THE costs of burials and cremations in Basingstoke and Deane is on the rise according to new figures released by an independent funeral booking service.

Research undertaken by the FuneralBooker found that the South East region is the second most expensive area in the UK for cremations and the fourth most expensive for burial ceremonies.

These increases have been described as a “stealth tax” and will put even more of a squeeze on the budgets of the bereaved.

In Basingstoke and Deane the cost of a burial has gone up by more than 25 per cent after the recent budget was approved, meaning the cost of burials at the Basingstoke cemetery, in Worting Road now costs £1,400 compared to the previous price of £1,119.

Across the South East the average fee for a cremation has gone up by 4.5 per cent and burials by 4.8 per cent.

The Worting Road cemetery is run by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, who said it works hard to keep the fees as low as possible Cabinet Member for regulatory services and the environment, Cllr Hayley Eachus, said: “There are challenging financial times ahead, and the cost of providing services is continuing to rise.”

As well as burial charges, cremation fees have also gone up in the borough at the Dignity PLCrun crematorium in Stockbridge Road. Fees for a cremation have risen to a hefty £958, up from £882 last year.

A spokesperson from Dignity PLC said: “We increase our fees annually so that we can continue to invest and maintain our facilities, equipment and grounds. We have introduced early morning services at a reduced cost of £815 to help families with a limited budget. We have also made available a direct cremation service at a cost of £499.”

James Dunn, co-founder of Funeralbooker, said: “These price hikes are the ultimate stealth tax, going unnoticed by families until their moment of need.”