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How being cremated after 10am can double the cost of your funeral

The cost of cremations varies widely by postcode and the time of day
The cost of cremations varies widely by postcode and the time of day

If you’ve gone through life looking after the pennies, then you’d better ensure your will stipulates you are laid to rest before 10am.

The cost of a funeral more than doubles in some areas after 10am – and cremation prices vary by more than £500, depending on where the dead person lived.

The average price charged by crematoria in the UK is £780 – typically covering the service in the chapel and cremation itself.

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However, the cheapest place to be cremated is in Morden in Surrey, where an early morning service is £274.00.

But that cost rises during the week after 10am to £570.

The cheapest charge for a cremation after 10am on a weekday is in Feltham, Middlesex, where the charge is £515 for a 30-minute chapel slot including a 20-minute service.

At the other end of the scale is in Angus in Scotland, where it will cost £1,070 – a price mirrored by 10 Dignity branches for a cremation service.

The average price charged by crematoria in the UK is £780 (Getty Images)
The average price charged by crematoria in the UK is £780 (Getty Images)

The startling disparity in costs is revealed in new research by Funeral Plan Market. It suggests that all crematoria provide a budget price cremation or set a national price cap.

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“Cremation prices vary dependent on the operator and geographical location,” says the company, which provides online comparisons of funeral costs.

“What may appear to be a cheaper price in the first instance may mean the allocated time for the service is shorter and therefore payment for additional time will increase the price.”

Over 75% of funerals in the UK are now for cremation – up from just over 34% in 1960, the research shows.

Almost three-quarters (70%) of crematoria offer a Saturday service at a higher price, this is often a morning service, with the average price being £1,100 – 41% higher than the national average for a weekday daytime service.

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And one in three offer a Sunday service, with the average price of £1,465, 88% higher than the national average for a weekday daytime service.

The most expensive council operated crematorium is in Barrow-in-Furness, a weekday service is charged at £959 that provides a 45-minute chapel slot for a 30-minute service.

The cheapest privately-owned crematorium is in Watford, a weekday service is charged at £560 for a 40-minute chapel slot for a 25-minute service.