Pride Funeral Care owner calls for greater cost transparency

The co-owner of  Pride Funeral Care is calling for more transparency when it comes to funeral costs to prevent families “plunging into debt”.

Businessman Adam Deering, who also runs a funeral planning service, says the industry needs new regulations to prevent the costs of burying a loved one causing funeral poverty. 

Deering, co-owner of Pride Funeral Care with branches in Southport and Huyton on Merseyside and pre-paid funeral plan provider Pride Planning, has all too often seen families spiral into debt because of hefty funeral costs they can’t afford. 

He said: “There needs to be more transparency on pricing prior to a funeral because people are finding they get this big bill. Funeral parlours need to show prices on their websites, in their windows, and the price of a funeral should be agreed before it takes place.

“When you’re in an emotional state and have lost your mum or dad days ago, maybe even 48 hours ago – are you really in the right frame of mind to be making expensive financial decisions? No, you’re not.”

He added: ”But people do, sadly, and they don’t realise the cost. They just think ‘oh I’ll sort it out later and then the next thing is they’re in funeral poverty and it’s a big problem. I mean it’s bad enough paying your credit card off. So imagine being in debt and having to pay off your mum’s funeral.”

Deering said the current Covid-19 pandemic has made people more frank and honest about mortality.

He said: “People are very aware now, whereas in the past it was perhaps not spoken about, it was a bit taboo, or a bit shunned. But in reality it’s the only thing we are sure of in this life, that we are all going to die at some point.

“The problem with funerals is that the cost goes up, whether that’s driven by the funeral directors greed or the crematorium fees or additional disbursements.

He also revealed funeral prices of up about eight per cent every year on average.