It's not uncommon for grieving families to struggle with burial and funeral costs after the death of a loved one, the head of the funeral directors' association says. Photo: ( RNZ / Alexander Robertson )
Burial and cremation costs paid to local councils have increased by up to 50 percent in the last year, the Funeral Directors' Association says.
Association chief executive Gillian Boyes told Nine to Noon her members had also been faced with growing labour costs, materials cost increases, as well as compliance costs such as health and safety requirements.
In Wairoa, council costs have increased by 48 percent for burials, to $2960, and 42 percent for ash burials, to $630.
While Boyes said that was low relative to other parts of the country, such as New Plymouth where a burial costs $7207 and ash burial $1900, it was really high in proportion to the average salary in Wairoa.
"The financial burden for those communities is only being exacerbated by council cost increases which this year seem to be particularly high in lower socio-economic communities such as Wairoa," she said.
Photo: Funeral Directors' Association
Boyes also believed the Work and Income Funeral Grant was too hard to qualify for.
"You hear some really heartbreaking stories," she said.
"It's very black and white.
"They don't take account of anything else that might be going on in the person's life."
However, Boyes said families often came to her members concerned about how they would afford a funeral, but might not realise there was not a set price, and that the funeral director would work with them to individualise a funeral for their needs.
"There's lots of ways that the funeral director can work with them to just set them through and work out what's going to make it still special, but not leave them financially broken," she said.
She suggested to let them know of any budget restrictions, to ask to see an estimate of costs, get advice on alternatives that might be available for each element, such as a cheaper casket or flowers from your garden, and to look into pre-purchasing a burial or ash plot to avoid future council price-rises.
