BURIAL and cremation charges in Bolton are set to rise.

Council chiefs have approved plans to increase the cost of cremation by 7.1 per cent and burials by 2.7 per cent from April 1.

The move means the price of a cremation will rise from £560 to £600, while the cost of a burial will increase from £730 to £750.

The cremation hike is being blamed on the increasing cost of gas and electricity, the price of ongoing maintenance, and investment in special equipment needed to allow the cremation process to meet legal environmental guidelines.

The West Chapel at Bolton’s Overdale Crematorium was reopened last November after a £171,000 refurbishment — which included a system to recycle heat from cremations and reduce emissions.

Another £650,000 was spent on installing a new cremator, which complied with government demands that the crematorium halve its mercury emissions, mainly caused by teeth fillings. The crematorium was also redecorated, given a new sound system, carpets, windows, lighting, curtains and re-fitted pews, along with improved toilet and waiting facilities.

Cremations at nearby Radcliffe and Chorley cost £655, while Howe Bridge in Atherton costs £610.

Burials in Bury cost £740, Wigan costs £777, while Salford costs £840 for residents and £1,250 for non residents.

Darren Ainsworth, of Fred Hamer Funeral Services in Tonge Moor Road, said: “I’ve got to say the cost of burial and cremation in Bolton is quite reasonable — they’re probably a bit behind in that sense.

“In austere times every penny counts, but if someone was going to go outside of Bolton they would probably face higher costs anyway.”

Cllr Nick Peel, the council’s executive cabinet member for environment, regulatory services and skills, said: “The reason that costs are going up is that we have got to recover costs to meet expenditure, but it is cheaper than Howe Bridge in Atherton and Radcliffe.

“Burial charges have also gone up, but that’s an inflationary increase.”

He added: “We’ve recently made a significant investment in facilities at Overdale, some of which we’ve had to do because of emissions legislation, and we also have to bear in mind rising energy prices.”