How much does a funeral cost?
Nobody likes to think about their funeral arrangements, but if you don’t consider them, you could leave your family with big bills after you die. This straightforward guide can help you support your loved ones for the future.
One of the simplest ways to cover your funeral costs is with an over-50s life insurance policy.
Nobody likes to think about their funeral arrangements, but if you don’t consider them, you could leave your family with big bills after you die. This straightforward guide can help you support your loved ones for the future.
One of the simplest ways to cover your funeral costs is with an over-50s life insurance policy.
60-second summaryQuick facts about the cost of a funeral:
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How much does a funeral cost?
The average cost of a basic funeral is £4,285, according to SunLife’s Cost of Dying Report 2025[1]. This is an increase of 134% - and an all-time high - since SunLife started monitoring funeral costs in 2004.
The average cost of dying, including the funeral service, wake or gathering and professional fees now adds up to £9,797[1]. However, funeral costs can also vary significantly depending on where they’re held. For example, in London the average funeral cost in 2024 was £5,449, compared with £3,441 in Northern Ireland[1].
How do cremation costs compare with burials?
The type of funeral you choose can play a big role in the overall cost, with burials tending to be more expensive than cremations. On average, traditional burials cost around £1,200 more than cremation services[1]. The average cost of a burial has increased by 2.4% on the previous year, while the average cost of a cremation has risen by 4.9% and a direct cremation by 6.7%[1].
| Type of funeral | Average cost[1] |
| Burial | £5,198 |
| Cremation | £3,980 |
| Direct burial (excludes third-party fees) | £1,527 |
| Direct cremation | £1,597 |
What else needs to be paid for?
As well as the basic funeral costs, many people also want to give their loved ones a send-off, which can add significantly to the expense. If you’re planning on holding a service, the cost of everything from flowers and catering to car hire can drive up the cost. That’s perhaps why direct cremations are being used in around 20% of funerals. They’re a no-frills alternative to a traditional funeral, with no formal service or mourners.
If you ask a solicitor or accountant to handle dealing with the tax and inheritance aspects of a death for probate, expect to pay additional costs for this, too.
| Average cost[1] | |
|---|---|
| Average funeral costs | £4,285 |
| Wake and send off costs | £2,861 |
| Professional fees to administer the estate if required | £2,652 |
[1]SunLife (2025), Cost of Dying Report
To get a better idea of how much a funeral could cost in your area, now and potentially in the future, you can use the funeral calculator from Howden Life & Health, our expert partner.
If you’re worried about the costs, you might consider taking out life insurance. This can provide your family with either a lump sum or monthly payments when you’re no longer around.
What do funeral costs include?
What’s included will depend on the type of funeral that’s organised. We’ve set out a typical list here, but make sure you fully understand what you are and aren’t paying for.
There are also optional costs for things like a wake and flowers outlined in the additional costs section.
Funeral costs: Burial funeral
Around 25% of funerals are now burials, this may be because it’s the most expensive type of funeral in the UK. Costs can include:
- The fee for the minister or officiant conducting the funeral service
- A coffin
- The exclusive right of burial (in other words, the burial plot in a cemetery or garden of remembrance)
- The interment fee for the preparation of the burial plot or grave
- Church fees for holding the funeral service in a place of worship
- Creating, installing and engraving a headstone
- Maintenance fees charged by councils for cutting the grass around the burial plot
Funeral costs: Cremation funeral
A cremation with a full service is typically cheaper than a burial but more expensive than a direct cremation. Costs can include:
- Fees charged by the local crematorium
- The fee for the minister or officiant conducting the funeral service
- Cremation form fees for applying for a cremation
- A coffin and then a container for the cremated ashes
- Burying the ashes in a burial plot or garden of remembrance
- Creating, installing and engraving a headstone
- Doctor’s fees for drawing up cremation certificates.
Funeral costs: Direct cremation
Direct cremations are typically the least expensive option, but they don’t include a funeral service. The body goes straight to the crematorium and is cremated at a convenient time without a ceremony, although there’s nothing to stop you holding a memorial service, wake or family get-together later. Costs can include:
- A simple coffin
- Doctor's fees for registering the death
- Collection, care and transport of the body
- Scattering of the ashes in a garden of remembrance, or their safe return to a loved one
Funeral costs: Direct burial
A direct burial is the least common option, where there is a burial without a funeral service, and with no mourners present. Costs are on a similar level to direct cremations, but you may face some additional third-party costs too. As with a direct cremation, you do not choose the time and date but can always hold some kind of memorial afterwards. Costs can include:
- A simple coffin
- Collection, care and transport of the body
- The interment fee for the preparation of the burial plot or grave
- The burial plot in a cemetery, garden of remembrance or natural burial ground
- Creating, installing and engraving a headstone, if you have one
Did you know?Rockstar David Bowie, who died in January 2016, chose a direct cremation for his funeral. He reportedly wanted his loved ones to celebrate his life in a place special to him rather than mourn his passing. |
Using a funeral director
Many funerals are arranged through a funeral director. They can take much of the stress out of organising a farewell service at an already difficult time and can guide distressed family members through the process.
They will take care of the arrangements before, during and after the funeral service. This includes caring for and preparing the body, providing a coffin, hearse and limousines for family mourners and organising extras like funeral wreaths, music and orders of service.
How much does a funeral director charge?
The funeral director’s fees can make up a substantial proportion of the expense of a typical funeral. Ask the funeral director how much they charge and what is included for that cost. If you’re concerned about the price, you could think about holding a simpler funeral or direct cremation. Alternatively, you can also ask if you can make payments in instalments if you don’t want a direct funeral.
The majority of people don’t shop around for funeral services, and in some cases that may be due to the deceased having chosen a funeral director in advance. But for those who do compare prices, most find it easy to do so, with costs varying a lot between providers.
How to find a funeral director
A good place to start is your local independent funeral director. They have practical things, like how long it takes to get to a local crematorium, down to a fine art. Some councils also run non-religious burials.
Find a funeral director who belongs to a professional association like the National Association of Funeral Directors or the Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors (SAIF). These organisations have a code of practice that means certain standards must be met and you should be told about all costs in advance.
If you want a non-religious ceremony the British Humanist Association and Institute of Civil Funerals can help.
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Did you know? Perhaps surprisingly, there is no government regulation of the conduct of funeral directors in the UK. However, in 2021 the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) introduced new regulations that mean crematorium operators and funeral directors must display a standardised price list at their premises and on their website. This means you should be able to see the overall price of a funeral as well as a breakdown of individual costs. |
Third-party costs (disbursement costs)
Third-party funeral costs, also called ‘disbursement costs’, are expenses that a funeral director usually pays for on your behalf. The biggest of these is typically the burial or cremation fee, but they can also include doctors’ certificates and notices of death in a newspaper.
Optional funeral costs
Alongside basic funeral costs, there are also extra services you can choose to make the funeral more personal. These bills could be much higher depending on the kind of venue and catering you decide on.
| Additional funeral services | Average cost in 2024[1] |
|---|---|
| Memorial | £1,038 |
| Catering | £527 |
| Limo hire | £431 |
| Venue hire | £351 |
| Flowers | £222 |
| Order sheets for service | £123 |
| Funeral notice | £87 |
| Death notice | £81 |
What is the cheapest type of funeral?
As we mentioned previously, the cheapest type of funeral is a direct cremation. Typically, they are around half the cost of a burial or cremation with a full service. A direct cremation doesn’t allow anyone to attend a ceremony or even include a viewing, but it’s the cheapest option if you’re struggling to pay for a funeral.
How to reduce the cost of a funeral
As you can see, the cost of a funeral soon mounts up. But you can still have a send-off that’s personal and meaningful without it costing the earth.
- Consider a direct cremation and organise your own remembrance event
- If you opt for burial, consider carefully if you need or want embalming
- Shop around for extras like flowers and catering and compare local funeral director prices
- Ask family and friends to bring food to the wake rather than using an outside caterer if the venue allows it
- Think about whether you could do without optional expenses like floral tributes, orders of service and limo hire
- Choose an eco-friendly coffin or bamboo shroud instead of an expensive traditional coffin
- Announce the funeral on social media or via email rather than paying for a press notice
- Pick out a natural burial ground, such as a woodland, as this can be much cheaper than a traditional cemetery
- Choose a cheaper time slot at the crematorium
- Choose a special spot to scatter ashes rather than pay to intern them in a burial plot or garden of remembrance
- Rather than buying a headstone, create an online memorial where family and friends can donate to a charity.
Can I get help with paying funeral costs?
Yes, in some cases the government can help with funeral costs. You may be eligible for a Funeral Expenses Payment, depending on whether you currently receive certain benefits. In Scotland, you can apply for a Funeral Support Payment. A funeral payment can help cover some expenses, but it won’t usually cover the cost of the entire funeral.
If there’s money remaining from the deceased’s estate, the government will usually deduct its contribution for the funeral costs from the available assets. However, you won’t need to pay the government money back if the deceased only left personal possessions and any house is still occupied by their spouse or civil partner.
Local councils can sometimes organise public-health funerals. This is possible for those with no family or friends, or if there’s no money in the deceased’s estate to pay for one.
Could life insurance pay for my funeral?
Life insurance is a good way of making sure that the financial burden of arranging a funeral doesn’t fall on the people you leave behind. If you organise your life insurance well in advance it doesn’t have to be expensive, because the cost tends to go up the older you get.
There are two main types of life insurance policy – term life insurance and whole of life policies. If you’re still not sure then you can read more about funeral cover. Some people also use specific over-50s insurance plans to leave a lump sum that could contribute to funeral expenses.
According to the SunLife report, 68% of people make provisions specifically to pay for their funeral. Methods used include savings and investments, pre-paid funeral plans, over-50s life insurance and other life insurance plans. But only 56% of these people put enough aside to cover the whole cost of their funeral. Life insurance could be a good way to deal with a potential shortfall.
What’s the difference between a funeral plan and life insurance?
The decision about whether a funeral plan or a life plan is best depends on what sort of help you’d like to leave behind.
A funeral plan will specifically contribute towards the cost of your own funeral. With a prepaid funeral plan, you decide your own funeral arrangements and pay for some parts in advance, at today’s prices. The premiums can be paid entirely up front, or you can spread the cost over an agreed period. However, funeral plans may not cover certain costs or services, so please be sure to read your policy details carefully.
Funeral plans are now regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Plan providers need to be authorised by the financial watchdog. There’s also a list of firms to avoid.
Meanwhile a life plan, commonly known as ‘whole-of-life insurance’, is life insurance that’s guaranteed to pay a fixed sum when you die, provided you’re still paying the premiums. If you’re interested in this, give the friendly team at our partners Howden Life & Health a call on 0808 141 1244.
Whole-of-life insurance is different to decreasing term cover, where the pay out reduces in value over the length of time the policy runs for. The big difference between life insurance and a funeral plan is that the money received from a life policy by the beneficiary can be used however they wish, whether for funeral costs or something else.
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