Funeral costs

Your local funeral director should offer a range of services to suit all your requirements and budget. Upon making funeral arrangements, they will discuss options and costs with you.

There are fixed costs attached to arranging a funeral, whether it is a burial or cremation, for a church service or a secular ceremony. These fixed costs include:

Standard charges for carrying out the funeral

These include  the professional services charge; a fee for making the funeral arrangements, providing appropriate advice, support, guidance, completion of documentation and liaising with third parties. Other fees will include the transfer of the deceased into the funeral director's care, use of the funeral home chapel of rest, and attendance at the funeral service with the necessary vehicles and staff. 

Disbursement fees

These are third party charges which the funeral director has to pay on your behalf, for instance church fees, officiant’s and musician’s remuneration, press announcements, floral tributes, cremation service fees and doctor’s fees.

Typically, funeral directors now request payment of disbursement fees in advance of the date of the funeral.

Variable costs of a funeral are dependant on your choice of coffin and ancillary items for the funeral or further requirements you may have such as embalming, the provision of service sheets, the use of extra limousines, the type of hearse used, or any other services.

In all cases, your funeral director should provide you with a full written estimate of their charges, including payments made on your behalf. Price lists should also be available upon request.

If you think you may have difficulties in paying for the funeral costs, speak to your funeral director about this. They can advise you on claiming payment from the Social Fund. They can also advise you on lower cost funeral options or perhaps adapt payment terms so it is more affordable for you.

Most funeral directors will send you an invoice for their services following the funeral. Alternatively, if the funeral is going to be paid out of the deceased’s estate, they can arrange for the invoice to be sent to your legal representative handling this on your behalf.