Presbytery has expressed concern about the rising costs of funeral costs and the impact these have on families and local communities, often leading to debt and poverty. Ministers and Kirk Sessions were urged to consider the messages in the recent report from Citizen’s Advice Scotland The Real Deal: Funeral Costs and to consider what steps they might take to alleviate cases of funeral poverty. Presbytery has called for a dialogue with the Scottish Government over the levels of social funding available for funeral costs.

In November 2013, the Presbytery of Hamilton agreed, in conjunction with Lanark and Glasgow Presbyteries to work with South Lanarkshire Council’s Education Resources Committee on guidelines for chaplains in schools. Those guidelines have now been approved by the Council and Presbytery has thanked the Council for the opportunity to consider the guidelines as they were drafted and to participate in their development in an open manner. During that process Presbytery’s representatives noted the recognition given to the positive role of chaplains in schools and the wider community. Presbytery has recommended that all chaplains in non-denominational schools in South Lanarkshire engage fully with the policies in the new guidelines; this is supported by Presbytery encouraging attendance at conferences already organised to consider the guidance and explore chaplaincy issues.