The Perth crematorium at the centre of a major planning row has the most expensive fees in Scotland.
A study of service fees in Scotland found that the Crieff Road crematorium charges considerably more than others, prompting further concern that rising costs could cause grieving families mental health issues.
Among city councils, Perth Crematorium is the highest at a cost of £730 for a service for anyone aged over 16.
A similar service in Edinburgh costs £663 and £640 in Inverness. In Aberdeen the fee is £580, falling to £560 in Glasgow.
There are no council-run crematoria in Dundee or Stirling.
Last night, Cruse Bereavement Care Scotland chief executive Stewart Wilson said: “For most people, grief is not an illness but a natural, albeit a painful process through which they will emerge in time.
“However, the impact of other stresses can prevent that process and lead to a complicated grieving pattern which does require costly intervention and can precipitate major mental health issues.”
He said: “Clearly debt, and the stigma attached to not having been able to pay for a loved one’s funeral, is one such major stress.
“We are concerned that this will make people unable to pay for a funeral and, as a result, more people will struggle to manage their grief.”
Fraser Sutherland, of Citizens Advice Scotland, said the impact of soaring bills was a common complaint.
“People are already struggling to get by are finding themselves hit by a huge bill at a time when they are grieving and perhaps in shock, if the bereavement has been sudden. The fact that there is a postcode lottery makes things even worse,” he said.
Earlier this year, a row broke out over plans to build a new road on land beside Perth Crematorium.