The cost of death admin in the UK
In 2026 a traditional funeral in the UK averages £4,510 and a direct cremation £1,628. Applying for probate in England and Wales costs £526 in court fees when the estate is over £5,000, whether you apply yourself or use a solicitor.
Last checked 21 September 2026 by Naomi Jackson, Alenity
Key figures
A traditional attended funeral averages £4,510 in the UK.
A direct cremation averages £1,628.
The probate court fee in England and Wales is £526 for estates over £5,000.
94% of bereaved people find at least part of death admin stressful.
Source: Exizent Bereavement Index 2023
A typical estate involves around 40 hours of paperwork, phone calls and follow-ups.
Source: B P Collins, 2026
Funeral costs by type
| Type | UK average | Typical range | What it includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct cremation | £1,628 | £1,200 to £2,000 | Collection, a simple coffin, the cremation fee and the ashes returned. No service, no mourners, no hearse. |
| Simple attended funeral | £3,828 | £2,500 to £4,500 | Funeral director's services, a basic coffin, a hearse and a short service at a crematorium or church. |
| Traditional attended funeral | £4,510 | £4,000 to £7,000 | Full funeral director's service, a better coffin, hearse and limousine, chapel service, flowers. |
| Burial with a service | Varies widely by council | £5,000 to £9,000 | Everything in an attended funeral, plus the burial plot and the interment fee. The plot is usually the biggest single cost and is set by the local authority. |
| Send-off on top | £1,312 | £400 to £2,500 | Catering, venue, flowers, order of service, a memorial or headstone. Counted separately from the funeral itself. |
Funeral costs by region
| Region | Average | Compared with UK |
|---|---|---|
| London | £4,897 | About 28% above the UK average |
| South of England | Around £4,100 | Slightly above average |
| Midlands | Around £4,200 | Slightly above average |
| North of England | Around £3,700 | Below average |
| Scotland | Around £3,700 | Below average |
| Wales | Around £3,500 | Below average |
| Northern Ireland | £3,105 | The cheapest part of the UK |
Probate and confirmation court fees
| Nation | Estate | Fee | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| England and Wales | Estate of £5,000 or less | No fee | GOV.UK, Applying for probate: fees |
| England and Wales | Estate over £5,000 | £526 | GOV.UK, Applying for probate: fees |
| England and Wales | Extra official copies of the grant | £2 each with the application, £16 each afterwards | GOV.UK, Applying for probate: fees |
| Scotland | Estate of £50,000 or less | No fee | Sheriff Court Fees Order 2026 |
| Scotland | Estate over £50,000 and up to £250,000 | £351 | Sheriff Court Fees Order 2026 |
| Scotland | Estate over £250,000 | £705 | Sheriff Court Fees Order 2026 |
| Northern Ireland | All applications | Set separately by NICTS | Court of Judicature (Non-Contentious Probate) Fees (Amendment) Order (NI) 2026 |
What probate costs, route by route
| Route | Typical cost | £300k estate | £700k estate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Do it yourself | Court fee only, plus copies | £526 court fee, plus copies | £526 court fee, plus copies |
| Fixed-fee grant only | £400 to £1,500 plus VAT, plus the court fee | £900 to £2,100 | £900 to £2,100 |
| Solicitor, hourly rate | £150 to £350 an hour plus VAT, usually 15 to 40 hours | £3,000 to £10,000 | £4,000 to £14,000 |
| Solicitor, percentage of the estate | 1 to 5 per cent of the estate, sometimes plus an hourly element | £3,000 to £15,000 | £7,000 to £35,000 |
How we collected this
Funeral averages come from the SunLife Cost of Dying Report 2026. London and Northern Ireland figures are from SunLife's Cost of Dying Report 2026. The other regional figures are the mid-points we use in our own funeral cost calculator, built from published price lists, so treat them as a guide rather than a published average.
Court fees are published by GOV.UK and the courts in each nation. Court fees are published by GOV.UK and the courts. Professional fees are typical UK ranges quoted by probate firms and solicitors, not a published tariff, so treat them as a guide and always ask for a written quote.
Spotted something out of date? Email naomi@alenity.co.uk and we will check it against the source.
How to cite this
Alenity, "The cost of death admin in the UK", last checked 21 September 2026. https://alenity.co.uk/data/cost-of-death-admin-uk. Free to reuse with a link back (CC BY 4.0).
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