Funerals and Costs

There are lots of things to think about and decide when arranging a funeral at a time when you’re coping with grief and you might not have any experience in arranging a funeral.

Once a death is registered you can start to arrange the funeral. The person may have made arrangements for their funeral so make sure you check for any notes or plans before you start.

If you need help and advice after someone has died, visit our information on what to do when someone dies 

To start planning a funeral, it’s worth considering the following:

• Make sure you’re choosing a funeral that’s affordable and is right for the person who’s died. It’s not wrong or disrespectful to consider costs.
  
  
• Get at least two quotes. Many people choose to use a funeral director to help them but be aware this can be the most expensive fee of the funeral process.
  
  
• Remember that the more expensive options don’t make a ‘better’ funeral. Words, music, and actions can be more meaningful than expensive cars and coffins.
  
  
• Most people use a funeral director to help, but it is possible to do it yourself. Cruze Bereavement Support has a blog post on planning a funeral.

Funeral directors

A funeral director is there to help make it easier for you to arrange a funeral, this can also give you the time to grieve.

Using a funeral director will mean a more expensive funeral with many cases making up between 50-66% of the costs (*Source: Data is based on the Royal London National Funeral Cost Index Report 2018).

If you use a funeral director, they will:

• Collect, store, prepare and deliver the body to the cemetery or crematorium
  
  
• Complete the necessary forms for cremation or burial
  
  
• Some will also arrange a simple ceremony as part of their fee
  
  
• Provide a coffin, hearse, and usually a limousine
  
  
• Often pay the disbursement costs (see below).

How to find a funeral director

Make sure you do your research, get in touch with different directors – independent and those that work for a national chain and get at least two quotes before you decide on one that’s best for you.

Using a local independent funeral director is usually a cheaper option.

Here are some sites that can help you:

• The National Association of Funeral Directors
  
  
• The Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors

To compare prices you could also use the Funeral Choice website – note, that the prices shown don’t include the cremation or burial fee.

Distribution costs (third party costs)

These are the fees you must pay to a third party to either bury or cremate the body.

Costs can vary a lot depending on your choices and where you are in the country. For example, cremation is normally cheaper even if you’re using a funeral director.

The burial fee usually covers the lease of a burial plot and the digging and filling of the grave. There’s also a fee to use the crematorium to cremate the body.

Before you decide on a cemetery or crematorium, there is some guidance from MoneyHelper that helps you decipher the difference in costs.

Help to cover funeral costs

• If you don’t have money set aside to pay for the funeral, or do not want to take responsibility, the council where the person died should be able to arrange a simple, respectful funeral service. Some hospitals will also arrange funerals.

• There are ways of keeping the costs of a funeral down, including the type of coffin which can be as little as £100 to as much as £10,000. The crematorium you use and even the time of day the service takes place can affect the price. If you use a funeral director ask about their lower-cost options, and you can decline any extras.
  
  
• Simple or direct cremation is one of the cheapest options. This is where cremation is held with no ceremony. A memorial, thanksgiving service, or celebration of life can be held at a different time in whatever format you chose.
  
  
• Down to Earth provides practical support for people struggling with funeral costs.
  
  
• In England, You may be eligible for a Funeral Expenses Payment (also called a Funeral Payment) if you receive certain benefits and need help to pay for a funeral. There’s more information on the payments on the GOV.UK website.
  
  
• In Scotland, You can apply for a Funeral Support Payment (this has replaced the Funeral Expenses Payment).

Page last updated: November 2023.