Iran war driving up funeral costs in the UK | Money

The rising cost of living in the UK is now extending to the expenses associated with death, with funeral costs increasing at a rate exceeding inflation, a new report finds. The conflict in Iran is contributing to this trend, particularly impacting the price of gas used in cremations.

Rising Funeral Costs Linked to Iran Conflict

The average cost of a traditional funeral in Britain is currently £4,623, an increase of 1.3%, or £61, since January, according to a study of over 270 funeral directors across England, Scotland, and Wales. Pure Cremation, the provider that published the research, estimates this increase is above the rate of inflation for the same period.

The cost of cremation funerals has risen more sharply than burial funerals, likely due to the increasing cost of fuel as a result of the war in Iran. The average cremation now costs £4,293 – up 1.4% since January. The average burial cost has increased by 1% to £6,129.

Between December 2025 and February of this year, UK prices increased by 0.1% overall, while annual UK inflation is currently running at 3%.

Most UK crematories rely on gas – either natural gas or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) – for fuel. The government anticipates an increase in the number of electric cremators in the coming years. Global gas prices have increased in recent weeks due to the conflict in the Middle East, leading to fuel shortages and, in some countries like India, the halting of gas-fired cremations.

Regional variations in funeral cost increases were observed, with London experiencing an average increase of almost 2%, or £116, and Scotland seeing an increase of just over 2%.

Attended cremations remain the most popular type of funeral, accounting for 53% of all funerals last year, according to insurer SunLife. However, “direct cremations” – a cheaper, no-frills option without a service – have grown in popularity since the pandemic, now representing more than a fifth of all funerals. Burials account for 26% of the market.

The Pure Cremation study, described as “the biggest ever study of funeral costs across Great Britain,” included funeral director’s fees, burial or crematorium fees, and additional costs such as limousines, celebrants, embalming, and ash return in its calculations.