Councils Force Up Funeral Costs – over 50% more since 2007

7th March 2011

Councils across the UK have recently announced large increases in both cremation and grave plot costs. In many councils, cremation costs alone have risen by as much as 20%, far outstripping the rate of inflation in a move that will target the recently bereaved. These are just the latest in Council controlled price hikes that have seen cremation costs soar by 48% between 2007 and 2010.

The increases are set to have the biggest impact on the families of those who’ve not made provision for their funeral or discussed plans with their loved ones. According to figures released by the Dying Matters Coalition in February this is around half of UK adults. The survey shows that 82% of adults do not have a pre-paid funeral plan and 46% have not made any financial provision for their own death. The figures also highlight that only 10% of people get quotes from more than one funeral director.

Alan Waddington, General Manager of Health, PMI and Life Insurance at Staysure, said: “It’s difficult for any of us to face the prospect of planning a funeral for ourselves, but how much harder is it to do it for a loved one? Putting in place a pre-paid funeral plan is a loving action that will not only inflation-proof the event but dispense with a lot of heartache and difficult decisions for those left behind. We hope that these latest price hikes will encourage people to investigate the benefits that a pre-paid plan provides.”

For more information on Staysure’s Pre-Paid Funeral Plans please visit www.staysure.co.uk or call 0844 277 0844.

ENDS