The ultimate act of the Ego's vanity - but can you afford it ?
The average cost of dying has soared to £7,098 this year and is expected to rise by another third over the next five years, according to a survey which warns that many bereaved families will struggle to cover all the expenses.
The cost of a "standard" funeral in the UK has risen by 7.2% to £2,733, but additional and often "hidden" costs such as venue hire, catering and flowers can push the overall average cost much higher, the research suggests.
There has also been a growth in "green" funerals, which now account for 7% of all ceremonies, according to the survey by Mintel for Sun Life Direct.
Environmentally friendly funerals are, perhaps surprisingly, more expensive than traditional burials because of the expense of custom-made wicker caskets.
Most funerals (77%) are cremations – at an average cost of £2,448 – and 23% are more expensive burials, costing an average of £3,018. There are substantial regional variations, however, with a burial in London costing an average £4,600.
Families have cut back on areas such as catering as a result of the recession, the survey reveals, and in order to be able to pay for long-lasting items such as memorials.
Whatever kind of funeral is chosen, many people are not planning ahead for how it will be paid, according to the study. Less than half of adults (46%) who responded to the survey said they had made financial provision for their own death, and only 19% had taken out a pre-paid funeral plan.
Of those who had already organised a funeral, 56% said the costs were in line with their expectations but 14% admitted the total was much higher than their original estimate.
A "standard" funeral costing £2,733 would involve hire of a hearse and a limousine and a simple oak veneer coffin. The research estimates that funeral costs will increase by 31% to £3,581 by 2014.
Mintel questioned a sample of funeral directors in all regions of the UK and questioned 1,538 people during July.
Mark Howes, managing director of Sun Life Direct, said: "As funeral prices are predicted to increase, it's important that people think about putting the right provisions in place. Sharing your funeral preferences with loved ones can be particularly emotional and understandably this is a topic most of us would prefer not to talk about. But organising a funeral can be extremely stressful and painful, without the added worry of not being able to cover the costs."
Hilary Fisher, director of Dying Matters, a national coalition raising awareness of death, dying and bereavement, said: "Planning and preparation for dying is vital if we are to improve our experiences. It's never easy bringing up the subject of funeral planning but pre-arranging a funeral with the help of family can avoid unnecessary financial burdens to those left behind."
family finances
The average cost of dying has soared to £7,098 this year and is expected to rise by another third over the next five years, according to a survey which warns that many bereaved families will struggle to cover all the expenses.
The cost of a "standard" funeral in the UK has risen by 7.2% to £2,733, but additional and often "hidden" costs such as venue hire, catering and flowers can push the overall average cost much higher, the research suggests.
There has also been a growth in "green" funerals, which now account for 7% of all ceremonies, according to the survey by Mintel for Sun Life Direct.
Environmentally friendly funerals are, perhaps surprisingly, more expensive than traditional burials because of the expense of custom-made wicker caskets.
Most funerals (77%) are cremations – at an average cost of £2,448 – and 23% are more expensive burials, costing an average of £3,018. There are substantial regional variations, however, with a burial in London costing an average £4,600.
Families have cut back on areas such as catering as a result of the recession, the survey reveals, and in order to be able to pay for long-lasting items such as memorials.
Whatever kind of funeral is chosen, many people are not planning ahead for how it will be paid, according to the study. Less than half of adults (46%) who responded to the survey said they had made financial provision for their own death, and only 19% had taken out a pre-paid funeral plan.
Of those who had already organised a funeral, 56% said the costs were in line with their expectations but 14% admitted the total was much higher than their original estimate.
A "standard" funeral costing £2,733 would involve hire of a hearse and a limousine and a simple oak veneer coffin. The research estimates that funeral costs will increase by 31% to £3,581 by 2014.
Mintel questioned a sample of funeral directors in all regions of the UK and questioned 1,538 people during July.
Mark Howes, managing director of Sun Life Direct, said: "As funeral prices are predicted to increase, it's important that people think about putting the right provisions in place. Sharing your funeral preferences with loved ones can be particularly emotional and understandably this is a topic most of us would prefer not to talk about. But organising a funeral can be extremely stressful and painful, without the added worry of not being able to cover the costs."
Hilary Fisher, director of Dying Matters, a national coalition raising awareness of death, dying and bereavement, said: "Planning and preparation for dying is vital if we are to improve our experiences. It's never easy bringing up the subject of funeral planning but pre-arranging a funeral with the help of family can avoid unnecessary financial burdens to those left behind."
family finances
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