The number of 'paupers’ funerals' held by Sutton council almost doubled last year, figures have revealed.

Public health burials, more commonly known as ‘pauper’s funerals,’ are burials paid for by the state when people die alone, or without any relatives who can pay the costs.

In 2014 10 were held by Sutton Council. This jumped to 19 last year.

Altogether 134 public health funerals have been held by the Epsom and St Helier trust and Sutton Council in the past five years as people have died alone, or without family members who pay the burial costs.

Both the trust and Sutton Council held 67 public health funerals each.

In 2013 there were 31 such funerals, the highest recorded in the past five years. However, in both 2014 and 2015 there were 28 recorded public health funerals, the second highest figure.

All public health funerals carried out are cremations, unless they held for religious reasons. Since 2010 Epsom and St Helier held one religious funeral where the burial was in a Jewish plot near the deceased’s home.

However, in normal circumstances public health burials are in unmarked graves, although records are kept by the cemetery.

Epsom and St Helier Reverend Sarah Sewell, 55, told the Sutton Guardian she had noticed a rise in public health funerals, but said social fragmentation had played a role as well as the recession.

She said: “It feels very sad that someone has got to the end of their life and that there is no one there to mourn for them, but at least we are there for them and can make that little bit of difference and do something for them.

“I believe the increase in numbers of the funerals could be put down to the fragmentation of society as well as the recent recession.

“Families live further away from each other than they did before, a son and daughter may live in Canada and Scotland and for whatever reason can’t arrange the funeral and in other cases the funerals will cost a lot of money.

“If a family member loses touch their commitment to them may be the same, but they might have scarce money and it might be more difficult for them.

“I have never seen it as a reason to stop. It can make a difference to people; sometimes it makes a small difference and sometimes it makes a big difference.

“And it’s not that you don’t feel stressed or down about it, but the feedback I get from some family members and the thought of making some difference is part of that which keeps me going.”

A Sutton Council spokesman said: “The council only as a last resort takes on the responsibility of making a deceased person's funeral arrangements if there are no known next of kin or no next of kin willing or able to take on this responsibility for their deceased relative.

“Wherever possible the council seeks reimbursement for the funeral expenses from the estate of the deceased and we usually recover part- or full payment of the costs of organising the funeral.”