DEATH ISN’T THE END OF PAYING OUT

Funeral costs have shot up 70% in the past decade – that’s more than triple the rise in house prices and wages.

In the last year alone they have risen 4.7% to an average of £4,078, according to the latest Cost of Dying report from SunLife.

London remains the most expensive place to die with the average funeral costing £5,951. That compares to £2,982 in Northern Ireland where costs have dropped 9% in the past year. Wales has also seen a drop of 4.6% to an average of £3,461.

If house prices had risen at the same rate in the last decade the average home would cost £100,000 more than it does today.

And if funeral costs continue to go up at the same rate the average cost will be almost £5,000 in five years.

But, there is some good news as there are things people can do to cut the cost.

For those who don’t want all the pomp and ceremony, having a direct cremation – where the body is cremated immediately after death without a funeral service – costs less than half that of a standard cremation at an average of £1,835.

You can also save by not having a wake, or holding it at home – the average amount spent on a wake and catering is £655. There are also cheaper coffins, with prices from £100 for a cardboard one.

More than a third of people who had recently organised a funeral said the cost was more than they expected and almost half cut back on certain aspects to keep it down.

One in three chose a cheaper coffin, a quarter cut back on flowers and one in five didn’t embalm the body.

Dean Lamble, head of SunLife, said: “Many people worry that having a cheaper funeral is disrespectful but our research shows that the vast majority of us do not want money wasted.

“More than a third of people who have recently organised a funeral said they would want their own to be as cheap as possible. Just one in 50 said they want a lavish affair.”