Private UK cemetery operator welcomes government decision on child graves

Privately owned cemetery operator GreenAcres Group has announced that all six of its cemetery and ceremonial parks will extend its offering on burials for babies and children to include free single-depth graves up to the age of 18 years of age.

The company will also waive the interment fee and any grave digging costs for both ashes and burials where applicable.

This comes following the government’s recent decision to scrap burial fees for children and babies.

The move, which increases options on their former offering of free baby burials, will be based on a ten-year lease period and will grant the opportunity to use any of the GreenAcres parks located across the UK including Colney in Norfolk, Epping in Essex, Chiltern in Buckinghamshire, Rainford in Merseyside, Heatherley Wood in Hampshire and Kemnal Park in Kent.

At the end of the initial lease period, families will have the opportunity to extend the lease at a discounted rate.

GreenAcres Cemeteries and Ceremonial Parks have also set-up a Child Funeral Benevolent Fund which will go towards third-party supplier or other associated funeral costs for families suffering financial hardship.

CEO Richard Gomersall of GreenAcres Group, said: “We welcome the Government’s decision on child burials, in addition to free baby and child burials up to age of 18 we will also waive any associated digging fees as no parent should have to pay to bury their child. At GreenAcres Cemeteries and Ceremonial Parks our families can expect a caring and dignified service always!”