The burial plot postcode lottery

Average cost of burial plots hits almost £2,000, but study reveals massive regional variations.

If you are hoping to be buried after you die then be prepared to part with a lot of cash. The average burial plot now costs £1,841, according to research by Post Office Money.

Figures obtained from councils across the UK revealed that Birmingham has the most expensive burial plots at £2,815 on average, with London close behind at £2,617. The cheapest final resting place was Belfast with burial costs of just £980.

This follows research from SunLife last year which found that the total cost of dying had rocketed by more than 10% in the preceding 12 months with the average cost of a funeral hitting an incredible £3,590. However, additional spending on things like administration of the estate and death and funeral notices push the total cost up to almost £8,500. Read The rising cost of dying for more.

“The cost of a final resting place is just one of the many things that people have to consider when planning for their own funeral or that of a loved one,” says Nick Kennett, director of financial services at Post Office Money. “As the research demonstrates, the variable cost of land across the UK has effectively created a postcode lottery."

Cost of burial across the country

Here is how the regions vary when it comes to average burial and cremation costs, demonstrating the 'postcode lottery' that people face.

The cost of burial may be high but it is only going to get worse.

“The cost of burial sites is likely to continue to rise as time goes on and the cost of land itself increases,” says Kennett. “Already in well-populated areas, such as certain London boroughs, there is a blanket ban on burials of any kind.”

Cutting the cost of your final resting place

It's incredibly important to keep the costs of managing a funeral to a minimum - a study by Royal London last year revealed that thousands are being pushed into debt of more than £1,000 as a result of covering the expense of a funeral. Read Funeral costs push thousands into debt for more.

There are a number of ways you can cut the cost of a funeral, including buying a coffin online, transporting it yourself in an estate car or van and even, if you have the stomach for it, digging the grave yourself.

But you will still need to pay for the burial plot. The only way you can save money on this is to buy it in advance and lock in today’s prices to avoid future price hikes.

“While most people would rather avoid thinking about funerals, we also do not want to add to our family’s worries by leaving them with the hefty bill that comes in the wake of rising funeral costs, says Kennett. “This is particularly concerning as 70% of adults in the UK currently have made no financial provision for their funeral.”

You can buy a pre-paid funeral plan from a number of places including the Post Office and the Co-op. These allow you to pay for your own funeral at today’s prices so you know it is covered and you won’t be affected by future cost increases.

For more, read How to pay for your funeral.

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