Funeral families VAT rebate blow in Sandwell
Bereaved families will not be refunded when Sandwell Council gets an anticipated £1 million VAT rebate on cemetery memorial charges.
The authority is expecting the cash after a landmark ruling that VAT should not be charged on personal memorials in connection with cremated remains.
Families had hoped to benefit from the case but the authority has said it would be too complicated to reimburse relatives. Deputy leader Councillor Mahboob Hussain said: "The money that we will get back will be reinvested for the benefit of all users of our cemetery services.
"The claim is extremely complex and goes back almost 20 years and it does not apply to all memorials.
"In many cases the level of VAT amounts to around £10 and given the complexities it would be wholly impractical to trace the families involved as many may not be alive."
Councillor Hussain has previously said the money may help pay for the refurbishment of Rowley Regis Crematorium.
