Planning a funeral for a family member or close friend? If they wanted a church funeral service, it’s useful to get an idea of the costs before you make any arrangements. It’ll make planning easier and help you manage your budget. We’ve put together some info on how much church funerals cost so you know what to expect.
How much is a church funeral service?
The average funeral cost in the UK is £4,141 (SunLife 2024). A large amount of this cost usually goes towards the funeral director’s fees. But when you’re planning a church funeral service, you’ll also need to pay costs to the church’s parish council or the board that looks after your local church. These are sometimes known as ‘minister fees’, but the proper name is ‘parochial fees’.
Depending on your faith and where your local church is these costs may change or you may see additional costs. This is because each parish can have a different set of costs for certain parts of a church funeral service.
Church of England funeral fees for 2023
Knowing how much each part of a church funeral service costs may help you decide which parts are important to you and which won’t be suitable. It may also help you think about whether you’d like the help of a funeral director or whether you want to take on more of the planning yourself. So we’ve put together the latest Church of England funeral costs to give you a better idea of what to expect.
Please note: the costs below are taken from the Church of England’s list of parochial fees for 2023. So they may not reflect the cost of a church funeral service carried out by another branch of the Christian faith.
Costs for funeral service in the church |
|
| £228 | Funeral service in the church that takes place immediately before or after the burial/cremation |
| £365 | Burial of the coffin in the churchyard that takes place immediately before or after the funeral service |
| £158 | Burial of cremated remains in the churchyard that takes place immediately before or after the funeral service |
| £33 | Burial of the coffin or cremated remains in a cemetery that takes place immediately before or after the funeral service |
| £33 | Cremation that takes place immediately before or after the funeral service |
| £397 | Burial of the coffin in the churchyard on a separate day to the funeral service |
| £190 | Burial of cremated remains in the churchyard on a separate day to the funeral service |
| £82 | Burial of the coffin or cremated remains in a cemetery on a separate day to the funeral service |
| £18 | Certificate for burial of coffin or cremated remains |
Costs for funeral service at the graveside or elsewhere |
|
| £472 | Graveside funeral service in churchyard and burial of coffin |
| £265 | Graveside funeral service in churchyard and burial of cremated remains |
| £227 | Funeral service carried out at a crematorium or cemetery including burial of coffin or cremated remains |
| £227 | Funeral service carried out in a funeral home |
| £33 | Cremation that takes place in a funeral home |
| £397 | Burial of coffin in churchyard only (no graveside or church service) |
| £190 | Burial of cremated remains in churchyard only (no graveside or church service) |
| £33 | Burial of coffin or cremated remains in a cemetery |
| £18 | Certificate for burial of coffin or cremated remains |
Other costs of a church funeral service(These are estimated costs and will change depending on your local parish) |
|
| £60-70 | Heating the church if needed |
| £80-100 | Organist |
| £0-60 | Service of a verger (person who helps with the service) |
| £0-60 | Use of AV system for music/photo montages |
| £0-150 | Help with broadcast of the funeral via online platform |
Examples of the cost of a church funeral service
Below we’ve put together 2 example scenarios of what some people may like to include in church funerals. This will give you a clearer picture of the total cost you can expect to pay for a church funeral service. Keep in mind that these costs are for the service only and don’t include the funeral director’s fees, the price of a coffin or a hearse.
Example 1: How much is a church service for a funeral, followed by burial of a coffin in the churchyard?
| Cost | Service |
| £228 | Funeral service in the church that takes place before or after the burial/cremation |
| £365 | Burial of the coffin in the churchyard that takes place immediately before or after the funeral service |
| £18 | Certificate for burial of coffin or cremated remains |
| Total £611 |
Example 2: How much is a simple graveside service, held before or after a cremation?
| Cost | Service |
| £265 | Graveside funeral service in churchyard and burial of cremated remains |
| £18 | Certificate for burial of coffin or cremated remains |
| Total £283 |
As you can see from the two examples above, the cost of a church funeral service can change quite a bit depending on what you choose to include. These costs are reviewed by the Church each year and optional extras may change depending on where you are in the UK. This also doesn’t cover all funeral costs. Read our guide on how much a funeral costs for a full breakdown.
Although this gives you an idea of what the costs could be it’s always best to contact the church where you’d like to have the service for up-to-date info. Or if you’re using a funeral director, they’ll help you organise the church funeral service and give you a breakdown of costs. That way you’ll know what’s included and what will cost extra.
How much does a Catholic funeral cost?
There is no fee for Catholic church funeral services. But the church may ask for a donation instead.
The suggested donation will vary from church to church and from priest to priest. However, it’s usually about the same as what you’d pay for an Anglican service. Check the Church of England’s list of 2023 parochial fees for details.
As with other kinds of church funerals, you’ll also have to pay for the burial and cover any funeral director fees.
Need help from a funeral director?
Now you know the rough costs of a church funeral service, you may want to contact a funeral director to help you organise the service. Not sure where to start? Use our funeral director finder to help you narrow down your search and find the right person to help you.
