Choose a funeral director
Get two written quotes before you commit.
Prices vary widely for the same service, and every firm must now give you a standardised price list.
- How long it takes
- A day or two
- Typical cost
- £1,500–£5,000 typically; direct cremation from around £1,000
- What you need before you start
- Any funeral wishes written down, or a pre-paid plan
- The green form from the registrar
Ask for the standardised price list — all funeral directors are required to display one. Compare like with like.
Check what is not included: doctors' fees, cremation or burial fees, flowers, cars, order sheets, and the wake.
You are allowed to arrange a funeral without a funeral director, and you are allowed to use a direct cremation and hold the service later.
Check for a pre-paid funeral plan before you book anything — plans are often forgotten and already paid for.
Reference numbers from this step
Saved on this device, and gathered together in your reference numbers.
General information, not legal advice. Last reviewed 19 August 2026 by Simon D Campbell. Applies to England and Wales.