How we calculate funeral costs

Last updated 29^th January 2025 by the SunLife Content Team
2 min read

Every year, SunLife commissions research into funeral costs with Critical Research, a leading market research company. This takes place between May and July and is published in our Cost of Dying Report the following January.

Working out average funeral costs

The average funeral costs used in our funeral cost calculator are based on two parts. First, the cost of a simple attended funeral with a cremation or burial. And secondly, the cost of any extras chosen by you.

The average simple attended funeral cost is based on quotes from 100 funeral directors. We ask for these quotes to include:

1. Funeral director services:
   1. Collection of the deceased from a 20/25 mile radius
   2. Care and dressing of the deceased
   3. Making arrangements – booking the crematorium, burial site and doctor, and dealing with all essential paperwork
   4. Use of the chapel of rest for viewing the deceased during working hours
   5. Transport of the deceased and family to and from the funeral site. Includes a hearse and one limousine, one director and four pall bearers
   6. A mid-range, oak veneer coffin
2. Clergy or celebrant fees
3. Doctors fees for certification (not required for a burial)
4. Cost of the cremation or burial

The calculator gives an indication of funeral costs in your area, but actual costs will vary.

We get the average cost of extras chosen by you from a survey of 1,500 people who have recently organised a funeral. As these are optional extras, not every funeral organiser spent money on each thing. So some of these average costs are based on a small sample size, and could be less accurate than others.