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.
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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/
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