MORE than 80 ‘paupers’ funerals’ were paid for by Kirklees Council in the past five years.

The authority had to organise cremations or burials in dozens of cases.

They acted to deal with the funerals of people who had no friends or family willing or able to pick up the cost.

According to figures released under the Freedom of Information Act, the funerals of 84 ‘paupers’ were paid for by the council.

In the past year alone, they have funded 13 funerals at a cost of £12,004.

That compared to 14 between 2010 and 2011 at a cost of £11, 205.

This means that the average cost of a council funeral has risen in the past year from £800.35 to £923.

In the past three years, the council has only funded cremations and not burials and the average cost over three years was £855.62.

The highest number of council funded funerals in the past five years was in 2008/2009 when they paid for 23.

A council spokesman said they do not just foot the bill for people who die without leaving a family.

They can also act in circumstances whereby relatives are not on qualifying benefits and do not have the means to or have refused to fund them.

Between 2009 and 2010, the council funded 20 funerals with cremations at a cost of £17,005.03.

A cremation in Huddersfield is believed to cost £585 whereas costs for a burial start at around £1,500.

On top of the cost of the cremation, the council pay ministers fees and funeral director fees which also account for the removal of the body.

The council spokeswoman added: “The circumstances which Kirklees Council will fund a funerals is if there are no relatives willing or able to act on the deceased behalf.

“Those who have lost a relative yet do not have the means to pay for the funeral are directed through the council’s bereavement services to Job Centre Plus to apply for social funding.”

A spokesman for Job Centre Plus said that they will pay for the cremation costs, medical certificates and up to a further £700.

The Kirklees spokesman added: “These funerals are dealt with separately.

“However, we do try and establish if they would be eligible for the grant in conjunction with the funeral director at the initial stage.”