Paupers' funerals costs in Shropshire and Mid Wales top £16,000
More than £16,000 has been spent on providing pauper's funerals across Shropshire and Mid Wales so far this year.
Nine funerals have been arranged in the Shropshire Council area alone since January, according to new figures.
A further five ceremonies have been held in Powys and Telford & Wrekin.
Public health funerals are also known as national assistance funerals and paupers' funerals, councils are responsible for making arrangements where it appears that no other person is willing or able to make necessary arrangements.
Under the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984, councils have a statutory duty to make arrangements when it is established that there is no other course of action.
Attempts are made to recoup financial losses from the arrangements of funerals from the deceased's estate.
The funerals involve a basic service before the deceased is cremated or buried.
So far in this financial year, which began in April, Telford & Wrekin Council has arranged one public health funeral, compared with five between 2015/16, one in 2014/15 and two in 2013/14.
Russell Griffin, a spokesman for Telford & Wrekin Council said: "The total cost to the council of the nine funerals mentioned was £6,339.
"This includes both funeral directors charges and staff costs."
This puts the average cost of a pauper's funeral to the council at £704 each.
Gareth Proffitt, a spokesman for Shropshire Council, said the authority had arranged nine funerals since January.
He said: "The council has paid £13,362 to funeral directors for these funerals, this doesn't include one funeral that took place last week as we haven't yet received the invoice.
"We have been able to recover £1,488.56 from the estates of the deceased."
In the Powys County Council area, there have been four public service funerals since January at a cost of £902 each, making a total of £3,608.
John Evans, a spokesman for the council, said: "The council tries to recover the cost of funerals where possible."
All three councils publish details of public health funerals held within their council areas on their website.
