Cost of cremation UK

Funeral director fees

Funeral director services tend to be the most expensive part of a basic cremation funeral. Their fees cover transportation, care and preparation of the decreased, help with all the arrangements for the funeral, professional guidance and advice, limousine, coffin, hearse and pall bearers.

Cremation fees

Cremation fees vary depending on the crematorium. This cost is separate from funeral director fees and covers the service at the crematorium chapel and the cremation process itself.

Minister or celebrant fee

The average cost of cremation includes the fee charged by a minister or celebrant to conduct the ceremony. In 2023, the average clergy fee was £193^[2].

Doctor's fees

For cremations outside of Scotland, it's required that two different medical certificates are obtained and signed by two different doctors to certify the death before the cremation can be permitted.

Here are some tips to help you cut the cost of a cremation:

1. Shop around and compare cremation prices

Comparing prices from different funeral directors and crematoriums in your local area can help you to find the best prices.

Unfortunately, only a small number of people compare quotes when arranging a funeral, even though it could help cut the cost.

Many funeral directors can offer low-cost funeral options, or tailor their services to suit your budget, so it’s important to be clear about how much you want to spend.

Also, shopping around for things like flowers, catering and venues can help you to find the most affordable options.

2. Choose a cheaper cremation slot

It’s possible to save money on cremation costs by choosing an off-peak time slot for the cremation.

Early morning weekday slots tend to offer the cheapest prices and weekends tend to be the most expensive.

Direct cremations tend to have cheaper cremation fees as these usually take place first thing in the morning.

3. Simplify the send-off

Many aspects of a cremation funeral are optional extras, and therefore, you can choose to cut back on these costs if needed.

Ways you can save on these expenses include:

• Not embalming the body - Embalming isn't usually necessary and not a requirement for cremation based funerals
• Don't have limousines - You could travel to the venue by car, public transport, or taxi
• Cut back on flowers - For example, you could purchase a simple floral arrangement for the coffin and not have any flowers at the service
• Fewer pallbearers - Alternatively, family members could carry the coffin or you can request a wheeled bier which doesn’t require pallbearers at all
• Choose a simple coffin - There're different types of coffins at different prices, some of the cheaper ones are made from eco-friendly materials, such as cardboard
• Hold a home wake - If you choose to have a wake, you can avoid the cost of a venue by holding this at home, and provide your own catering rather than hiring a catering company

4. Consider a direct cremation

A direct cremation costs 59% less than a traditional cremation funeral on average, based on figures from SunLife.

Also referred to as ‘no funeral just cremation’, direct cremation is the cheapest way to be cremated as there’s no funeral service.

Some people choose to hold a simple wake and/or memorial service after a direct cremation, but this isn’t a requirement.

As the average cost of a direct cremation is £1,498 in the UK, it can provide an affordable alternative to a traditional cremation.

5. Have a DIY cremation

A DIY or ‘do it yourself’ cremation involves planning the practical elements of a cremation yourself without a funeral director.

It’s not a legal requirement to use a funeral director so it’s possible that family and friends can get together to make the arrangements.

You’d need to consider all of the following:

• Caring for the deceased before the cremation
• Booking the cremation with the crematorium
• Organising the paperwork e.g. cremation certificate, medical certificate
• Sourcing and purchasing a suitable coffin or casket
• Arranging and holding the funeral service or ceremony
• Arranging or providing transport for the deceased to and from the crematorium
• Organising of the order of service, flowers, venue, catering and so on