THE cost of burying a loved one is set to increase by more than £200 in Pembrokeshire.

In January, the county council conducted a review comparing its cemetery fees with nine other local authorities in Wales.

It found that Pembrokeshire has some of the lowest costs for grave purchases and burials in Wales.

The report from the county’s director of transportation and environment said the current fees were also significantly below what the council has to pay to its contractors for grave digging and restoration, and they currently make no contribution to the council’s administrative costs associated with burials or the ongoing maintenance of cemeteries.

The estimated annual expenditure on cemeteries is £183,000 against an estimated annual income of £125,000.

The proposal to increase the charges was unanimously backed by the council’s cabinet on Monday, March 10.

It means the cost of purchasing a grave will go up by more than 40 per cent from £498 to £700 and single excavations by more than 28 per cent from £359 to £460.

The cost of a grave for cremated remains will also rise, from £310 to £350.

Despite the increases, the report states that prices in Pembrokeshire will still be below those charged by a number of some other authorities in Wales in the current financial year.