Ball park figures for funeral costs

The price ranges are quite varied for many services involved in a funeral; the region of the country you are in and the number of local suppliers in your area can decidedly affect how much you pay for coffins, burials, headstones etc.. These prices are reflective of the period 2017-2018. If we ask the question ‘ is there are a ballpark figure for funeral costs ?’ then this article hopes to provide an answer.

Prices relating to burial plots and interment fees

Prices do vary from site to site, coffin burial plots and grave digging fees are considerably more in London, they are very expensive if you want to bury a non-resident. In comparison it is a lot less expensive to bury cremated remains. Most sites charge extra for weekend burials. The prices set out below are a snapshot, created to provide people with a rough approximation of costs to be included in a final estimation.

How much does a coffin or ash burial plot cost? (Adult)

How much does the actual burial (interment / grave digging) cost? 

With woodland burial sites there are few with any separate fees for non residents unlike parish run cemeteries and church graveyards.

Direct cremation is the least expensive option

The body is collected from a mortuary during normal working hours; at the nearest convenient time it is then cremated. You can then collect the ashes and proceed to hold your own ceremony at your home or perhaps a venue if you prefer.

The national average cost for a direct cremation is £1,600 although there are funeral directors who will provide the service for lesser rate (~£1,000). The price generally includes the crematorium fee and the provision of the required doctor’s certificate.

Some funeral directors will also return the ashes to you, so that you do not have to go and collect them from the crematorium; expect to pay a fee (£100 or so) to have this service.

What about the costs of funeral directors?

Remember that you are not obliged to employ the services of a funeral director; do remember that the trained and responsible ones are well versed in providing neat and efficient assistance through emotionally difficult circumstances. We have mentioned (funeral director services) the various costs of funeral directors relating to the services they provide, suffice to say the national average expenditure on a cremation service via a funeral director is £3,250. Please remember that this figure will be based on comparable number of options (limousine, flowers, chapel of rest visiting, death notices etc.)
If we were to bury the cremated remains of a resident in Nottinghamshire, the cost of the plot, grave digging and the services of a funeral director would be £3,250 + £664 + £174. The total expenditure would be £4,088

What about costs for burial services, grave plots and interment?

Coffin burials are simply more expensive, there is more work for a funeral director to do. There is also more plot space required for adult coffin burials and subsequently more grave digging work than there would be in comparison to burying ashes. The national average for a burial via a funeral director is £4,150 add this to the cost of a grave plot and burial fee (£804 + £552). The total cost would be £5,506

The rising cost of funeral services above inflation is putting a squeeze on household budgets, the smartest and cheapest way to protect against future costs is with a pre-paid plan. Funeral directors who take on work from pre-paid funeral plan providers are often completing the work at a fractionally lower rate in exchange for a steady stream of business. The level of service is the same, the client is however making a smart financial decision, at the very least protecting their estate from financial erosion due to rising funeral costs.