Location, location, location - Regional variations in funeral costs

Just like the cost of living, the cost of dying can vary greatly depending on your location.

According to the annual SunLife (2020), Cost of Dying Report, the total cost of organising a funeral, holding a wake and administering an estate has risen to over £9,000. The relentless rise of funeral expenses – the average for a basic funeral is now £4,417 – contributes 40% to 50% to the final price.

But average costs aren’t the whole story – SunLife’s research shows there are huge variations in the prices paid for funerals across the regions of the UK.

The people of Northern Ireland benefit from the lowest average funeral costs, with the average reported at £3,489, 21% below the national average.

Few people will be surprised to hear that London is the most expensive place in the UK to organise a funeral. 35% above the national average, the average funeral cost in the capital is reported at £5,963. Prices in the South East and East (£4,881) and the Yorkshire and the Humber (£4,656) also sit above the national average.

Where are funeral costs above the national average?

• London: £5,963
• South East & East of England: £4,881
• Yorkshire and the Humber: £4,656
• East and West Midlands: £4,582
• South West England: £4,522

At the other end of the spectrum, Northern Ireland once again has the lowest average basic funeral cost - £3,489. That’s 21% less than the national average (although it's an increase of 8% since 2018).

Where did funeral costs rise?

• East and West Midlands: +9.6%
• Wales: +9.4%
• South East & East of England: +9.2%
• Northern Ireland: +8%
• Yorkshire and the Humber: +4.4%
• Scotland: +3.5%
• London: +1.4%

So even though London is still the most expensive place for a funeral, its average basic funeral cost is rising at a much slower rate than other regions. The biggest fall in funeral costs is in South West England, where it’s dropped by 3.5%. This means the South West went from the second most expensive region in 2018, to the fifth most expensive.

Where have funeral prices dropped?

• South West England: -3.5%
• North West England: -3.3%
• North East England: -0.4%

Which send-off costs have risen?

We all want to give our loved ones a special send-off when the time comes. Whether we opt for unusual transport, a classic memorial or a fancy dress party, it gives us a chance to celebrate their life in a way that’s personal to them.

Put simply, the send-off is all the added extras that turn a basic funeral into a celebration. In previous years, average send-off costs have stayed about the same, but in 2019 they rose to their highest level yet. In fact, average send-off costs have risen from £2,061 in 2018 to £2,306 in 2019. That’s an 11.9% increase in one year – a bigger percentage rise than funeral costs. (It’s also the biggest year-on-year rise since 2015, and costs are now at their highest since 2009.)

At £910, the memorial is the most expensive part of the send-off, making up 40% of the total cost. This is up from £824 in 2018 (+11% in a year). The next three most expensive costs are the catering (18% of the total cost), limo hire (14%) and venue hire (11%).

To find out more about the services and prices offered by local funeral directors, in your area, search here.