We know how expensive funerals can be and that for some people this is the most worrying aspect of planning a funeral.
Talking about money when someone has died can feel difficult too, as though we’re being disrespectful to them or to their memory.
It’s why we advocate taking your time to find the right funeral director for you, one that’s got plenty of time to talk through your budget. It’s now a requirement for funeral directors to display their prices online so it’s easier to understand which elements cost what, and to see where you might be able to save some money.
There are many ways of achieving a wonderful funeral without spending a vast amount. As our inspirational founder, Charles Cowling, said about what makes a good funeral – “It’s not what you spend, it’s what you do.”
Getting involved and helping to create a funeral can be an empowering, satisfying and supportive act of community for everyone around the person who has died, and saving money is an additional and welcome bonus.
Here are a few ideas:
- If you’re planning a cremation, early morning bookings can be significantly cheaper.
- It’s also worth looking at different crematoria in your area, as they can vary significantly in their pricing – as we noted in our post on this blog a few years ago. In 2025, the cost of cremation ranges from £595 (for an early morning attended ceremony at City of London Crematorium) to £1,295 (for a ceremony in the middle of the day at North Oxfordshire Crematorium). Some crematoria now also charge different rates for different days of the week.
- Gather family and friends to decorate a basic wooden or cardboard coffin, either at home or at the ceremony.
- Holding the funeral ceremony somewhere other than at a crematorium can enable you to arrange a less expensive venue, such as your home or a community hall. Or your funeral director may have a ceremony room available. Such an arrangement can mean you can hold a ceremony at a time to suit you and your guests, and then the coffin can be taken for an early morning ‘no service’ committal the next day.
- Take a taxi or arrange a lift to the venue, rather than paying for a limousine.
- Flowers – bring some from your garden, choose your own local florist or supermarket, ask guests to bring a single stem.
- Programmes – design and make your own, get a friend to, or don’t have one – the Much-Loved website offers a free online tribute page.
- Photography – a friend can take photos of the ceremony or stream from their phones for those who can’t be there rather than booking an online service through the venue or hiring a private photographer.
- A post funeral gathering can be held at someone’s house, or try shopping around for an inexpensive community venue and ask people to bring food to share.
You can also get financial help and advice from the Money Advice Service (now MoneyHelper), the Down to Earth project run by Quaker Social Action and the Citizen’s Advice Bureau
Do add other ideas in the comments.
0 Comments