THE cost of dying in Worcester is set to rocket after huge price rises were announced at the city's cemetery and crematorium.

Cash-strapped Worcester City Council is proposing to increase the cost of buying a grave in Worcester by 46 per cent on last year's prices, from £270 in 2006/07 to £395 in 2008/09.

The cost of a permit to erect a headstone will be increased by 31 per cent, from £187 to £245, and burial and cremation charges will both go up 12 per cent.

The annual cost of having your grave maintained will be increased by 160 per cent, from £75 to £195.

If the planned rises are agreed when the full council meets tonight to discuss its new budget, the city will become one of the most expensive places to die in South Worcestershire.

The council's Tory leadership says it needs the extra income to help balance its budget following funding cuts from central Government, and insists the increases merely bring its charges in line with neighbouring authorities.

But opposition Labour councillors have attacked the plan for targeting "vulnerable" people who have no choice but to pay.

Deputy Labour group leader Councillor Paul Denham said: "This is an easy increase to bring in, because you are dealing with people at a very vulnerable time. They have just lost a loved one and they have to pay whatever charges are levied by the council.

"It does seem these increases are very high indeed - way, way above inflation."

The council hopes to bring in an extra £60,000 a year through the increased charges, as part of its ongoing effort to save £1.6 million from its budget next year without cutting back on front-line services.

Council Leader Councillor Simon Geraghty told a recent meeting of the budget scrutiny committee that the city could no longer afford to undercharge for any of the services it offers.

"We have looked at other comparable authorities' charges for these facilities and said they are the benchmark," he explained. "We looked at what we were charging, and we were at odds with other authorities. If we're dramatically out of step, then that's something we have to address."

The council officer in charge of the service, head of cleaner and greener Mike Harrision, added: "I'm actually amazed by how much money the cemetery and crematorium bring in - it's something like a million pounds a year. We've got a very captive audience there, and I wonder if we could look at marketing the service more."