‘Cost of dying’ at record high in UK – report — RT World News
A growing number of Britons are choosing cheaper funerals amid declining living standards
Funeral costs have risen to a record high in the UK, prompting nearly one in four people to opt for direct cremation or burial without a send-off, according to a report by insurer SunLife. The report found that almost one in five people had to sell their possessions to pay for their funeral last year.
Between the cost of burial or cremation, the price of the memorial service, and expenses such as legal fees, “Cost of death” The average income was £9,658 ($12,296) in the UK last year, the report said. This represents an increase of £458 since 2022, the highest figure ever registered By Sun Life.
In 2023, the average cost of the same funeral was £4,141 – 4.7% more than in 2022, and up from just £1,835 in 2004. As prices rise, the report noted that more and more Britons are opting for funerals. Cheaper, based on interviews with more than 1,500 families and 100 funeral directors.
About 20% of families directly cremated their loved ones last year, up from just 3% in 2019. Direct cremation involves taking the deceased directly to the crematorium without any religious service or other remembrance. 4% chose direct burial, where the deceased is buried without a service. 2023 was the first year SunLife recorded this type of funeral in its report.
The report noted that a direct burial costs an average of £1,657, compared to the £5,077 associated with a traditional burial.
Regardless of the type of funeral someone chooses, an increasing number of people are finding it difficult to pay for their departure, with 45% having to rely on their families to offset some of the costs. The report found that since last year, the number of people who have sold their possessions to cover their funeral expenses has risen from 15% to 18%.
Britain is currently experiencing the worst decline in living standards since records began, with the Office of Management and Budget warning last year that the decline would continue until next March. The TUC union warned last week that real wages will not return to 2008 levels until at least 2028.
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