Everyone will require or have to arrange a funeral in their lives because the fact is, they are an inescapable aspect of life. But, unfortunately, they can also be quite costly, cutting into a massive chunk of change and heavily depleting the bank balance. So it’s no wonder these days, when life is already expensive, that many people plan their own arrangements ahead or seek options to cut those costs down during an already difficult time. This has led to more budget funeral options being made available. These are designed to align with personal preference and faith or religious affiliation while also adhering to last wishes. Lower-cost funerals are especially popular now as the cost of an average Simple Funeral is estimated at £4,056. At the same time, the Traditional option starts at about £8,864, according to the life insurance company Sunlife – a lot of money in anyone’s book. So what are each of the leading funeral options and their average cost? We’ve broken them down below.
Cost: Between £995 – £2,500
Direct Cremation is the lowest-cost funeral available in the UK currently. Included in the cost are all the legal requirements related to death while taking care of the deceased. There is no service; instead, the individual is cremated in a wooden coffin, with the cremated remains returned to loved ones in a simple urn or scattered on request. This really is a no frills funeral in terms of financial outlay. Some choose it for the lack of fuss, while others would instead rather hold a celebration of life instead of a funeral. For others still, the choice is purely financial.
Cost: Between £2,800 – £4,056
A Simple Funeral is another more affordable funeral option that is similar to a Direct Cremation; however, a Simple Funeral leans more towards being a stripped-back Traditional Funeral. This is more low-key in many ways, without the scale of most traditional affairs. There may be savings made on having no flowers, a simple coffin, or selection of a low-cost venue, but there is often a service and the choice of cremation or burial.
Cost: Between £4,056 – as much as is desired
While “modern” is open to interpretation, it’s often denoted by what mourners wear, a quirky venue or procession vehicle, or just an event that is out of the ordinary. A Modern Funeral is about choice and finding a way for taste and tradition to merge. A modern funeral won’t be prescriptive and is designed for individuality to shine.
Cost: Between £3690 – 8,864 – or as much as is desired
Many Traditional Funerals still have elements of being faith-based events, although there are also non-religious traditional funerals held. A unifying factor is that this type of funeral is more extravagant while following a more prescriptive model, which often includes a viewing, service, funeral procession, and a wake after. Matt Schmidt with Burial Insurance Pro shares the following “one of the best ways to make sure your funeral expenses are addressed, is to own a burial insurance or final expense insurance policy. By doing so, you can guarantee the your family will receive a tax free death benefit to cover all the costs involved with death. They are several burial insurance companies to choose from, that would meet your financial objectives.”
For assistance with your arrangements, reach out to County Funerals.
