Mourners in Dundee and Angus hit by biggest costs

Cremation bills highest where there is no service competition

Mourners in Dundee and Angus face the biggest bills in the UK for cremating their loves ones.

Funeral services price comparison website Beyond said that grieving relatives in areas where there is only one crematorium face much higher fees than those in areas where competition between different crematoria is keeping prices down.

Both Dundee, owned by Dignity, and the independent crematorium at Friockheim charge £1,070 per cremation. Only eight other crematoria in the UK charge as much.

Dignity said its prices reflect the additional time mourners get for services at their premises and the fee includes other items such as medical certificates.

According to Beyond, the average national cremation price is now £784.

Dundee and Friockheim crematoria are just 16 miles apart. Perth, which is owned by the local authority, charged £749 per cremation last year.

Beyond’s research comes after the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced a review into the rising costs of funerals, the price of which have more than doubled since 2004.

The review will examine whether the information provided by funeral directors on prices and services is clear enough for people to be able to choose the best option for them.

The average cost of a funeral was nearly £3,800 in 2017 – not counting extras that can add another £2,000.

James Dunn, co-founder of Beyond, said: “Mourners are being exploited and it’s fantastic news that the CMA has launched its probe into this sector.”

A spokesman for Dignity said: “People tell us the most important factor in organising a cremation is being able to make a booking that allows them sufficient time to pay their respects to loved ones.

“Our fee structure gives clients and their families a number of choices at different price levels.

“Compared on a price per minute basis, Dignity is cheaper than the majority of local authorities and cheaper than the market average.”