×
Plan Now, Pay LaterSecure your plan today, don't pay until 9 January 2026. T&Cs apply, click here for details.
Two Together: Save £100!Save £100 when you purchase two funeral plans together. Call us for more details.
Written by Adam McIlroy.
19 minute read
Article reviewed by James Daley, Managing Director at Fairer Finance on October 31, 2025.
How to pay for a funeral is often the first thing we wonder to ourselves when we are faced with the prospect of organising one. The financial strain of funeral arranging is something that many people feel, and, naturally, it can make an already difficult time even harder to handle when trying to cover the cost.
In this article, we look at how to pay for a funeral in the UK, whether you’re planning ahead or arranging things after someone dies. We’ll also explore options for those who may have no money available or are waiting for probate.
We’d also just like to acknowledge that you might find yourself reading this article because you yourself are confronted with the reality of needing to organise a funeral, and that we recognise the difficulty you might be experiencing. *Aura’s funeral services are available to all who need them, whether they are looking for a direct cremation in the short-term, or a prepaid funeral plan for themselves for the future. We are here to help.
*Terms and conditions apply. You will receive a funeral plan summary before purchase.
Funeral costs usually fall into two groups: essential services like cremation or burial, and optional extras such as flowers or limousines.
Prices vary depending on the type of service and location. Cremation is often cheaper than burial.
Families are usually responsible for covering funeral costs, though help may be available from the estate, government or charities.
Prepaid funeral plans can lock in today’s prices and ease the burden on loved ones later.
If no one is willing or able to cover the cost, the local council will arrange a simple Public Health Funeral.
One of the first things to do when someone dies is to get an understanding of funeral costs, as this is one of the things that will help in understanding how to pay for a funeral. Answering ‘how much does a funeral cost?‘ is not always straightforward. In general, there are different types of funeral costs which can be grouped into ‘essential costs’ and ‘additional costs’. Essential costs, typically included in the price quoted by a funeral director, may include:
Besides that, there might be certain additional burial or cremation costs which a family may need to pay. These could include:
You may also have to decide on the type of funeral that would be best, for instance, by weighing up cremation vs burial. This decision-making process will be guided by a mixture of your financial consideration, and personal or religious preferences. Starting a funeral checklist can help you to keep all of the funeral matters you need to see to organised, and to help you budget more effectively.
Many people rely on personal savings and assets to cover funeral costs, while others prefer to set up a funeral plan in advance.
In using personal savings, there are a number of advantages and disadvantages regarding how to pay for your own funeral. Personal savings can be more easily budgeted and accounted for than anything else, as they simply need to be held in some kind of account. This can give people access, a sense of control and certainty over the budget that they are working with.
However, there could be some difficulty attached to the use of personal savings. For one thing, if this is how you intend your family to pay for your future funeral, they will need to access your bank account when you are no longer here, and that is not as straightforward as you might think. They will likely need your Death Certificate in order to prove to the bank that you have died; in order to get that they will first need to register your death.
Access to your money may depend on certain administrative processes, such as providing a death certificate, and in some cases probate. If you’re wondering how to pay for a funeral before probate has been granted, banks may release funds directly to the funeral provider, but this can vary.
Many people prefer the option of a prepaid funeral plan to secure their funeral choice. But what is a funeral plan? It’s a way to arrange and pay for your funeral in advance, locking in today’s prices and removing the financial burden from loved ones when the time comes. A funeral plan gives you control over the type of service you want, and helps your family avoid stress or uncertainty at an already difficult time.
With a prepaid funeral plan, you can pay for your funeral in advance, as well as specifying exactly what you want to happen beforehand, and sparing your family from worrying about how to pay for things. With Aura, you will choose a close loved one or trusted person to be our main contact, and they’ll notify us that it’s time to put things in place. At that point, we will withdraw the money we need to pay for everything from our secure, independently managed trust.
Prepaid funeral plans can offer real peace of mind, but they aren’t the right choice for everyone. For example, if someone is likely to die soon, it may be more cost-effective to arrange and pay for a funeral directly when needed. Similarly, if you’re planning to move abroad, it’s important to check whether the plan will still be valid in your new location. We’re always happy to help you decide whether a funeral plan is right for your circumstances.
You can rest assured that our funeral plans are safe: Our trust gives every plan FSCS protection, which comes from our status as a company fully regulated by the FCA. In addition, because your funds are held securely and managed independently, they are protected from the rising cost of funerals in a way that ordinary cash savings may not be. *These could be impacted by inflation, and, when the time comes, end up not being large enough to cope with sudden or unexpected cost-increases.
Before settling on a funeral plan, you can compare Aura funeral plans with other leading providers to get a better sense of what’s out there, or head to objective consumer research sites, such as Martin Lewis’s Money Saving Expert for some useful information.
*Aura plans are fully inclusive, so there’s nothing extra to pay when the time comes. You will receive a plan summary with full terms before purchase.
Martin Lewis, the well-known consumer finance expert, has often spoken about Over 50s life insurance policies, sometimes called funeral insurance, and the importance of understanding what you’re really getting for your money. These policies offer a cash lump sum to your loved ones when you die, which can help cover funeral costs or other final expenses. They’re simple to set up, usually don’t require a medical check, and come with relatively low monthly premiums, making them a popular choice for those looking for an affordable way to leave something behind.
When comparing Over 50s insurance with prepaid funeral plans, it’s helpful to recognise that each works differently. An Over 50s plan gives your family flexibility, while a funeral plan is focused on guaranteeing that the funeral itself is arranged and paid for. Which is better depends on your priorities. If you’re unsure what insurance covers funeral costs, it’s worth checking the details of any life insurance or over-50s plan in place, as these can often be used to help with payment.
Over 50s plans are often taken out to help with funeral costs, and in most cases the money is used for that reason. However, the payout can legally be spent on anything the beneficiary chooses. A prepaid funeral plan, by contrast, is a direct contract with a provider (such as Aura) to deliver an agreed service, which means the funeral arrangements are covered no matter what happens with prices in the future.
With many Over 50s plans, you keep paying monthly premiums until a set age or for life. Depending on how long you live, this can mean paying more in premiums than the final lump sum received. A funeral plan instead locks in today’s funeral costs, with no future payments once the plan is fully paid.
Over 50s insurance policies usually do not refund premiums if you cancel after the cooling-off period. With funeral plans, some providers allow refunds, cooling-off periods, or options to transfer the plan if circumstances change.
It’s true that many life insurance providers now pay out claims quickly and efficiently, often within a few days of receiving the Death Certificate. But it’s still an extra step for the family, and it may take longer in some cases. When families are left waiting for the payout or unsure how to proceed, it can make an already difficult time, whether they’re trying to cope with the death of a parent or deal with the unexpected death of a loved one potentially even harder.
With a funeral plan, there’s no financial claim to process. The family simply contacts the provider, and the funeral is arranged according to the plan. It’s more of a service-led model, rather than a cash payout.
Most Over 50s policies pay out as expected, provided premiums are up to date. A funeral plan, once paid, has no exclusions or conditions linked to lifestyle or medical history, and is guaranteed to provide the agreed service.
In short, Over 50s life insurance offers a flexible lump sum, while prepaid funeral plans offer a fixed service. Both options help families financially, but the key difference is in control, cost certainty, and emotional pressure. If your main goal is to make sure your funeral is fully paid for and organised in advance, and your family doesn’t have to handle money, claims, or choices, then a funeral plan may provide the peace of mind you’re looking for.
The government can sometimes step in and help with funeral and direct cremation prices through various schemes for those who are eligible. The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) has two state benefits helping those who are eligible: the Bereavement Support Payment and the Funeral Expenses Payment. Your family may also be able to access money from your bank or building society account to pay for your funeral. Most banks will release funds for this purpose before a grant of probate is issued, as long as they’re provided with a death certificate and funeral invoice.
Your family might be able to claim funeral costs in this way, but the support payments generally have eligibility criteria. They may need to be the next-of-kin of the person who has died, or the next-of-kin’s partner, and they will likely already need to be claiming some form of benefit payment from the state before they can claim any support. If they live in Scotland, they can apply for the funeral support payment on the Scottish government website.
These payments can help cover essential costs such as:
Cremation or burial fees
Doctor’s certificates
Transport for the person who has died
Death certificates
Other necessary expenses, with a cap of around £1,000
As a further form of support, veterans of the British military may be eligible for burial benefits and other forms of funeral support; you can learn more about what to do when a veteran dies on the UK government website.
There are a range of charities and non-profit organisations out there that can sign-post to assistance, and possibly contribute to the cost of a funeral. Quaker Social Action charity can show you funding opportunities, whether through the government or industry-specific charities.
Other charities focus more on helping you with overcoming grief. For instance, Sue Ryder has recommendations on things like joining local death cafes. They can be a really great way to learn how to talk about death and dying with others who are grieving near you, but with a certain sense of anonymity away from those who may be grieving the loss of the same person who you are.
If no one is able to take responsibility for organising or paying for a funeral, the local council has a duty to step in. In this case, the council will arrange what’s known as a public health funeral.
This is usually a simple cremation without a ceremony or family in attendance. The date and time are typically set by the council, so families may not have a say in the arrangements or the location.
The council may recover the cost from the person’s estate, if any funds are available. However, relatives will not be asked to pay, unless they have already agreed to take financial responsibility. This often raises the question of who is responsible for funeral costs. Usually, costs are first covered by the estate of the person who has died. If there are no funds available, government schemes or local councils may step in, ensuring that families are not left to face the burden alone.
If you’re in a situation where you’re wondering how to pay for funeral expenses with no money at all, this may be the last resort. It’s not something to feel ashamed of, councils are required to make sure everyone receives a respectful farewell.
Some people turn to funeral loans and crowdfunding for the purpose of paying for a funeral.
For those who don’t have the means to pay out of pocket for a funeral at short notice, but who are not eligible for any government support, a funeral loan could be an option. Much like with any kind of financing, eligibility for a funeral loan will depend on your credit rating and ability to pay the loan back in instalments over time. A funeral plan is a way of avoiding the need to take out a loan, and of avoiding the interest payments that come with it.
Some people, in response to financial difficulty, use crowdfunding to raise funeral funds. Families can ask their wider family and friends for a financial contribution towards funeral costs, or of the costs of a post-funeral celebration of life with families often choosing to split costs evenly among themselves.
It’s also possible to look for support from the general public, on such platforms as GoFundMe or JustGiving, which often help families to quickly raise the funds they need to pay for funeral expenses through the generosity of others. Once a request has been set up, it can be easily shared on social media, for instance, when announcing a death to friends and family, or sharing details of their funeral.
Funeral directors usually ask for a deposit in advance to cover third-party costs such as cremation fees or a celebrant. This helps them secure arrangements ahead of time.
The remaining balance is usually billed after the funeral has taken place. Some funeral directors may offer the option to pay in instalments, though terms can vary depending on the provider.
If the family is relying on money from the estate, banks may release funds directly to pay the funeral bill. However, this can sometimes be delayed if probate is needed.
Some may also feel that they can or should turn to family, friends, or wider local and religious communities for support with funeral costs.
A death in the family can sometimes cause family tensions to flare, particularly if there has been difficulty in saying goodbye, or if there are different beliefs on death and funerals in the family for religious reasons. That said, the family can also be a source of support, both of an emotional and financial kind, when facing the need to organise a funeral.
Much like with breaking bad news, try to broach the subject of sharing the burden of funeral costs in person, at a neutral venue, when it is a good time for those you are asking.
Organising a fundraiser or memorial, perhaps based around the interests or pursuits of the person who has died, can be an engaging and appealing way to raise funds for their funeral, as well as a touching way of remembering a loved one. For instance, if your loved one was a keen cyclist, you might arrange a sponsored bike ride somewhere dear to them.
While the decline of religion in the UK has seen a corresponding decline in the number of religious funerals, seeking support, whether financial or otherwise, is still a way in which some people pay for a funeral. You can request support from your local congregation, or from the local clergy, if you are unsure of how to pay for a funeral. They may be able to bring financial support from the wider community, or point you to religious sources of funding.
We hope that this article has helped you feel more informed about how to pay for a funeral. If you’re currently organising a funeral for a loved one, we want you to feel as reassured and as well informed as possible. If you’d like Aura’s assistance with arranging a low cost cremation, whether in the here and now or as part of a prepaid funeral plan for the future, our Angel team is always ready to take your call. We are the top-rated provider of ‘Cremation Services’ in the UK, with a score on Trustpilot of 4.9/5 stars. We are ready to offer you our compassionate, people-focused service whenever you need.
The cost of a funeral usually falls to the next of kin or the person arranging it. Sometimes this is covered by the estate of the person who has died. If there are no funds and no one willing or able to pay, the local authority may provide a public health funeral.
The cost can vary depending on the location and whether it’s a burial or cremation. Direct cremations, such as those offered by Aura, are usually much more affordable—often less than half the cost of a traditional funeral.
Yes, but access to savings isn’t always instant. You’ll likely need a death certificate and sometimes a Grant of Probate, which can delay access. Families often pay upfront and reclaim later.
A prepaid funeral plan lets you pay in advance for a funeral, locking in today’s prices. With Aura, your money is held securely in a regulated trust, and your family won’t be left to cover any remaining costs.
Yes. Aura’s plans are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), giving peace of mind that your money is safe.
Not always. Life insurance pays out a lump sum, but it may not match funeral costs due to inflation or exclusions. A prepaid funeral plan is often a clearer, more cost-effective option specifically for funeral arrangements.
Yes, but only if you’re eligible. You may qualify for help through the Bereavement Support Payment or the Funeral Expenses Payment. Eligibility often depends on whether you receive certain benefits.
Yes. Organisations like Quaker Social Action can point you toward government or charitable funding. Others like Sue Ryder offer emotional support and grief counselling.
Funeral loans are available, but they come with interest and eligibility checks. A funeral plan can help you avoid the need for credit altogether.
Yes. Many families now use sites like GoFundMe or JustGiving to help with funeral expenses. It’s often used alongside other methods, such as family contributions or memorial fundraising.
Yes. Many families share the cost of the funeral equally or according to what each person can afford. Having an honest conversation early on can ease financial pressure later.
If no relatives are available or willing to arrange a funeral, the local council or hospital will step in to provide a public health funeral, typically a simple, unattended cremation.
Absolutely. Many people now choose to plan ahead to spare their families the cost and anxiety. Aura offers prepaid cremation plans that let you take care of everything in advance.