Cremation costs in the UK have risen almost ten-fold in 15 years, far outpacing inflation and leaving grieving families in the south of England paying more than double the amount for council-operated cremations than those in Northern Ireland.
UK data reveals a postcode lottery for the cost of cremation – with glaring disparities between regions and costs soaring faster in some places more than others.
SunLife’s Cost of Dying report 2025 revealed that just over two-thirds of people (68 per cent) save for their funeral.
But only 56 per cent save enough before they pass away.
A 2015 BBC / Guardian report put the average cost of adult cremation fees at £480 in 2010 while Reassured’s Cost of Cremation (UK) Guide 2025 reported that consumers in the South East and East of England are paying an average of £4,233.
The fees for Northern Ireland are also almost £1,000 lower than those in the South East and East – at £3,284.
Council-operated cremations also revealed glaring disparities. Figures from the Funeral Guide revealed an average cost of £1,017 in the East and South West of England, against an average of £408 in Northern Ireland.
Figures from the BBC in 2019 revealed showed local authority charges for basic cremations ranged from £392 to £960 – with figures rising by around 11 per cent above inflation since 2015.
Operating in the UK for a decade direct cremations became a necessity during and in the aftermath of Covid19. In 2019 the uptake of direct cremations stood at just three per cent.
Although no longer a necessity they have remained popular, accounting for 20 per cent of funerals in the UK today, with consumers highlighting ease and speed of arranging and cost effectiveness among their reasons for choosing.
Peter Shuttleworth is the General Manager of Celebration of Life – the UK’s only a national dedicated provider of direct cremation.
With such steep increases in fees over the past decade and no sign of a slowdown Peter advised families to start thinking of their farewells, to lock them in at today’s prices whether they live another 10, 20 or 50 years.
Peter said: “We know that sadly loss is inevitable, but financial hardship shouldn’t be and whilst our cremation may be one of the last things we want to face up to, by dealing with it today we are saving ourselves and our families a small fortune – potentially thousands over the years.
“While many of our customers choose a fuss-free farewell with a direct cremation, others talk about send-offs which of course add more expense.
“Leaving our loved ones to face a sudden expense – not least in the more costly areas of the UK – is not really an option these days with the ever-increasing costs. A pre-paid plan is the best way to ensure our final wishes are carried out and equally important that our families are not faced with added stress and potentially debts that they could be left with for years after our deaths.”
First introduced in the UK in the past decade, direct cremations are an alternative to burials and cremations.
With no service, church, officiant, mourners, cars or flowers the price of a direct cremation is significantly lower than a burial or cremation, averaging at between £1,500 and £2,000 in the UK.
They are fast growing in popularity – making up three per cent of all funerals in 2019, compared with about 20 per cent in 2023.
Established in 2019, Celebration of Life is the UK’s only national provider to focus solely on direct cremation, with no other products or services in its portfolio.
