The death of a loved one is always a difficult time, and the last thing grieving families need are financial worries on top. Tragically, that’s what many get.
The average funeral cost a hefty £9,200 last year, up 3.8 percent from £8,864 in 2021, according to SunLife’s Cost of Dying Report 2023.
While the average cost of a basic funeral dipped slightly to £3,953, professional fees increased 10.9 per cent to £2,578.
On top of that, families also have to fund the send-off, and the cost of catering, the memorial, wake and flowers rose 7.4 percent to £2,669.
This comes as a huge burden at an already difficult time, especially if the deceased didn’t make any arrangements or leave money themselves.
Many are forced to raid their savings, borrow money from friends or relatives, or put the whole thing on plastic, research from SunLife shows.
Others have sold belongings or taken out a personal loan, in some cases from a dodgy doorstep lender, to say goodbye in a dignified way
The burden has led to a surge in demand for a cut-price alternative known as a direct cremation, which slashes costs but also removes most of the rituals involved in saying goodbye to a loved one.
With a direct cremation, your loved one’s body goes directly from home, the hospital or care home to a crematorium, where it is given a simple coffin and gown, and burned with no service or mourners present.
Afterwards, the ashes are returned to the family to be kept or scattered at a time and place that suits them.
It’s hardly the glittering farewell many of us imagine, but it is cheap, relatively, and these days many simply have no choice.
Almost one in five funerals are now direct cremations, up six-fold in the last three years, and awareness is rapidly growing.
The cost of the average direct cremation actually dropped by 8.2 percent to £1,511, which makes it £2,442 cheaper than the £3,953 basic funeral.
“With no mourners, there is no need to spend money on flowers, limousines, embalming and other optional extras,” said SunLife chief executive Mark Screeton.
Direct cremations have been boosted by new rules set by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which require all funeral directors to display a price list of all their services, which highlights this option.
Families and funeral directors no longer see direct cremation as a ‘pauper’s funeral’, Screeton added. “Now they’re seen as a low-cost option that allows families to celebrate their loved one’s life in a way that suits them and their budget.”
It can be a big help where the deceased hasn’t put money aside, which leaves one in five families struggling to fund a funeral.
Yet direct cremation isn’t for everyone and many do not understand what it means in practice, said Rebecca Peach, chief executive at funeral planning website Legacy of Lives.
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Many could be left feeling unsupported and underwhelmed. “You do not have the support of a trained funeral director, cannot view or visit the deceased, and there is no choice of crematorium, which is chosen by the provider.”
There are other ways to save on funerals without sacrificing on ceremony or the chance to grieve, she said,
Families can still save money with a standard cremation, which is cheaper than a burial but still involves a full send-off, Peach said. “The cost can be reduced by holding the funeral on a weekday and choosing a cardboard or veneered coffin rather than solid wood.”
Keep floral tribute costs down by asking friends and family to come with one bloom to place upon the coffin.
“This also allows friends and family members to offer their own tribute and feel a part of the ceremony,” she added.
Shopping around can also cut costs, yet eight in 10 families get just one funeral director quote. The Legacy of Lives website lets users compare multiple quotes for free.
A direct cremation saves money and keeping costs down is vital today, but so is giving your loved one the send-off they deserve.
It helps if they have done some planning themselves. Nobody likes to think about death, particularly their own, but it’s essential if you want to go out with a little style.
