THE cost of burials in West Dunbartonshire has been highlighted in a new report on the cost of dying in Scotland.

Citizens Advance Scotland (CAS) stated the authority had hiked burial charges by 20 per cent, or £226, to £1,364 but the council said the figures for 2015 and 2016 were not comparable.

A spokeswoman explained last year's numbers didn't include the charges for laying foundations, making the fees rise just 4 per cent instead of 20 per cent in the report.

She said: “We have invested over £4million in upgrading our crematoriums and cemeteries over the last two years. Costs for both interments and cremations are well below the Scottish average.”

Crematorium charges also went up in West Dunbartonshire by £24 to £617.

Costs in neighbouring Argyll and Bute have jumped by 26 per cent in a year while Glasgow went up just 3 per cent but remains the third most costly in Scotland.

East Dunbartonshire is the only authority to see costs decrease - but it remains the second most expensive place to die.

CAS, in their report "The Cost of Saying Goodbye", found North Lanarkshire had the biggest increase with a 39 per cent jump, and Edinburgh remained the most expensive at £2,253. Western Isles is the cheapest place to die, with a burial costing £701.

CAS spokesman Fraser Sutherland said: "When someone dies you have to pay your Local Authority for burial costs like the internment and the lair (grave), as well as other costs like funeral directors and flowers.

"For the last three years we have contacted all 32 Councils in Scotland to find out the prices they charge for these services. Since last year we have seen an overall 8% rise in burial costs, and that there are still huge disparities between the prices set by different councils.

"We have been working with Scottish Government Ministers on their forthcoming Funeral Costs plan and will continue to work with other campaign groups to highlight these issues and campaign for change.”