Marriage and burial costs set for price hike in Borders

When you are planning a marriage you are required under law to give notice to a registrar and complete a Marriage Notice Form.

Now the cost of those notices are set for a 50 per cent price hike, as part of Scottish Borders Council cost-saving measures.

The local authority last week endorsed a five per cent council tax rise for the financial year 2023/24 to address rising costs and high inflation.

But it has committed to protect front-line services.

It means that across-the-board savings are needed to the council’s fees and charges in order to balance the budget.

As part of the budget process a number of increases were endorsed when full council met this week, with most capped at around five per cent.

However, the cost of registering a marriage or civil partnership is to increase from £30 to £45 – a 50 per cent hike.

Based on the estimate of 335 couples registering their nuptials the increase would generate £5,025.

The cost of registering a religious marriage is also increasing by 43 per cent, from £70 to £100, netting a further £7,950, based on 265 couples choosing to tie the knot.

Meanwhile, some burial costs are also to increase.

The charge for an adult interment will rise by five per cent, from £993 to £1,043, generating £22,659 on the assumption of 581 such ceremonies each year.

And the fee for a woodland burial will rise by 5.1 per cent, from £899 to £944. Based on 221 such burials that will result in increased income of £9,945.

Significant increases have also been endorsed in the Early Learning Childcare sector for those parents who do not receive funding to cover the costs.

The non-funded childcare fee per hour rises from £4 to £5.50 – a £37.5 per cent hike that will generate £3,750 and the non-funded fee per day (8-9 hours) goes up by the same percentage, from £32 to £44, generating £16,800.

However, the price of school meals in primary schools have been frozen at £2.40.

The cost of meals at homes provided to 40,000 people across the region are to rise by five per cent per meal, from the current £3.50 to £3.68 from April – generating £7,000.

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