Bodies not getting buried for up to 2 months.

[loulou]

Undertakers hit by the credit crunch are refusing to carry out funerals until the Department for Work and Pensions has confirmed it will pay out for families on benefits.

Bereaved relatives can apply to the DWP for help with funeral costs if they can prove they are receiving benefits and cannot afford to pay.

Some 27,000 people receive cash from the Social Fund every year, totalling £46m.

Typically each gets up to £700 towards the coffin and collection of the deceased, plus another £1,000 for other expenses such as cremation fees.

[paulham]

Where'd you dig this up?

[loulou]

groundbreaking news eh?

[davidc]

What a thing to unearth!
This is a grave situation for this mourners to be in.
I imagine the undertakers have dug themselves a big hole.
Because people may start using other undertakers instead, whilst the
ones refusing to bury could have virtually no custom - it'll be dead in there.

[loulou]

Simple solution if they have been too tight to pay insurance or save towards their funeral expenses and the family don't want to chip in then just have a big communal cremation.

[goldencup]

Yay, it will be bonfire night soon!

[loulou]

Surely a communal cremation could be beneficial. The council could use all the ashes to grit the roads in winter.

[loulou]

Today I've thought about ash donation cards. People donate their organs why not their ashes.

[Forth Bridges]

I think there something there, £700 just to get something burned it a bit much a nice wood coffin will do for me at £200

[bounty hunter]

I know someone who has a doner card.  It says he wants someone to help themselves to his kebab after he's gone.