On average, a funeral in the UK costs £4,285. This doesn’t include the cost of a wake or other celebration after the service, if you are having one.
Direct, or unattended, cremations, which are cremations without a service attached, cost an average of £1,597. Direct cremations have grown in popularity in recent years, now accounting for one in five funerals in the UK.
The average cost of a funeral in London
In London, the average cost of a funeral is £5,449, according to SunLife’s Cost of Dying Report 2025. The equivalent package at Poppy's would cost £5,470*.
*Accurate at the time of publishing
Is burial or cremation cheaper?
Cremation costs less than burial – according to SunLife, the average cost of a simple attended funeral with a burial is £5,198, whereas a simple attended cremation is £3,980.
The cost of a burial includes the lease of a burial plot, and the digging and filling of the grave. The cost of burial plots varies widely. By way of example, in Lambeth Cemetery where our Tooting offices are based, a burial plot with a 25-year lease for an adult over the age of 19 currently costs £4,206, rising to £10,353 for a 75-year lease. These prices increase if you are not a resident of Lambeth or Wandsworth.
The cost of cremation also varies from crematorium to crematorium, but here is the cost of a cremation at three of Poppy’s most-frequently used crematoria in south London. This cost includes a single service slot in the crematorium chapel between 10am and 4pm.
- Lambeth Crematorium, Tooting: £1000
- Putney Vale Crematorium, Wimbledon: £799
- Mortlake Crematorium, Richmond: £780
There can still be significant differences in price between different crematoria or between different service times. For example, earlier times, before 10am, tend to be available at much lower rates.
What are the different costs involved in organising a funeral?
Funeral costs can be divided into the following general categories:
- The funeral directors’ fee - this covers the cost of arranging the funeral, including bringing the person into the funeral directors’ care and supporting clients with required documentation
- Venue costs – such as the service slot at the crematorium, burial chapel, church or other religious building, or alternative venue
- Celebrant, minister or service leader’s fee
- Other elements you might like for the service - flowers and orders or service are the most commonly chosen additional ‘extras’
- The wake or celebration after the service, if you are having one
How much does a funeral with Poppy’s cost?
A Poppy's direct cremation costs £1,850. This includes collecting the person who has died, caring for them in our beautiful, light-filled on-site mortuary, and providing a simple coffin and hearse for an early morning cremation at Lambeth Crematorium. Find out about Poppy’s direct cremation services.
We also offer Simple Cremation, an unattended cremation with option to visit the person who has died and/or have them dressed for £2,100, or you can choose our Full, Flexible Support offering, which starts at £2,950. Get a quote for a funeral with Poppy's.
How can I have a cheaper funeral?
It is worth remembering that many elements of a funeral are flexible to some degree – crematorium costs may be fixed, for instance, but you could choose to bring flowers from your garden rather than buying them from a florist. Or, you might choose not to have a celebrant, and instead ask a friend or family member to help lead the service.
Choosing less expensive options doesn’t at all have to mean a less personal, meaningful funeral. For more advice, read how to have a lower cost funeral.
If you can’t afford to organise a funeral
If you can’t afford to organise a funeral, or the person who died has no next of kin, the local authority or council can organise and pay for what is called a ‘public health funeral’.
For more guidance on how to find help in paying for a funeral, read this article.
If you need to organise a funeral, we’re here for you. Get a quote for a Poppy’s funeral, or visit our blog for more advice and guidance around organising a funeral.