While the cost of living is slowly on the rise, the cost of dying is also increasing, council figures have revealed.

Maidstone Council has reviewed its list of fees it intends to enforce from April and expects to see a “significant” rise.

Council leader David Burton (Con) said the overall effect would be equivalent to an across-the-board increase of around 5%, but there are significant variances, with some charges remaining unchanged, and some going up by much more.

The cost of a burial in a council cemetery will rise by 31% to £1,200, while an adult cremation goes up by 8.9% to £710.

Additional functions like showing a family-made video at the service will go up by 17% to £35.

When the changes were discussed at a meeting of the Corporate Services Policy Advisory Committee, Cllr Paul Harper (Oakwood and Fant Independents) asked whether it was too big a jump to impose on families at a particularly sensitive time.

Cllr Burton hit back: “Death is a very competitive business. That may sound brutal, but other councils operate facilities and our charges are closely benchmarked to them.”

“Our team delivers a superb compassionate service and I don't think we are doing anything reckless here.”

Another sector facing massive increases is the development industry.

Most administrative services to do with planning meetings and advance discussions and building regulation fees are to rise by 14% to 15%, while planning application fees themselves are to rise by between 25% and 35%.

The costs of hiring the council’s parks and public pitches for football and rugby matches is also set to go up by around 11%, but there is some good news.

The borough’s motorists are to be spared this time around. There are no planned increases in parking fees or in the cost of residents or business parking permits whatsoever.