Funeral costs soar by £140 in one year

London: As per a recent report, the average cost of a basic funeral has leapt by 140 pounds in the space of a year.

According to the Independent, across the UK, the typical cost has rocketed by a 3.9 per cent from 3,562 pounds to 3,702 pounds in just 12 months for a basic service, the insurer Royal London said.

Cremation costs rose to 3,294 pounds from 3,162 pounds, while burial costs increased more gradually to 4,110 pounds from 3,962 pounds in 2014.

The rising cost of an average UK funeral is very concerning; it’s outstripped inflation considerably for many years -almost in line with house price rises, which as we know continue to rise rapidly as demand outstrips supply, Royal London funeral cost expert Simon Cox said.

The figures underscore the growing financial challenges of planning a funeral, with a recent YouGov survey of 2,000 people showing that one in 10 struggled to pay.

Vulnerable bereaved people are taking on increased debt; and researchers predict this problem will worsen if steps are not taken to tackle the many, persistent causes driving up the cost of funerals, Cox added. (ANI)