The Cost of Funerals Index 2026
The average cost of a funeral in the UK is £4,713. That's the average funeral cost for a traditional funeral across England, Scotland and Wales, from our latest quarterly check of the cost of funerals in the UK.
One of Britain's most comprehensive, robust and up-to-date pieces of research into the rising cost of a traditional funeral – available free for anyone, as part of our mission to make funeral prices more transparent and understandable.
Data from July 2026. Research by Pure Cremation, independently reviewed by Ragdoll Research & Planning.
How much does a funeral cost in the UK?
In July 2026, the Cost of Funerals Index shows that the average cost of a traditional funeral across England, Scotland and Wales is currently £4,713.
What’s more, in just the last three months, the cost of a funeral has crept up again. When we revisited our research, prices had already risen by £90 – and since we first reported in January 2026, the total increase stands at £151.
A traditional funeral means one arranged by a funeral director, with a service at the crematorium or a burial. The average comes from checking the prices of 270 funeral directors and 20 local councils across nine different areas of Britain – and it's rechecked every quarter.
Want to know what a funeral costs where you live? Our free funeral cost calculator shows the average cost of a traditional funeral in your area, and how it compares with a Pure Cremation funeral plan. It only takes a few seconds and can help you start thinking about what’s right for you – and your budget.
Ten key findings on the cost of a funeral in the UK
London is the most expensive place overall to have a funeral, while North-East England is the least expensive (over £1,634 cheaper)
Burials cost £2,006 more than cremations, on average
The fee a funeral director charges is more than half the total cost, averaging 55% and is the most expensive part of a traditional funeral
Depending on which funeral director you choose, the cost can vary within a region by as much as £3,255
Many funeral directors quote a price range, so for example, an individual funeral director’s price might vary by as much as £625 depending on which crematorium they use (since they usually don’t have their own) or when the service is taking place
77% of the funeral directors (207 out of 270) whose prices were checked are independent, not part of a group or a national company
The cheapest individual funeral director is in Scotland, the most expensive individual funeral director is in London
A burial in London now costs more than £9,000
The region with the most deaths is the South-East and East of England (23% of all deaths) which is also the most expensive place after London to have a funeral
The average cost of a funeral in England, Wales and Scotland is now £4,713
Average cost of a funeral by region
| Rank | Region | Average traditional funeral | Cremation funeral | Burial funeral | Funeral director's fee | Fee as a share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | London | £5,898 | £5,135 | £9,371 | £3,223 | 55% |
| 2 | South-East & East of England | £4,971 | £4,513 | £7,058 | £2,705 | 54% |
| 3 | East & West Midlands | £4,861 | £4,419 | £6,877 | £2,685 | 55% |
| 4 | Scotland | £4,718 | £4,385 | £6,240 | £2,713 | 58% |
| 5 | Yorkshire & Humberside | £4,640 | £4,281 | £6,271 | £2,488 | 54% |
| 6 | South-West England | £4,490 | £4,282 | £5,439 | £2,415 | 54% |
| 7 | North-West England | £4,305 | £4,080 | £5,331 | £2,427 | 56% |
| 8 | Wales | £4,272 | £4,010 | £5,464 | £2,416 | 57% |
| 9 | North-East England | £4,264 | £4,064 | £5,175 | £2,378 | 56% |
| UK average | £4,713 | £4,352 | £6,358 | £2,605 | 55% |
Source: Pure Cremation Cost of Funerals Index, July 2026.
The average cost is weighted 82% the average cremation cost, 18% the average burial cost, as that is the ratio of cremations to burials across England, Scotland and Wales, according to data from The Cremation Society.
Not sure which region you’re in? Enter your postcode into our free funeral cost calculator to see the average cost of a funeral in your area – and how it compares with a Pure Cremation funeral plan.
Cremation vs burial: how much does each cost?
Burials cost £2,006 more than cremations, on average – a traditional cremation funeral costs £4,352, while a burial funeral costs £6,358.
| Type of funeral | Average cost |
|---|---|
| Cremation funeral | £4,352 |
| Burial funeral | £6,358 |
| Difference | £2,006 |
The cost of a cremation funeral ranges from £4,010 in Wales to £5,135 in London. The cost of a burial ranges from £5,175 in North-East England to £9,371 in London – where a burial now costs more than £9,000.
It’s almost impossible to work out the cost of a burial from a funeral director’s website – which is why we also check the prices of 20 local councils.
What makes up the cost of a funeral?
On average, over half (55%) of the total cost is made up by the funeral director’s fee – making it the most expensive part of a traditional funeral. For a cremation funeral – which are the majority of funerals in the UK – the percentage is even higher; the funeral director’s charge is 60% of the total cost.
Here’s the funeral cost breakdown for an average traditional funeral:
| Part of the cost | Average | Share of total |
|---|---|---|
| Funeral director's fee | £2,605 | 55% |
| All other costs | £2,108 | 45% |
| Total | £4,713 | 100% |
Why funeral costs vary so much
Every funeral director in Britain must have a ‘standardised price list’ that’s easily findable on their website and prominently displayed in their funeral parlour. Yet working out how much a funeral will cost in total – and whether or not that’s more or less than the average price where you live – can still be very difficult.
The standardised price list isn’t that easy to follow. What’s more, some funeral directors quote price ranges, others have costs you may pay depending on your circumstances, and some do not show costs for everything you might need.
Depending on which funeral director you choose, the cost can vary within a region by as much as £3,255. And many funeral directors quote a price range, so for example, an individual funeral director’s price might vary by as much as £625 depending on which crematorium they use (since they usually don’t have their own) or when the service is taking place.
77% of the funeral directors (207 out of 270) whose prices were checked are independent, not part of a group or a national company. The cheapest individual funeral director is in Scotland, the most expensive individual funeral director is in London.
How we researched the Cost of Funerals Index
The Cost of Funerals Index aims to make it easy to see the average cost of a funeral in England, Scotland and Wales. The methodology behind the research calculates the average cost of a traditional funeral in nine different areas of Britain by checking the prices of 270 funeral directors and 20 local councils, using 1,890 data points. These are then rechecked quarterly, to create one of the most accurate, comprehensive and up-to-date pieces of research into funeral costs in Britain.
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Nine regions across England, Scotland and Wales
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270 funeral directors and 20 local councils
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1,890 data points, taken from each funeral director's standardised price list
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Rechecked every quarter. Latest check: July 2026
What does this mean for you?
With a traditional funeral now costing £4,713 on average, it's perhaps not surprising that research by think-tank Theos in 2023 found that fewer than half said they wanted a traditional funeral with a service.
When someone chooses Pure Cremation – whether to buy a plan so it's all sorted in advance, or for someone's funeral after they've died – they get a dignified, respectful funeral for less than half the average cost of a traditional funeral. And that can mean more money to leave to family, or to have a more meaningful, personal send-off that really reflects their life.
To see just how affordable lifelong peace of mind with Pure Cremation really is, call us free on 0800 470 23 93 for a free quote, or get your free quote here today.
Split of costs for a traditional funeral
"The Pure Cremation Cost of Funerals Index is a well-constructed and transparent measure of the core cost of a traditional funeral in England, Scotland and Wales. It is based on verifiable published prices and a sample large enough to give reliable national and regional figures. Its main methodological choices are sound and clearly explained"
Independent review from Ragdoll Research & Planning, September 2026