Scottish Borders Council covers the large rural area between Edinburgh and the English border, including Galashiels, Hawick, Peebles, Kelso, and Jedburgh. The lair purchase fee is among the highest in Scotland, reflecting a long-term right of burial.
Every fee category carries a separate non-resident surcharge, and it applies twice over: once on the lair purchase itself, and again on the interment fee. Someone arranging a burial for a relative who lived outside the Scottish Borders should expect to pay the surcharge on both.
Lair purchase
| Lair type | Resident fee | Non-resident fee |
|---|---|---|
| Standard lair (1–2 interments) | £2,086.60 | £2,927.60 |
| Woodland burial lair | £1,759 | £2,600 |
The non-resident lair fee is the resident lair cost plus a flat £841 surcharge (title deed and foundation fee, where applicable, are added on top of both).
Burial and interment fees
| Service | Resident | Non-resident |
|---|---|---|
| Adult interment (weekday) | £1,147 | £1,677 |
| Adult interment (Saturday) | £1,450 | £2,131.50 |
| Adult interment (Sunday or public holiday) | £1,882 | £2,779.50 |
| Cremated remains interment (weekday) | £441 | £618 |
| Cremated remains interment (Saturday) | £643 | £921 |
| Cremated remains interment (Sunday or public holiday) | £806 | £1,165.50 |
Non-resident weekday coffin burial incurs a surcharge of £530 above the resident rate; the surcharge rises to £681.50 on a Saturday and £897.50 on a Sunday or public holiday.
Other fees
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Scattering ashes | £86 |
| Memorial bench (inc. VAT) | £330 |
| Memorial tree (inc. VAT) | £264 |
| Lair certificate reissue | £77 |
| Headstone foundation (marking, excavation, laying) | £273 + 20% VAT |
Fees verified 2026-08-12. Source: Scottish Borders Council – burial fees and charges.
About Scottish Borders burial grounds
Scottish Borders Council maintains burial grounds across this large rural region, covering communities from the Cheviot Hills to the Southern Uplands. For burial enquiries, contact the council’s bereavement services via scotborders.gov.uk.