The Cost of Dying

While it’s the last thing anyone wants on their mind when losing a loved one, death is a costly business. According to data from the life insurance company SunLife, an average funeral in the United Kingdom cost £4,056 last year. While this may sound high, the cost of being laid to rest actually fell in the UK in 2021, with the average price for a funeral costing £128 less than in 2020.

The decrease mostly comes down to the restrictions laid down by the government through the pandemic, since funerals had to be smaller. According to the 2022 report, some 85 percent of people who organized funerals in the last 18 months said their decisions were impacted by Covid. This means that the drop in costs is expected to be temporary, with projections expected to hit a steep £5,089 for a funeral in 2026.

Funeral costs are just one part of the cost of dying. When taking into consideration professional and send-off costs, which includes addons like the memorial, funeral notices, flowers, the venue, and catering for the wake, prices can climb considerably higher. In 2021, the average cost of dying including these services hit £8,864.

Even within the overall drop of funeral costs, there are interesting distinctions. For instance, more people opted for direct cremations in 2021, which are the most affordable form of a funeral and are considered as a practical service. With this rise in interest, despite the overall costs of funerals going down that year by around -3.1 percent, the costs of direct cremations increased by 6 percent, costing £1,647.

There were regional differences too. While most places saw a fall, four regions saw increases in costs: the North West of England (£3,840; +1.4 percent), North East of England (£3,915; +2.3 percent), Yorkshire and the Humber (£4,302; +0.7percent) and London (£5,358; +2.3 percent).

According to the report, the pandemic saw several other slightly more positive shifts in the sector, including the fact that webcasts and video recording became more important. This will likely continue in the coming years as it has provided access to those that previously might have otherwise been unable to attend a funeral and to pay their respects.