Wednesday, January 15th 2025 The cost of a simple attended funeral has risen 3.5% in a year to hit an all-time high of £4,285, while the overall cost of dying has reached £9,797 according to the 21st edition of the SunLife Cost of Dying report – the leading and longest-running report into funeral costs.
Over the past two decades, a simple funeral – which includes an attended burial or cremation, funeral director, doctor and celebrant fees, a coffin and limousine – have risen faster than inflation.
In 2004 – which was the year SunLife started indexing funeral costs – a simple funeral was £1,835. And if funeral prices had risen at the same rate of inflation, the average cost today would be £3,211.
However, funeral costs have risen at well above that rate and are 134% higher than they were 21 years ago, rising from under £2,000 to more than £4,000.
And it is not just the simple funeral cost that has hit an all-time high. The total cost of dying – which also includes full send-off costs and probate fees – has increased by 1.4% to £9,797. That’s the highest figure ever, but varies significantly between each estate.
This comparatively modest increase is due to the fact that while funeral and send off costs have risen, the average cost of probate has fallen by almost £100 year-on-year. As probate fees are typically calculated as a percentage of the estate being managed, this is likely due to a variance in the average estate size of respondents rather than a decrease in professional fees.
London remains the most expensive place to die
Seven out of the 10 UK regions saw funeral costs rise this year. And despite a huge 13% rise in the North West, it is London that remains the most expensive place to die.
In the capital, the average funeral costs £5,449. This is a 5.4% rise on last year, meaning a funeral in London costs 27% more than the average for the UK, and 58% more than in the cheapest region, Northern Ireland. SunLife’s Funeral cost calculator can help you work out what a funeral might cost in your area.
| Rank | Region | Average funeral cost | Change from previous year |
| 1 | London | £5,449 | +5.4% |
| 2 | South East & East of England | £4,943 | +6.5% |
| 3 | Scotland | £4,345 | +7.8% |
| 4 | North West England | £4,297 | +13.0% |
| 5 | East & West Midlands | £4,233 | +2.0% |
| 6 | Wales | £4,094 | -4.5% |
| 7 | North East England | £4,047 | +1.9% |
| 8 | Yorkshire and the Humber | £4,031 | -0.8% |
| 9 | South West England | £3,966 | -1.6% |
| 10 | Northern Ireland | £3,441 | +5.7% |
Direct cremation costs rise for only second time but remain cheapest option
This year, direct cremations – a cremation without a funeral service – have risen for just the second time since tracking began in 2017, up 6.7% from £1,498 to £1,597. However, they still remain the cheapest type of funeral.
| Funeral type | Average cost 2023 | Average cost 2024 | Change |
| Burial | £5,077 | £5,198 | +2.4% |
| Cremation | £3,795 | £3,980 | +4.9% |
| Direct Cremation | £1,498 | £1,597 | +6.7% |
The number of direct cremations swelled during the pandemic – out of necessity – but they’ve grown and remained popular even in the years after COVID-19 restrictions. And for the second year running, they now account for 1 in 5 of all funerals, up from 18% in 2022, 14% in 2020 and just 3% in 2019, while Pure Cremation – the UK’s leading direct cremation provider – reported a 12% rise in direct cremations in 2024, and forecasts a further 15% rise in 2025.
Patrick Smith, 75, organised direct cremation with Pure Cremation for his son Alex, who passed away in September aged 40. Alex had Juvenile Huntington’s Disease, a rare, incurable and fatal neuro-degenerative condition that compromises the immune system, and he died from double pneumonia. Patrick said: “Alexander’s wish was for a no-fuss cremation. He left the details up to me, and when the time came, I chose Pure Cremation because I had heard good things about their services.
“The cost was £1,395. We did not have a ceremony or memorial service afterwards because we are planning a celebration of his life party for family and all his friends on what would have been his next birthday in April. His ashes will be scattered at his favourite coastal place in our hometown where he lived and grew up.
“For us, a direct cremation was a respectful and cost-effective option, and I will have a direct cremation for myself and my wife when that time comes.”
Only 38% of people make provisions to cover the full cost of their funeral, causing financial issues for 1 in 5 families
The SunLife Cost of Dying report shows that while 68% of people make provisions specifically to pay for their funeral before they pass away, only 38% put enough aside to cover the whole cost.
One in five (18%) families experience ‘notable financial concerns’ when paying for a funeral; on average, they have to find almost £2,371 to cover the costs.
Most of these use their savings and investments (33%) to pay, but 24% put it on a credit card, 23% borrow the money from a friend or relative, and 19% sell belongings to cover the cost.
Of those who struggle to cover the cost of a funeral, 75% see an impact on their mental health and 61% on their physical health.
Talking about our funeral wishes can keep costs – and emotional stress – to a minimum
According to SunLife’s findings, Brits still find talking about funerals as uncomfortable as ever.
Of those organising a funeral, 18% don’t know any of their loved one’s wishes. More than half (51%) don’t even know if their loved one wanted a burial or cremation, 67% don’t know if they wanted a religious service or not, and 87% don’t know who they should be inviting to pay their respects. And this lack of knowledge often leads to families spending more than they need to. Of the 55% who feel under pressure while organising a funeral, one in five spend more than they want to, because of pressure from family and/or the funeral director. However, when asked about their own funerals, 35% say they want their family to spend as little as possible.
Mark Screeton, CEO, SunLife said: “It’s so important for people to talk more about their funerals, so that loved ones aren’t left to organise things with little idea about what the deceased would have wanted. This year’s Cost of Dying Report highlights just how much of a financial and emotional impact not knowing can have. A send-off doesn’t need to cost thousands. A direct cremation with a DIY get-together afterwards might be the perfect way to say a personal goodbye to loved one. But we know families tend to only choose low-cost options when it has been specifically requested by the deceased.
“So it’s really important that, as a nation, we start talking about funerals, so that we can discuss with loved ones the type of funeral we want and how it will be paid for. That way, family and friends aren’t left to make difficult emotional and financial decisions once we have gone.”
Ian Atkinson, Chief Marketing Officer at Pure Cremation said: “That the average cost of a funeral has hit almost £4,300 is shocking and it’s one of the reasons more people are choosing a pure cremation. It’s less than half the cost, protects against these spiralling prices and lets family choose whatever send-off or remembrance they want, without being burdened by unnecessary funeral expenses. And because a direct cremation is less than half the cost of a traditional funeral, there’s often more money for family to arrange a more personal send-off, whether that’s a formal remembrance or a celebration of life – wherever they want, whenever they want, however they want. “In fact, that’s why we’ve just created https://www.purecremation.co.uk/fine-farewell which helps someone plan a personal send-off, whether they’re thinking about what they’d like for themselves or they’re organising a send-off for someone else. It uses specially-trained AI to help tease out what someone might like, and give them suggestions and lots of help to plan something really memorable.”
