017 we made the move to extend our support, ensuring that bereaved parents of children up to the age of 18 will not be charged for our services. We provide all our services, the coffin, a vehicle or hearse for the funeral with no charge.

‘’We welcome the positive changes made by government and local authorities, helping us to do what matters most as a caring society. The alterations made to child funeral fees are helping to ensure that any parent facing such a tragic loss has the highest level of reassurance from everyone involved.’’

NOTES TO EDITORS

¹In 2016 Co-op data shows that third party costs were £1055 on average. This amount varies as Local Authority and third party pricing differs across the UK

²Charges may apply to non-local residents in some cases

About the Co-op’s free child funerals policy

Co-op’s child funeral policy provides free funeral director services to Parents, Grand Parents and Legal Guardians with Parental Responsibility of any child up to the age of 18 (0-17 years).

This includes necessary provision of funeral colleagues, transportation and collection, a hearse and limousine as appropriate, optional embalming, a greater range of coffin choice, option to use a Co-op Funeralcare chapel for the service where available and no charge for weekend funerals.

The policy does not cover associated funeral costs set by third parties and local authorities, such as burial and cremation fees, clergy costs, and doctor certification fee (England and Wales).

If you are looking for assistance arranging a funeral, please contact 0800 088 4883

Media Contacts:

Lauren Hoult: lauren.hoult@coop.co.uk / 07702 505626
Sarah Pyatt: sarah.pyatt@coop.co.uk / 07850 002 312

About the Co-op

The Co-op is one of the world’s largest consumer co-operatives and has a clear purpose of championing a better way of doing business for you and your communities. Owned by millions of UK consumers, the Co-op operates a total of 3,750 outlets, with more than 70,000 employees and an annual turnover of over £9 billion. Home to the UK’s leading funeral provider, Co-op Funeralcare conducts almost 100,000 funerals annually across over 1,000 funeral homes. Combined with its leading legal services business, the Co-op is also a national provider of later life products and services ranging from funeral plans, through to wills and probate.