Costs of a Burial or Cremation
Contents
- What Are the Differences?
- Where Can a Burial Take Place?
- Information about Cremation
- Final Resting Place for the Ashes
Cost of a Funeral with a Burial
Funerals can be expensive. According to Sunlife’s Cost of Dying 2023 Report, the average cost of a basic funeral with a burial in 2022 was £4,794. This can vary considerably depending on the location of the burial ground or cemetery (the cost is substantially higher in London) and the type of service.
By the time you have accounted for other possible expenses, such as flowers, coffin, the post-funeral gathering and fees for hiring someone to administer the estate, the total ‘cost of dying’ can often double.
Although there is no legal requirement to do so, the majority of people appoint a Funeral Director to arrange, co-ordinate and oversee most aspects of a funeral (see How to Appoint a Funeral Director). How much you wish them to take care of, and consequently their total costs and fees, is up to you. Some people choose a Funeral Director to just take care of the legal and more unfamiliar tasks (such as collecting and storing the body) and then organise transport, flowers, music, and production of the order of service, etc, themselves.
Other Possible Costs
- the Funeral Director’s costs & fees, including disbursements (payments made on your behalf). These will vary (see above)
- an Officiant (for example, a Celebrant, Vicar or Priest)
- church fees (or place of worship)
- coffin
- transport
- flowers
- pallbearers
- organist
- musician or choir
- printing of the order of service
- announcement or notice of death
- a post-funeral gathering
- a burial plot*
- the interment fee (the preparation of the burial plot)*
- memorial masonry*
- the placing of a headstone*
- maintenance fees (for cutting the grass and insurance)*
* costs specific to a funeral with a burial
Researching Items in Advance
If you would like to research some of the items in advance, or get an idea of price, please visit the Providers section of whiteballoon or use the search facility above. For ideas and inspiration, please go to Inspiration or view the many beautiful photos on our Inspiration Wall.
Budget Planner in our Planning Tools section can help you to set a budget and keep track of costs.
Costs of a Funeral with a Cremation
Funerals can be expensive. According to Sunlife’s Cost of Dying 2023 Report, the average cost of a basic funeral with a cremation in 2022 was £3,673. The average cost of a basic funeral with a direct cremation (a cremation with no funeral) was £1,511. This can vary substantially depending on the location (even crematoria in the same area can vary) and the type of service.
By the time you have accounted for other possible expenses, such as flowers, coffin, the post-funeral gathering and fees for hiring someone to administer the estate, the total ‘cost of dying’ can often double.
Although there is no legal requirement to do so, the majority of people appoint a funeral director to arrange, co-ordinate and oversee most aspects of a funeral (see How to Appoint a Funeral Director). How much you wish them to do, and consequently their total costs and fees, is up to you. Some people ask the funeral director to just take care of the legal and more unfamiliar tasks (such as collecting and storing the body) and then organise transport, flowers, music, and production of the order of service, etc themselves.
Other Possible Costs
- the Funeral Director’s costs & fee, including disbursements (payments made on your behalf). These will vary (see above)
- an Officiant (for example, a Celebrant, Vicar or Priest)
- church fees (or place of worship)
- coffin
- transport
- flowers
- pallbearers
- organist
- musician or choir
- printing of the order of service
- memorial plaque
- announcement or notice of death
- a post-funeral gathering
- cremation fees at a local crematorium*
- doctor’s fee for Certificate of Medical Attendant (usually from the doctor who signed the MCOD)*
- doctor’s fee for Confirmatory Medical Certificate (must be from a different doctor)*
- interment of ashes, or scattering of ashes in a Garden of Remembrance (if required)**
- collection of the cremated remains*
* costs specific to a funeral with a cremation
Researching Items in Advance
If you would like to research some of the items in advance, or get an idea of price, please visit the Providers section of whiteballoon or use the search facility above. For ideas and inspiration, please go to Inspiration or view the many beautiful photos on our Inspiration Wall.
Budget Planner in our Planning Tools section can help you to set a budget and keep track of costs.
