Funeral service providers are busier in the second week of January as evidenced by the number of deaths in the UK that occur during that time, based on data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Cold weather primarily causes 81 people to die every hour in the country, or roughly 13,670 deaths during this week compared to around 9,756 people each for any other week. These figures indicate that burial and cremation services are in demand, but many will likely choose cheap funeral plans to save money due to the high cost of dying in the country.
Annual Expenses on Funerals
A SunLife study showed that Britons spend more than £229 million for funerals in January every year. While most people are too busy to choose the best quotes for a service, that doesn’t necessarily mean that they intend to pay a hefty sum for a burial or cremation. Those who live in London are more unwilling to spend a lot, as prices in the city exceed the national average. In 2017, the average expenses for a burial funeral reached almost £4,100. A funeral director’s services make up a significant portion of the costs. For instance, as much as 70 per cent of a cremation’s fees will be paid to a funeral director. On the other hand, their payments will comprise over 50 per cent of a burial funeral.
Choosing Between Burial and Cremation
The fees you pay to a funeral service director can be a worthwhile expense since they are responsible for arranging the details of the ceremony up to the burial or cremation stage. Even if you don’t plan on using their services and choose to be cremated, it might still be quite expensive. Direct cremation cost between £1,000 and £1,600 on average in 2017. Take note, however, that this will not include any simple service or a viewing ceremony. You will have to schedule that on your own, which means an added expense anyway. If you wish to have a complete service yet want it to be affordable, a pre-paid funeral plan is a good option.
Pre-paid Funeral Expenses
Cheap funeral plans will be the first thing to cross your mind when asking around. While this is the knee-jerk reaction for many of us, the vital thing to consider involves finding the right funeral company to offer the service. Most people just sign a deal with the first provider that they see without asking for quotes from others, as long as the prices are within their budget. On the other hand, funeral service directors should recognise that more people will prefer a funeral package without a ceremony. The high cost of funerals means that they are even willing to be cremated so that buying a burial site will be out of the question. Whether or not customers will choose a pre-paid funeral package, service providers should be ready to present alternative options to sign up new customers. The second week of January can be a busy time, but competition will also be more noticeable during this period.
