The average cost of an attended funeral in London is the most expensive compared with anywhere else in the UK, according to a report. Financial services company SunLife found that the average funeral cost in 2024 was £4,285. In London, it was £5,449 - a 5.4% increase from the year before and 58% higher than in the least expensive region, Northern Ireland. Concerns have been raised about funeral poverty, with charity Quaker Social Action saying the financial stress can "rob people of their ability to grieve". The government offers some people a subsidy; on certain government benefits aFuneral Expenses Paymentcan help cover some of the costs. Of those who receive a Funeral Expenses Payment, the subsidy covers approximately 46% of the total funeral costs, on average, the SunLife report found. There are alsopublic health funerals, which are a basic funeral service arranged and paid for by the local authority. Lindesay Mace, who leads on strategic work to tackle funeral poverty for Quaker Social Action, said: "We hear so often from people that they don't have the mental space to grieve because all they can do is think about how they're going to pay the costs. "Faced with these costs that they can't afford people sometimes use their rent money to pay a funeral deposit or they will cut back on food or not pay essential bills just trying to scrape that money together." However, Clare Montagu, chief executive for Poppy's Funerals, told BBC London there are ways to reduce costs to make a funeral meaningful. "You could have a simple cardboard coffin and you can make it really personal by decorating it yourself, putting images or words or symbols that are meaningful to you and to the person who's died," she said. "You can bring your own flowers, you don't need to pay for a florist, you can run the ceremony yourself, you don't need to have a religious minister or a celebrant." Jordan Flynn, from SunLife, said the capital had the fewest people making financial provision for their own funerals, and the highest number of funeral organisers reporting significant financial concern as a result of covering funeral costs. He advised trying to obtain quotes from a few different funeral directors and asking them how to bring the cost down. The report also found a simple attended cremation with a service was the most popular type of funeral. This is a less expensive option, and direct cremations - an unattended funeral - are cheaper, costing on average £1,597. Dan Garrett, from funeral services provider Dignity, said the number of direct cremations had increased over the last five years from about 2% of all funerals in 2019 to about 20% of the funeral market in the last year. "It's a significantly more affordable product and 89% of families who have a direct cremation then organise a separate celebration of life," he added. According to SunLife, the overall cost of dying in 2024 reached its highest level at an average price of £9,797, including the funeral, professional fees and send-off costs. Ms Mace said government support and wages had not kept up with funeral inflation and many funeral costs had "outstripped general inflation in the last 20 years". A Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) spokesperson said: "Losing a loved one is devastating and we understand the financial impacts it can have on families. "The DWP Funeral Expenses Payment scheme makes a contribution towards the cost of a funeral arranged by someone who is in receipt of certain income-related benefits. It also offers an additional £1,000 to meet other funeral expenses." You can watch the latest edition ofPolitics London in full on BBC iPlayer Listen to the best of BBC Radio London onSoundsand follow BBC London onFacebook,XandInstagram. Send your story ideas tohello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk
London funeral costs highest in UK, report finds
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"Average Funeral Costs in London Surpass Other UK Regions, Report Reveals"
Bbc News
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TruthLens AI Summary
A recent report by financial services company SunLife has revealed that London has the highest average funeral costs in the UK, with 2024 figures showing an average of £5,449 for an attended funeral. This amount represents a 5.4% increase from the previous year and is 58% higher than the average cost in Northern Ireland, the least expensive region. The rising costs of funerals have sparked concerns about funeral poverty, which can hinder families from properly grieving their loved ones due to financial stress. Charity Quaker Social Action highlighted that many individuals are forced to make difficult financial decisions, such as using rent money or cutting back on essential expenses, to afford funeral services. The government does provide some assistance through the Funeral Expenses Payment for those on certain benefits, which covers approximately 46% of the average funeral costs. Additionally, public health funerals are available, offering basic services arranged by local authorities for those in need.
Experts have suggested various ways to reduce funeral costs while still honoring loved ones meaningfully. Clare Montagu, chief executive for Poppy's Funerals, encouraged families to consider simple options like cardboard coffins that can be personalized or organizing the ceremony themselves without a celebrant. The report also noted a growing trend towards direct cremations, which have become more popular over the past five years, now accounting for about 20% of all funerals. These unattended services are significantly cheaper, averaging £1,597. SunLife reported that the overall cost of dying in 2024, which includes funeral and professional fees, has reached £9,797, the highest in recorded history. Advocacy groups like Quaker Social Action have expressed concern that government support has not kept pace with rising funeral costs, which have outstripped general inflation over the past two decades. A spokesperson from the Department for Work and Pensions acknowledged the financial impact of losing a loved one and reiterated the importance of the Funeral Expenses Payment scheme for those in need.
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