According to Sun Life the average cost of a basic funeral, which doesn't include send off costs such as a wake or flowers was £4,056 in 2021 with the average cost of a direct cremation, often considered the most cost-effective funeral, being £1,647 in the same year.
66% of people that died in 2021 had made provisions before their death to cover their funeral expenses however only 63% of those had put aside enough to cover the full cost of their funeral.
If your loved one has died without making provision for their funeral or their funeral is more expensive than expected you might find yourself asking a number of questions.
Who pays for the funeral?
If there are sufficient funds in deceased’s estate, the executor will usually arrange the funeral and use the estate funds to cover the cost.
Alternatively family members or friends might arrange the funeral and pay the funeral costs themselves. If there are sufficient funds in the estate then they can be re-reimbursed from the estate.
If however there are insufficient funds in the estate to cover the cost, it will fall to family members and friends to decide whether they wish to personally fund the funeral.
What are the options if I can’t afford a funeral?
1. Funeral expenses payment – this is a government scheme to help with the cost of a funeral for those who are on low incomes and receiving certain benefits. There are rules around your relationship to the deceased and you will need to be the partner, close friend or relative of the deceased. The payments don’t cover the whole cost of the funeral and so you will need to fund the balance.
2. Bereavement support payment – spouses or civil partners of the deceased may be eligible for a bereavement support payment of up to £3,500 which can be used to contribute to the cost of the funeral.
3. Public Health Funeral – the local hospital or council can arrange a funeral if there are no funds in the estate to cover the cost of the funeral or there is no one to arrange the funeral. The council will arrange the time and date, you can generally attend and there may be a small service. Public Health Funerals tend to be cremations.
4. Charitable assistance – depending how the deceased died, there may be the possibility of help from charities such as Marie Curie and Leukemia Care.
If you require assistance with dealing with the affairs of loved one or their estate, please contact Jasmin Howlett on 01394 277941, jasmin@fairstep.co.uk or alternatively fill out our contact form, and we would be happy to discuss your requirements in further detail.