BURIAL costs have soared in Scotland thanks to savage cuts to council budgets, a new report published today suggests.

The Accounts Commission found councils have increased 11 different charges by more than the rate of inflation between 2016-17 and 2018-19.

The cost of a burial plot has risen by a whopping 20 per cent on average over this period, while costs of burial services have gone up by an average 12 per cent.