The average cost of a “simple funeral” in the UK is £3,785, 12% of people faced with a funeral struggle to pay for it, and people in this group take on an average debt of £1,990 (Royal London, 2019). Many people are unable to plan for a loved one’s funeral well in advance: many people die unexpectedly, at a young age, and/or in traumatic circumstances. People often need to decide on a funeral without any prior experience of what it should cost. There can be a shock when the bill arrives.

The Down to Earth service helps bereaved people planning a funeral to understand their options, prioritise what’s most important to them, save money against initial quotations, and raise money from relevant state benefits and charitable/benevolent funds. Demand for the service is increasing, and many people contact us feeling overwhelmed by funeral costs. Down to Earth is also working hard to influence the industry and government to improve funeral price transparency and reduce average prices.