The General Synod today called on the Government to end the
‘cruel’ experience of so-called ‘pauper' funerals in a debate
where members heard of the plight of those unable to afford
funeral costs.
Members voted to back a call for the Government to
oversee the development of basic standards for public health
funerals, run by local authorities.
Sam Margrave, a General Synod member from the Diocese of
Coventry, introducing a motion to the General Synod, said bereaved
families unable to afford funeral costs experienced a ‘postcode
lottery’ of different practices.
These included no one being allowed to be present at a
service; service times that make attendance impossible; ashes often
not returned; pastoral care rarely provided to support the bereaved
and no headstone allowed, enforcing a policy of unmarked graves, he
told the Synod.
He said there had been a 70% increase in the number of public
health funerals between 2015 and 2018 with this figure expected to
grow. This presented a ‘major public policy issue’ he
said.
He said: “The Church of England reaches into every community
and can make a profound difference if we choose to.
“We have a moral and theological imperative to do all we can
to change policy and transform the experience of the
poor.”
The General Synod backed an motion put by Mr Margrave calling
for the Government to develop, with council leaders, a
national plan and basic standards for 'pauper' funerals.
Synod members also backed plans for the Church to work with
others to tackle the issues raised in the debate.
The Ven Pete Spiers, from Liverpool Diocese, told Synod
members about the Good Funeral Company founded by the diocese two
years ago and its work building relationships with funeral
directors and local authorities.
“One of the answers to this issue is for every diocese to
build good relationships with their public health departments in
the local authority so that you can say to them ‘if you need
someone to be a celebrant for one of these funerals, we will do
it’, because we believe that everyone is made in the image of God
and is unique and precious,” he said.
The full motion as approved by the General Synod is as
follows:
‘That this Synod noting:
(a) the substantial rise in the number of ‘pauper funerals’
in England and the pain and hurt arising from them; and
(b) the call of the Gospel to meet people as Jesus does, in
their time of need, as well as the duty of Christians to the poor
as set out in Proverbs 31.8-9 and Deuteronomy 15.7-8;
call upon the Archbishops’ Council to direct and resource the
Life Events Advisory Group, in consultation with the Churches
Funeral Group and the British Council of Funeral Services
to:
- undertake the formation of plans at national, diocesan and
parish levels to utilise Church resources (whether in the form of
finance, volunteers or buildings) to tackle the issues relating
to and, where possible, end ‘pauper funerals’; and
- Work with other stakeholders to find ways, at an affordable
price, to deliver a compassionate send off for the departed and
to meet the spiritual and emotional needs of those left
behind; and
- Report progress made with reference to the above by the end
of 2021.
And further call on Her Majesty’s Government to develop with
Council leaders, a national plan and basic standards for pauper
funerals, which should include allowing a Christian funeral service
to take place in Church or at a Crematorium; for family or others
to attend; and the return of the departed (where permitted) to
family members.