To ensure that your family can cover the costs of your funeral, it is worth considering a prepaid funeral plan. If this is something you’d be interested in, we highly recommend the Peace Of Mind Plan so visit them today by clicking the link.

It’s not something any of us want to think about, but a funeral costs a lot of money. Of course the type of funeral you choose for your loved one will have an effect on the cost, and there are ways to keep the price down even if only a little. There are things you can save on and things you can’t. Here we give you a breakdown of funeral costs to give you an idea of how much it’s going to cost.

Funeral directors’ fees

The funeral directors take care of a lot of what’s involved with a funeral, but it can help to have a rough idea of the cost of each part. In total, they will charge you somewhere between £1,500-£2,000 depending on the options you choose, and usually includes disbursements (see below). All funeral directors are different and some offer more services than others, but a typical funeral director will take care of the following:

  • Arranging and conducting the funeral in accordance with your wishes. This includes booking the minister (or other celebrant if you’re non-religious), the organist if required, and the arrangement of suitable music to be played.
  • Taking care of the paperwork involved.
  • Liaison with authorities, such as doctors and the coroner, if necessary.
  • Transfer of the deceased to the funeral home.
  • Provision of the coffin. The cost of the coffin can vary widely, from a simple shroud at about £50, to a ‘green’ cardboard coffin at between £100-£200, to a standard pine coffin at about £300, to a luxury willow coffin at about £1,000. Some more elaborate coffins can reach up to about £2,000.
  • Care and presentation of the deceased, including any hygienic treatment necessary.
  • Provision of a hearse to take the deceased to the funeral.

It’s difficult given the limited amount of time you have to arrange a funeral, but try to shop around a few different funeral directors and find out which ones offer the best service for the lowest cost.

Disbursements

These are additional costs which are paid by the funeral director to third parties on your behalf, and include things like doctors’ fees, ministers’ fees and cremation or cemetery fees. The funeral director has no control over these fees, but they can range anywhere from about £600-£1,000.

Other expenses

The cost of a granite headstone starts at about £500 and goes up from there. A bronze wall plaque is around £150 and includes the lease to display it. This typically lasts for ten years after which time it will need to be renewed.

If you choose to have flowers, the funeral director can sometimes arrange this for you. If not, shop around local florists for prices – prices usually start under £50 and go up, depending on how elaborate an arrangement you require.

You might want to hire a car to take immediate family to the funeral; this can cost anywhere up to about £300. If you’re holding a wake, you might want to provide food, especially if you’ve got people coming a long way. This can set you back anywhere from £7-£10 a head, depending on where you choose to hold the wake.

If you want to put an obituary in the newspaper, it will cost you probably between £75-£100 depending on size and the number of words.

Help with the cost

You can apply to the government for a bereavement payment of £2,000 if your situation means that you qualify for it. Contact Jobcentre Plus for more details and an application form.

Planning For The Worst

If you are reading this and fearing that your family will struggle with these costs, you can always start planning now to give them the financial leeway they need. A prepaid funeral plan can be the most affordable way for you to leave your loved ones a lump sum with which they can pay the costs associated with bidding you farewell/