I HAVE seen a report on the Halesowen News website on funeral costs released by the GMB with comments from Joe Morgan the regional secretary.

Unfortunately the figures quoted bear no relation to the actual expenses that apply anywhere within the Wyre Forest or Sandwell areas either for burial or cremation.

I am very surprised that such an influential organisation as the GMB should be careless with data in such a sensitive area as funeral costs.

Furthermore the comment that “someone is making a lot of money out of people’s bereavements” is likely to cause anxiety and distress.

Like many other funeral professionals I would challenge the implication that local authorities, who run four out of five of the facilities available to residents in Wyre Forest area, are profiteering from people’s bereavement.

You must remember that crematoria and cemeteries require huge investment in equipment, land and qualified staff in order to offer the bereaved a suitable environment in which to say farewell to their loved ones and in which to remember them after the funeral is over.

Powell & Family work with every crematorium team and many of the cemetery teams across the region and I can report that every member of the staff and management we encounter are dedicated to the highest standards of service in every aspect of their work.

I would like to help your readers by offering accurate figures for cremation in the region.

Wyre Forest costs £651 with doctors’ fees of £157, making a total of £808.

Sandwell Valley and Rowley Regis crematoria cost £584 which with doctors’ fees of £157 gives a total cost for an adult of £741.

Stourbridge & Gornal Wood cost £607 with doctors’ fees of £157, giving a total for an adult of £764 Burial costs do vary across the region but the true figures for a new, adult, double-depth grave are: Wyre Forest Crematorium and Cemetery – a new grave costs £1,260 or £1,680 depending on location plus interment fee of £648 (with no limit on lease as long as Dignity continue to own and operate the facility).

Dudley cemeteries (Brierley Hill, Cradley, Dudley, Gornal Wood, Halesowen, Lye & Wollescote) – a new grave costs £1,400 plus £765 interment fee.

Sandwell Valley and Rowley Regis – a new grave costs £1,497 plus £802 interment fee.

Typical grave lease terms are 50-75 years although some offer longer than this. While cemetery operators have the right to re-sell and re-use graves once this term expires it almost never happens because of the emotional cost of doing this.

The Church of England has recently simplified all fees relating to funerals and so where there is space (an increasing issue) families pay a one-off cost of £260-286 for the grave plot itself plus about £300 to actually dig the grave.

The church retains ownership of the land and it is almost impossible to pre-purchase a plot in a churchyard.

Funeral staff should have this information at their finger-tips and, like our team, be ready to give friendly, expert advice over the phone without any obligation.

CATHERINE POWELL Powell & Family Ltd Funeral Directors Head Office North Street, Droitwich