Funeral Costs in Dundee: What to Expect and How to Budget

Coping with grief alongside the added financial pressure of arranging a funeral is never easy. When we lose a loved one, often we are unprepared to deal with practicalities like budgeting and cost-planning.    

Read our guide to funeral costs in Dundee to help you make informed decisions, reduce stress and learn the financial assistance options available to you.   

How much does a funeral cost?  

Funeral costs in Dundee

In 2024, the average cost of a funeral in the UK rose from £3,953 to £4,141. Funeral costs can vary significantly, and they are as individual as the person’s life you are honouring. Other costs and factors can be managed as a family, such as the location of the burial plot or cremation.  

All burial costs in Dundee are available on Dundee City Council’s website.   

 How funeral prices are structured  

At James Ashton & Son, the cost of a funeral is divided into two parts- fees due to us for services we provide and fees due to third parties, often called disbursements, which we pay on your behalf.   

Services we provide can include:  

• Taking care of all necessary legal and administrative arrangements 

• Collecting and transporting the deceased from the place of death into the funeral director’s care 

• Care of the deceased person before the funeral in appropriate facilities. 

• Provide a suitable coffin 

• Viewing of the deceased for family and friends 

• A hearse and limousines 

Third-party fees, or disbursements, usually include   

• Church, cremation, and burial fees  

• Minister or officiant fees   

• Florists 

• Paper Notice 

• Organist  

• Piper  

Paying for a funeral   

Who pays for a funeral?  

The person who arranges the funeral is responsible for paying the final bill. It’s important to know how the funeral can be paid for in advance.   

• A pre-paid plan  

The deceased may have taken out a pre-arranged or pre-paid plan outlining the details of their funeral ahead of their death. This helps avoid unnecessary stress and removes the burden of decision-making while dealing with grief. We offer a range of pre-paid funeral plans via Golden Charter starting from £1,635 with monthly payments available from £17.41 per month to help you budget for your funeral.  

• Paying from the person’s estate 

Often the funds come from the deceased’s estate. With a certified copy of the death certificate, most banks and building societies will release funds from the person’s account to pay the funeral bill.  

• Financial assistance from the government   

If you’re struggling to afford the cost of a funeral, there are support options available to you – your funeral director can help guide you through the process of submitting the claim form. Social Security Scotland offers a one-off Funeral Support Payment to help assist with some of the costs. The payment is made up of a contribution towards funeral director charges (currently £1257.75) and a contribution towards relevant cremation or burial fees. The cost of a new lair as well as the interment fee may also be covered.     

 How to budget for a funeral   

Speak to the funeral director 

When someone dies, a funeral director is often the family’s first point of call for any queries relating to the funeral. Alongside organising the funeral service, funeral directors can help support you with paperwork, logistics and additional services like booking the burial or cremation and the location of the service. They are experts at what they do and are here to help guide you. If you’re on a budget or are concerned about cost, make sure your funeral director knows. They can help advise you on ways to save money. 

Set priorities   

We all want to give our loved ones the send-off they deserve, and for each family that differs. 

Planning a funeral can be a daunting task, but it is important to remember that you are not alone. Your dedicated James Ashton & Son Funeral Director will be there to help you along every step of the way. They will work with you to create a funeral and lasting tribute that is personal and meaningful, and they will be there to offer support to you and your family during this difficult time.