Resident and non-resident fees - the criteria and rules

The introduction of the changes to charge an increased fee for non-residents of the borough for the interment and purchase of graves in the borough’s cemeteries and crematorium grounds is to ensure that people who have been residents of the borough for a part of their adult lives and who may have had to spend time for health and/or care reasons outside of the borough, are suitably accounted for.

This is to be implemented as of 1 April 2020 as agreed within the fees and charges at the Cabinet meeting of 15 January 2020.

The charge and the rules for defining residents and non-residents will be continually reviewed.

Definitions

Resident

An adult who has lived and has been registered to pay council tax/on electoral register within the borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme for at least two years at the point of death.

Non-resident

An adult that has never lived within the borough or has been living outside of the borough for a period of more than two years at point of death.

Criteria

These are:

• if a resident has to receive care outside of the borough at the end of life, for example in a care home or hospice, a period of two years from the date of death is allowed and the applicant will need to provide evidence of the deceased person's residency prior to their period in care

• the applicant will need to provide evidence of residency by providing details on the application forms and provide proof of residency in the form of a council tax bill, driving license or other suitable form of evidence

• Bereavement Services staff will be able to cross reference this information against council tax information on Gov.UK and through council tax records and the electoral register held by us

• if evidence cannot be produced to determine, or cross checks cannot verify information, then the non-residents fee will be charged

Grave reservation

The reservation fee of the grave will be based on the grave owner. Only one person is required to be a grave owner but we do allow up to three owners per grave. If more than one, all grave owners will need to be residents of the borough to qualify for the resident fee.

Use of a reserved grave

An interment into a reserved grave will be based on the deceased person to use the grave, as validated by the above checks.

Purchase and interment at point of use

If the grave is to be purchased for immediate use, the fee will be based on the residency of the deceased person to be interred into the grave, rather than the owner, as validated by the criteria above.

Interment into a re-open grave

If the grave has already been used by a resident and is to be re-opened for a non-resident to be interred into the grave, then the non-resident interment fee will be applied.

Transfer of ownership

If an unused, reserved grave is to be transferred to new ownership, then the above information and checks would apply to determine residency. A transfer from a resident to a non-resident would incur the increased transfer fee and the increased cost of the grave purchase.