The UK's most expensive places to hold funerals, according to a new study

Watford has been ranked as the most expensive place to hold a funeral in the UK, according to a study.

Mourners in the Hertfordshire town are paying 37 per cent more to cover the costs of burying a loved one compared to the national average.

Funeral comparison website Beyond said undertakers were "making a killing" in Watford and charging an average of £5,814 - £60 more than a typical ceremony in London.

London was the second most expensive place for funerals, charging an average of £5,749 and Redhill was in third place, charging £5,352, according to the figures.

It said in a statement that came with the findings: "The ‘Watford Gap’ is back and this time it’s because funeral directors seeking to make a killing are charging 37 per cent more than the UK average.

The UK's ten 'most expensive places to die'

Figures from research by comparison site, Beyond

1. Watford (£5,814)

2. London (£5,749)

3. Redhill (£5,352)

4. Guildford (£5,317)

5. Liverpool (£5,157)

6. Newport (£5,149)

7. Brighton (£5,013)

8. Halifax (£4,976)

9. Salisbury (£4,959)

10. Aberdeen (£4,942)

Funeral costs have risen 33 per cent in the last two years, from to £4,241, the company added.

"This spike is being fuelled by price hikes among the big chains, who have raised their already-high fees by more than £500 in two years.

"Meanwhile, independent funeral directors, who represent roughly a third of the market, have actually been found to have dropped their fees over the past 12 months."

James Dunn, co-founder of Beyond, said: “A lack of transparency in the funeral market is what’s fuelling price rises, particularly among the big chains.

“Death means big business, with half a million Brits dying every year, but a disinclination to shop around is resulting in mourners, who are often vulnerable, paying over the odds.”

Co-operative funeral care challenged the figures - stating that 81 per cent of people opt for cremation over a burial, and their figures show the average fees for funeral directors were at £2,810, or £3,900 including third party fees.

Here is the full table of Beyond's figures:

A spokeswoman added: "Co-op has held prices on its most affordable funeral options for over two years. So again, we would strongly challenge the claims about larger providers being solely behind the rises."