Cremation Cost

How Much Does a Cremation Cost?

The average cost of a cremation service in the UK is £3312

This is made up of the funeral directors fee (transport, care of the deceased and personnel), doctors fee, crematorium fee and ministers fee.
There are several other costs including catering, vehicle hire and venue hire for the service (if you wish to hold one), funeral flowers and an obituary all need to be taken into consideration and can vary between funeral providers.

Table Of Contents

Typical Cremation Cost Calculator

Crematorium fee – £783
Doctor’s Fee – £164
Ministers fee – £156
Funeral directors fee (care of the deceased and preparation, personnel, legal paperwork and documentation) – £2,209

Additional Costs

Service venue hire and food – £841
Additional hearse hire – £319
Order sheets – £63
Obituary – £72
Funeral notice – £85
Flowers – £149
Memorial – £916

Basic cremation is £3312
With Additional Costs (+ £2445)

Researching the Cost of Cremation in the UK

From our research the cheapest place to get cremated is Belfast.
The most expensive place to get cremated is Beckenham.

Figures from the Royal London Funeral Study show the most expensive place for a cremation service (including funeral directors fee, a basic coffin and a simple service) is Abingdon, Oxford and the cheapest is Belfast.

If you are interested, we have produced a detailed graphic highlighting the costs & statistics for cremation in the UK

Is Cremation Cheaper than Burial?

Yes, cremation is cheaper than a burial.

The cremation process is generally cheaper than a burial due to the shortage of available land and therefore high expense of burial spaces.

Tips for a Cheap Cremation

Cheap doesn’t mean you don’t care, in fact if you don’t use a funeral director you will be putting more effort into the celebration and it will be more personal.

Here are some idea to help make the service more affordable:

  • Cardboard coffin – durable and available in various designs.
  • Shop direct for memorabilia – shopping online for an urn or a memorial can save you money
  • Look into direct cremation – a new service that provides value for money and convenience
  • If you want to hold a service, do it outside at a time that suits you (this will also save on non essentials like order sheets and if held at a location that means something to you, its more personal)
  • Shop around for the cheapest prices on flowers, don’t just assume the director has the best price. There are websites that have very competitive prices.

DIY Cremation Funeral

Below we have worked with a local funeral director to put together a list of everything you’ll need to do and complete if you are looking to arrange the cremation yourself, I hope it helps.

Further Reading

Step by Step Cremation Process

Direct Cremation Guide

Cremation statistics in the UK

Water Cremation, the new norm?

Cremation vs Burial Comparison