CREMATION costs on the Isle of Wight have increased for the eighth time in ten years and will now cost loved ones a minimum of £800.

The standard charge from the Isle of Wight Council for 2019 is £807 for a 45-minute cremation, or £963 for an extended service, and there are a number of additional costs for extras.

This minimum fee has increased by more than 60 per cent since 2009, when the cost was £497 — this is above the rate of inflation.

An Isle of Wight Council spokesperson said: "The Isle of Wight Council invested in the crematorium in 2012 with the introduction of new cremators and crematory systems.

"Prices are set annually to cover all associated service, utility and maintenance costs of the crematorium and local cemeteries."

Additional costs at the Isle of Wight Crematorium in Whippingham include £156 for use of the chapel, £51 for a wooden casket and £14 for a biodegradable urn.

Use of the organ costs £14, plus an organist fee of £47.

Prior to the service, there is a £32 charge for the use of the crematorium storage facility for the deceased.

Weekend services cost more, with charges rising to £1,614 for the cremation and £156 for the organist.

Minimum costs range from £392 to £960 in the 183 council-run crematoria across the UK and Channel Islands, without additional funeral expenses, according to recent BBC research.

The Isle of Wight Council said its fee was close to the national average.

If no funeral arrangements are made for a deceased person, the local authority has a duty to make suitable arrangements.

This is arranged and paid for by Environmental Health at a cost of £403.

The council does not charge for cremations for under 18s.