UK, tax for the deceased overweight: the wider tombs cost 20% more

In Wolverhampton, the city of the English West Midlands, they do not all die at the same price: those who are overweight will have to pay more for the last rest. At the Danescourt Cemetery in Tetenhall, A tomb approximately 1.83 meters wide 20% more than the standard one and a half meter, As reported by Guardian. A kind of “weight tax” that weighs on the burials: the extra kilos are paid to the end.

The city council justifies the surcharge with the increase in obesity in the city: about a third of the residents is obese, against just over a quarter of the national average. A motivation that some citizens find a little difficult to accept.

Ross Hickon, director of a local funeral agency, commented on to BBC: «People paid taxes all life and now they have to pay 20% more because their dear is more fat than expected? It is neither right nor acceptable ».

On the other hand, Matthew Crawley, CEO of the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management, has a more pragmatic approach: «The space is limited. If you need a larger tomb, it must be considered that the operation requires additional tools and precautions». In short, cemeteries also have more costs when the deceased is extra large.

Wolverhampton’s advice explained that The increased rate for the deceased overweight covers expenses such as the disposal of the excess land And that nearby cities such as Birmingham and Walsall already adopt higher rates for large tombs. In fact, a survey by the National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors reveals that a quarter of the British municipalities does the same.

Then there is the dilemma of couples who want to rest together: if one of the two needs a wider tomb and the other, the families may have to buy a second grave. The city council, however, ensures that, if the space allows it, you can place a larger coffin at the end of a row without additional costs.