Brighton most expensive for direct burial, study finds

Brighton has been found to be the most expensive city for a direct burial at an average cost of £1,667, while Belfast was found to be the costliest for a direct cremation at £1,848, according to a new study by Shepherds Friendly. 

With funeral prices having risen by 4.7% year-on-year, many people in the UK are seeking simpler, more affordable options to say goodbye to their loved ones. 

Shepherds Friendly has analysed the prices of direct burial and cremation services in 40 UK cities, and compared the rates from five different funeral parlours in each location to find an average. 

The firm found that Brighton’s average funeral director fees for direct burial fees are nearly £900 more than in Liverpool – the city with the lowest costs. 

Meanwhile, Edinburgh is the second most expensive, with a similar price of £1,621, followed by London where funeral director fees average at £1,549.

At the other end of the scale, the least expensive UK city for a direct burial is Liverpool, with an average funeral director fee price of £797. 

Blackpool follows at £808, then Dundee where funeral director fees cost around £852. 

The most expensive city for direct cremations is Belfast, where funeral director fees cost £1,848. 

At the same time, Liverpool is revealed to be the cheapest city for a direct cremation, with funeral director fees costing £977 on average.