Memoria launches ‘Memoria Against Funeral Poverty’ initiative
Memoria Group has launched the ‘Memoria Against Funeral Poverty’ initiative which aims to reduce funeral costs and save families over £2,000.
The group warned that as the cost-of-living crisis worsens, “so do fears that funeral poverty could hit an ever-increasing number of British families”, with a basic funeral costing a bereaved family £4,056, according to the Sun Life Cost of Dying Report 2022.
A survey conducted by the funeral directors found that 7 out of 10 respondents said they “really wanted an attended funeral service but for many the standard cost of £4,000 was prohibitive”.
In light of this, it is offering a choice of low-cost-local attended cremations through Memoria Funerals as part of the new initiative, and inviting other funeral directors and crematoria to work together to offer the same service for less than half the cost of a basic funeral.
Memoria said it “believes that no bereaved family should be denied a service on the grounds of affordability”.
Funeral director and Memoria CEO, Howard Hodgson, said: “A funeral is not a luxury purchase. It is an essential and unavoidable purchase. As a business on the front line of the funeral profession, we see it as our duty to make sure every recently bereaved family and group of friends – whatever their financial means – has a choice when it comes to saying goodbye.
“Funerals are as much for the living. During the pandemic restrictions on attendance at a funeral meant that many families didn’t have a choice. As we face a cost-of-living-crisis we want to ensure bereaved families can choose the type of funeral they want rather than being forced to choose based on financial constraints.”
