How Much Does A Typical Burial Cost in the UK?
How much does a funeral cost in the UK? We look at the various factors which are considered when arranging a funeral for a loved one. Read our breakdown of funeral costs here.
Shropshire Funerals are independent, family-run funeral directors based in Oswestry, Shropshire. Our trusted team of experienced funeral directors are here to guide you through each step at difficult times.
In the UK, burial costs vary depending on numerous different factors, including:
The location of yourself and the burial ground or cemetery you or the deceased has chosen. It also depends on the kind of service you want to have, burials, direct cremations, etc. Any additional costs, such as the type of coffin or casket, flower choice, and wake, are included in the final expenses.
The average final price of burials can be around £5,000 and comes completed with the minister fees, the celebrant fees, burials fee and local funeral director fees.
However, it can vary regionally across the country.
In London, England, the average simple funeral is
£5,235.
The average total cost of a funeral in the North West is
£3,785.
In Northern Ireland, the average cost of a funeral comes to
£3,222.
In Wales, the basic funeral is an average of
£3,178.
Breakdown Of Funeral Costs
Funeral director fees
Funeral director charges cover the vast majority of the aspects of the arrangements of the funeral of your loved one.
The fees can vary widely depending on the type of funeral package or the directory home you have chosen. If you struggle to arrange a funeral on your own, you may want to find a funeral director that you can trust to take care of the fine details.
They typically take care of:
They oversee the arrangements you have in mind and offer you support with any job throughout the whole process, before, during and after the service.
They have to be present on a funeral day; they must supervise the whole event and direct the attendance accordingly.
They bring your love into their care as soon as possible. The mortuary facilities are modernised and climate-controlled, modest, and with plenty of dignity for the deceased to rest in.
They are responsible for preparing and caring for the deceased, along with their casket or coffin ready for the funeral service.
They help coordinate the additional assets such as the music, the funeral wreaths and the service stationery. They can provide plenty of advice on how to go about all aspects.
Your director will provide facilities, including the chapel of rest, so that you may visit your loved ones at rest before the service.
Prepare the pallbearers to carry the casket or coffin. The provision of the hearse or cars or any other personnel is another crucial duty. Some services mustn't include specific vehicles like limousines.
Third-party costs
Third-party external payments for the funeral are the costs that are fashioned and carefully managed for you that your funeral directors will attach to your invoice.
The fees and payments vary significantly depending on the location or area you live in and the destination of your loved ones' burial or direct cremation service.
Your directory will collect, prepare and distribute all the necessary documents, such as the green slip or certificate used to register and report the death.
Then your undertaker will take care of the requirements and dates with the cemetery or crematorium. It is generally their responsibility to coordinate any external payments that allow the funeral to proceed legally.
Burial style funerals in the UK have an average cost of £5,0033. Burial costs vary up and down the country, and the overall cost comes complete with:
Officiant or minister fees: The price includes the conductor of the service itself.
EROB - the Exclusive Right Of Burial: This is the location itself and the specific burial plot you've chosen.
The interment: The preparation of the grave or burial plot is also included in the fee.
Charges for Adding or Removing the headstone: Suppose the burial plot you have chosen has an existing monument or headstone; professionals must remove it before the funeral events occur. These costs can also cover the costs of placing the headstone to its original grave.
Church fees: The costs for holding your loved one's funeral service in a place of worship such as the church is also included.
Monument and maintenance fees: Sometimes included in the final cost are fees that cover jobs or small maintenance tasks like grass cutting or the insurance of the burial plot.
Memorial masonry: The installing, creating, repairing and engraving of your loved one's Memorial.
A cremation funeral in the UK can cost an average amount of £3,885. Across the UK, cremation funeral prices vary wildly, and these costs come from:
Local crematorium cremation costs: The initial charge of creaming your loved one during or after the funeral is the price you will start with.
The costs of ministers or officiants: The person conducting the service will be included in the final total.
Interment of the ashes: To keep the ashes in a burial plot or permanent location also comes in costs.
Cremation document price: The forms that you require for direct cremation are included in the costs.
Scattering the ashes: If you wish to scatter the ashes at the Garden of Remembrance.
Memorial masonry: These are the costs of the creation, installation, repairs and engraving of the Memorial.
Doctor's fees: The medical or doctor's fees are the charges you must pay for the cremation certificates.
Over the years, funeral costs have risen significantly, and that doesn't just include the initial prices; it comes with extras and special requests. These extra requests can extend up to around £2,500.
The average UK costs for optional extras for the funeral of your loved one are:
Memorial: £1,106
Catering: £450
Limousine or vehicle hire: £336
Flowers: £193
Venue hire: £282
Death notice: £86
D Order sheets/service cards: £94
Cheaper options are available to shop around for across the funeral directory service industry; however, these are the average costs.
You will likely want quality for your loved one, so it's best to look deeply into your budget and decipher what aspects are favourable. Many like to spend plenty on flowers to decorate the casket or burial place with.
What Are Additional Factors That May Affect Burial Costs?
Suppose you want a burial service for the death of a loved one; whether you have chosen to arrange the funeral ceremony on your own or with the help of a funeral director, there will be several factors that will ultimately affect the price.
It is the job of a funeral director to join you in arranging your loved one's funeral alongside you. You can leave them responsible for completing the necessary tasks and have everything in order so that you and your family have the appropriate time to grieve.
Some of the essential duties of the funeral director are:
Preparing the deceased and transporting them appropriately to the burial ground or traditional cemetery on a funeral day. Plenty of these directory services are available 24 hours a day.
They ensure that once they have died, the deceased are brought into our care, and they make sure to care for them within the climate-controlled facilities with all the quality resources.
It is the protocol that your funeral director will ensure all the vital documents are fully completed so that your burial can be adequately conducted correctly and respectfully.
When it is time to assess the overall costs of your burial funeral, you must bear in mind that along with the initial costs, there are optional costs. As mentioned before, these can include:
Additional flowers: it's the average cost is £193
Catering: the average cost is £450
The Memorial: the average cost is £1,106
Limousine or luxury vehicle hire: average price is £336
The venue hire: average cost is £282
What Is The Cost Of A Burial Compared To A Cremation?
Funerals can be pretty expensive, depending on the form of burial. The average cost for a burial funeral in the UK is around £4,184, up to £5,033. However, the price range of cremation is around £3,885.
The cost varies depending on numerous factors, such as the type of service you want, the coffin style, the transport and the number you require, any funeral director fees and extras, for example, the catering you need for the wake, or the flowers you have purchased.
The costs in the UK for burials are often higher than cremation, and this is because much more is involved in burial fees, such as extensive coffin prices. The most significant difference is the burial itself.
What Is The Cost Of A Green Funeral Or Woodland Burial?
Different types of burials can come at various prices; for example, the cost of a natural woodland burial ground can significantly vary from those in other areas. It all comes down to a series of factors, including whereabouts in the UK you live and the site location you have chosen for your burial.
Green or woodland burials can cost approximately a few hundred pounds; they could fluctuate up to a few thousand.
There may be additional intermittent fees to pay along the way; however, these can vary depending on the natural burial ground you choose. It would be best if you remembered that the final cost of your green funeral would heavily depend on the various other decisions and arrangements you've made regarding the floral tributes and the transport.
Contact your Funeral Director, and they will work with you closely to discuss the costs of arranging a unique, affordable woodland burial for your loved one that will suit your budget.
Are you looking for an independent funeral director in Shropshire? Our family run funeral director service provides support for you and your loved ones during the funeral arrangement and service.