There are over 600,000 funerals taking place each year in the UK - it’s no wonder why dying can be such a costly business! With that in mind, we decided to do a little homework on the ins and outs of funeral costs. The results, we discovered, were very interesting indeed…
The average cost of a funeral in the UK was £4,078 in 2017, an increase of 4.7% compared to 2016 and an increase of 70% in the last decade!
Tokyo, Japan: £15,199
New York City, USA: £4,923
Johannesburg, South Africa: £2,324
Moscow, Russia: £594
Mexico City, Mexico: £451
Coffin: £275 - £1,500
Moving deceased to Chapel of Rest: £99
Hearse & chauffeur: £315
Minister / celebrant / officiate fee: £148
Cremation fee: £660
Cremation urn: £200
Optional ash plot: £450
Burial plot: £280 - £5,000+
Gravedigging fee: £150 - £1,734
Embalming costs: £136 - £165
Church service: £98
Catering / wake costs: £397
Wage increases for crematorium staff and local authority employees
Increasing funeral director prices
Shortage of land for burials
Lack of space for graves
Cuts to local authority budgets
When we say ‘send-off’ we mean the memorial, wake and flowers - so this doesn’t include the burial or cremation fees. This figure has actually gone down from £2,000 in 2015 to £1,928 in 2017. One of the main reasons for this is that it’s one of the only big costs that loved ones can control! People are also starting to realise they can personalise their own wakes – you can hold them in your favourite bar, a beautiful park or even on the beach! Why not start off by planning the perfect way to celebrate your life by creating your very own plan on huunuu
Direct cremation, at a national average of £1,835, is the least costly way for disposition. If you’re lucky enough to live in the North West, the average cost is £1,454. But the most expensive direct cremation is, quite unsurprisingly, London at £2,463. A direct cremation is where the body is cremated before the memorial service in a more basic container. Family and friends can then hold a memorial service later on for their loved one.
Credit: https://www.hauntedrooms.co.uk/product/highgate-cemetery-london
Of course, London is home to the most expensive place to be buried - Highgate in particular! At a whopping £18,325 - this costly package includes a £1,850 ‘digging fee.’ Perhaps gravedigging is the career to choose if you’re looking for a high income…
Credit: https://www.fermanaghomagh.com/media_category/tourism/page/5/
Northern Ireland is the place to be if you have your heart set on a burial but you’re a little strapped for cash. If you’re a resident of the Fermanagh and Omagh district you can expect to pay £261 all-in for your burial plot and digging fees.
http://www.uk-funerals.co.uk/funeral-industry.html
https://www.sunlife.co.uk/siteassets/documents/cost-of-dying/cost-of-dying-2017.pdf
https://www.everplans.com/articles/5-things-you-need-to-know-about-direct-cremation
