Guide

Burial costs

Burial is usually the more expensive route, mainly because of cemetery fees rather than the funeral director's charges.

What you are paying for

A burial bill normally has several separate parts.

The exclusive right of burial (buying the grave space for a set period)
The interment fee (digging and preparing the grave)
Permission and fees for a headstone or memorial
Higher fees where the person did not live in the council area

Memorials

Cemeteries usually require a settling period of several months before a headstone can be placed, and they set rules on size and material. There is no need to decide on a memorial quickly.

This is general information for the UK, not legal, medical or financial advice. Rules differ between England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and can change.

Money you may not have claimed

Government payments, pensions and insurance are easy to miss after a death.

A short, free check finds what you may be entitled to — including help with the funeral itself. Some claims have deadlines, so it's worth doing early.

Check what I may be entitled to

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