The cost of a basic funeral has fallen 2.5% year on year to £3,953, according to SunLife’s latest Cost of Dying report. But since 2004 there has been a 116% rise in funeral costs, while the overall cost of dying – which also includes the send-off and professional fees - has risen 3.8% in the past year, to £9,200.
Mark Screeton, SunLife’s CEO, commented: “It’s surprising to see, at a time when everything else is going up in price, that funeral costs have fallen for a second consecutive year. We’ve never witnessed this trend before in our almost two decades of research. With UK inflation hitting its highest rate in 40 years, this feels like a rare piece of financially positive news among all the other gloomy economic headlines.”
Although the cost of a basic funeral is lower than last year, it’s the other two elements – professional fees and the send-off – that have pushed up the total cost of dying. Hiring a professional to administer the estate has increased a significant 10.9% since the 2022 report, reaching an average £2,578. And the amount spent on the send-off – that’s optional extras, such as flowers, catering, and limousines – adds a further £2,669, up 7.4%.
Burials – which make up a quarter of all services – remain the most expensive type of funeral at £4,794 (-2.7%). Cremations, the most popular type (57%), are moderately cheaper at £3,673 (-2.4%). But it’s direct cremations (cremations with a service) that are the most affordable. 18% of funerals are now direct cremations, and their average price has fallen by 8.2% from last year, to £1,511.
The drop in funeral costs isn’t just national – it’s been seen in eight out of ten UK regions. Only Northern Ireland and Wales have gone up in price since last year. However, Northern Ireland remains the cheapest place to die, with the average funeral at £3,317. London, on the other hand, still holds the title of most expensive: £5,283.
The most expensive places to die:
Rank |
Region |
Average funeral cost |
Change from last year |
1 |
London |
£5,283 |
-1.4% |
2 |
South East & East of England |
£4,300 |
-10.9% |
3 |
Wales |
£4,012 |
+13.3% |
4 |
East & West Midlands |
£3,892 |
-1.3% |
5 |
Scotland |
£3,848 |
-0.6% |
6 |
North West England |
£3,832 |
-0.2% |
7 |
Yorkshire and the Humber |
£3,742 |
-13.0% |
8 |
North East England |
£3,668 |
-6.3% |
9 |
South West England |
£3,640 |
-6.8% |
10 |
Northern Ireland |
£3,317 |
+8.5% |
“The continued fall in funeral costs may, in part, be down to certain trends from the days of lockdown remaining popular, even after the pandemic. Direct cremations, for instance, are a cheaper alternative, and became necessary during COVID-19. Yet we’ve seen their levels relatively unchanged since,” continues Mark. “Recent regulation from the Competition and Markets Authority has also ordered funeral directors to display prices on both their premises and website – which wasn’t required before 2021. Some funeral directors told us that, as a result, they’ve reassessed and reduced their prices.
“All this said, we have seen in an increase in the total cost of dying from last year, suggesting that the fees and extras associated with funerals are moving in line with the rising prices we’re seeing in most other areas of our lives.
“It’s now becoming more necessary than ever to share your final wishes with loved ones, so they don’t end up spending more than you’d want them to. Likewise, making some kind of provision for your own funeral can be a big help to your family at what will be a difficult time.”
