Funeral costs explained (UK)

When a loved one passes away, it’s difficult and upsetting enough without having to face the costs involved with the funeral. This is why it’s a good idea to put financial plans in place in advance to make it easier for your family when the time comes.

Whether you’re planning ahead or you need to arrange a funeral now and want to know how much everything is going to cost, our guide below provides you with a breakdown of the services and prices involved with arranging a funeral in the UK in 2021.

How much does a funeral cost in the UK in 2021?

The average cost of a basic funeral today is £4,184, which makes up 45.2% of the overall cost of dying, which is £9,263 according to Sun Life. This figure has increased by 0.8% since 2019, showing that the cost of funerals is continuing to rise.

The price of a funeral will differ from person to person, however, so the average cost may work out less or more than £4,184.

What affects the cost of a funeral?

There are several factors that will determine how much a loved one’s funeral is going to cost:

  • The location of the funeral

  • The type of funeral (burial, cremation, etc)

  • The wake venue and associated costs (food, decorations, etc)

  • Funeral home

  • Personal requests

  • Travel costs and cars (hearse, etc)

  • Gravestone

There may be additional costs on top of this, but you may find that you can cut the cost down by not having certain services if you think they are unnecessary.

According to Sun Life’s Cost of Dying report, 8% of people questioned felt that they ended up spending more money than they needed to.

Some people try to cut the costs by having a cheaper coffin, spending less money on flower arrangements, having the wake at home, choosing not to have the body embalmed and by choosing to have a direct cremation, which is the cheapest option. 

You can cut the costs in any ways you deem necessary while still ensuring that your loved one is cared for and given the send off that they deserve.

The cost of a burial, cremation and direct cremation

Despite the cost of a funeral costing an average of £4,184, the cost to have a burial at a basic funeral actually works out to be a lot more.

  • Burial cost: £5,033

  • Cremation cost: £3,885

  • Direct cremation cost: £1,554

Generally, most people choose to have a cremation these days due to the cheaper cost involved, while many people have started choosing a direct cremation.

What is a direct cremation?

In the UK, a direct cremation is also referred to as an ‘unattended funeral’ and it involves having a simple cremation without a ceremony or service beforehand. The cost includes taking care of your loved one, the cremation fees, doctor’s fees and transport to your chosen crematorium.

Direct cremations are becoming increasingly popular due to the low cost and simplicity, and most people opting for this will perhaps decide to have a service, ceremony or celebration of the deceased person’s life at home.

A breakdown of the costs involved in a funeral

The general costs involved in a basic UK funeral include:

  • Funeral director fees

  • Minister/clergy/officiant fees

  • Doctor’s fees

  • Fees for burial, cremation or direct cremation

  • Memorial headstone or gravestone

  • Car/limousine hire

  • Wake venue

  • Catering

  • Flowers

  • Service order sheets

  • Death and funeral notice

  • Obituary

  • Preparing and viewing the deceased person

  • Embalming

  • Photo/video tribute

  • Returning and scattering the ashes

  • Copies of death certificate

Of course, some of the above may not be necessary, but it all comes down to personal preferences, especially if the deceased left a Will behind that details their funeral wishes.

On top of the above, you will also need to consider the cost of probate, which is a process that needs to be completed before the deceased’s estate (assets) can be distributed, either according to their Will or the UK’s intestacy rules if there is no Will.

To find the best price for everything you need, we highly recommend comparing the prices offered in your local area.

Who has to pay for the funeral and how do they pay for it?

This will depend on what is written in the Will if the deceased left one behind, but generally, a family member, friend or executor will make the funeral arrangements.

There are several different ways in which you can pay for your own funeral or a loved one’s funeral, including:

  • Savings in bank account: You can either pay for the funeral from your own personal bank account, or you can provide the deceased’s bank with a copy of the death certificate so that they can release funds to pay to the funeral director.

  • The deceased’s estate: Once probate has been granted and the deceased’s assets have been distributed accordingly, any money from this can be used to pay for the funeral. However, this can take months to complete, so someone will need to pay the funeral costs upfront and claim the costs back from the estate at a later date.

  • Pre-paid funeral plan: If the deceased planned ahead for their funeral costs with a bespoke funeral plan, they should (hopefully) have explained this to a loved one or detailed it in their Will. The funeral plan may not cover all costs, however, so the person arranging the funeral will need to check this.

  • Life insurance policy: If the deceased had life insurance in place, the payout from this should be able to help with funeral expenses, provided that other debts and bills have been accounted for. The payout from this may not be enough, so the family may have to fund money towards the cost.

Remember, if the deceased left a Will, they may have left instructions regarding their funeral arrangements and how it must be paid for, so be sure to check this with the executors first.

Write your own will and plan ahead for your loved ones

If you haven’t written your own Will, it is a good idea to do so as soon as possible so that if the worst should happen, your loved ones will know exactly where you wanted your assets to go and how to plan for your funeral.

While it is a very difficult thing to think about, it will help your loved ones when the time comes and you get peace of mind knowing that everything will be taken care of exactly how you wish.

For example, if you have life insurance in place to cover the cost, you can clearly explain this in a Will and there won’t be any problems later on.

You can write your own Will online with us at Quick Wills, and once you’re finished, our team of legal experts will check it through to ensure everything is legally-binding.

Get started by registering with us for free today, or take a look at our other guides for more information and advice.

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