Birmingham mortuaries will run out of space in 10 years, councillor says

Birmingham’s mortuary service will not have the capacity to store any bodies in 10 year’s time, a councillor has warned.

The death rate in the city has risen from 82 per week to over 100 per week, signifying a fifth of an increase from 2014 to 2017.

At the licensing and public protection committee held on 18 April, councillor Mike Leddy said: “We don’t want to see bereaved families hard done by. Are we going to see in 10 years – at the rate this is increasing – us not being able to fulfil our duties in time?

“We need to investigate further because at this rate, in 10 year’s time, we’re not going to have the facilities to store these bodies.”

Joyce Springer-Amadedon, head of bereavement services, said that the reasons for the increase in death rates was unknown, and varied to people not going to their GP and the rise of homlessness.

She added that the council was would consider opening another coroner’s court in Solihull to cope with demand.