FOI release

burial charges for non-residents

Case reference FOI2026/00232

Received 10 February 2026

Published 13 February 2026

Request

I am seeking details on the charges applied to residents versus non-residents and the income generated from these services. Please provide the following information: 1. Burial Fees and Surcharges · Does the council currently apply a surcharge or increased fee for the burial of individuals who lived outside the borough/council at the time of their death? · If yes, what is the current "Resident" fee vs. the "Non-Resident" fee for: o A standard adult interment (burial). o The purchase of the "Exclusive Right of Burial" (the lease for the plot). · What is the specific criteria used to define a "Non-Resident" (e.g., number of years lived outside the borough)? 2. Financial Data For the most recent completed financial years (2022/23, 2023/24 and 2024/25), please provide: · The total gross income received by the council from all burial and cemetery-related payments. · The total income specifically generated from the non-resident surcharge (i.e., the "extra" amount paid by non-residents above the standard resident rate). · If the specific surcharge income is not tracked as a separate line item, please provide the total number of non-resident burials conducted in the same financial year. · If you could provide this info in an Excel spreadsheet that would be great. 3. Policy and Rationale · Please provide the date when the current non-resident fee structure was brought in

Response

1. Burial Fees and Surcharges

Please see the website here Fees & Charges - Kent and Sussex Crematorium

· Does the council currently apply a surcharge or increased fee for the burial of individuals who lived outside the borough/council at the time of their death?
Yes
· If yes, what is the current "Resident" fee vs. the "Non-Resident" fee for:

o   A standard adult interment (burial).

Resident single depth £900.00 double depth £1200.00 Triple depth £1500.00

Non-Resident single depth £1800.00 double depth £2400.00 Triple depth £3000.00

o   The purchase of the "Exclusive Right of Burial" (the lease for the plot).

Exclusive Rights of Burial for 35 years

Resident £1515.00 Non-Resident £3030.00

· What is the specific criteria used to define a "Non-Resident" (e.g., number of years lived outside the borough)?

Definition is if the council tax of where they live isn't paid to Tunbridge Wells Borough Council , then they are classed as non-resident, If the person has moved out of the Borough for less than 5 years in to residential nursing care than they would still be classed as a resident.

2. Financial Data For the most recent completed financial years (2022/23, 2023/24 and 2024/25), please provide:

· The total gross income received by the council from all burial and cemetery-related payments.

· The total income specifically generated from the non-resident surcharge (i.e., the "extra" amount paid by non-residents above the standard resident rate).

· If the specific surcharge income is not tracked as a separate line item, please provide the total number of non-resident burials conducted in the same financial year.

Gross Income

2022/23 142,790 non-residential surcharges number 38

2023/24 186.089 non-residential surcharge number 40

2024/25 186.672 non-residential surcharge number 26

3. Policy and Rationale

· Please provide the date when the current non-resident fee structure was brought in

Earliest record states 2002

Documents

There are no documents for this release.

This is Tunbridge Wells Borough Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.