Traditional burial and cremation fees have risen by at least 5% over the past year.
According to a study by Funeralbooker, some locations have seen rises in of up to 68%, with London named as the most expensive place to be buried.
The resting place of Karl Marx and the recently deceased George Michael, north London’s Highgate cemetery has a burial fee of £18,325, and is the UK’s most costly place to be laid to rest.
By comparing the costs of 951 cemeteries and 282 crematoria, Funeralbooker was able to identify the average cost of both burial and cremation within the UK. Including the plot and the interment, the family would pay an average of £1,792 to have their loved one buried. Cremation was slightly cheaper, with an average cost of £753. These current figures indicate a 5% annual rise for cremation and a 13% increase for cremation over the last 12 months – from £716 and £1,579 respectively.
With several cemeteries in the Fermanagh and Omagh district council area charging as little as £261 for the burial, Northern Ireland is the cheapest place to be buried. It’s worth noting that this is the price for residents of the borough, and for non-residents, the price may be a lot higher.
There was also regional variation in the cost of cremation, despite being less expensive than burials on a general level. Whilst London South West Middlesex crematorium in London charges around £490, several of Dignity’s crematoria charge over double this at £999.
There is also now the option of a direct cremation, where the body is cremated shortly after death without a ceremony beforehand. According to Funeralbooker, the cost of this will usually start at around £650, and will usually include a simple coffin.
