Charges For Burying Children Scrapped By Bridgend County Borough Council

Bridgend County Borough Council has joined the growing number of local authorities to scrap fees for the burial of children up to and including the age of 16. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Previously, no charge had been applied when burying children aged up to 12 in the council’s cemeteries, but that age limit will now be extended to 16. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Fees are already waived for the cremation of under 17s at Coychurch Crematorium. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Ceri Reeves, Cabinet Member for Communities, said: “Nothing can really ease the terrible loss of a child, but we wholeheartedly agree that this is absolutely the right thing to do. The heartbreak for grieving parents is unimaginable, so removing the charge for child interments means that there is one less thing for parents to worry about at such a sad time.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In recent months, Torfaen, Swansea, Caerphilly and many English councils have also agreed to abolish their burial fees for children, following a campaign that is being led by Carolyn Harris MP. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Swansea East MP has been leading the fight after she was forced to take out a loan to bury her eight-year-old son Martin after he died in a car accident in 1989. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​