Lambeth Council Funerals Double as London Funeral Costs Soar

Key Points

• Public health funerals in Lambeth have more than doubled, rising from 55 in 2022-23 to 114 in 2023-24.
• Council funerals involve local government arranging funerals when no prior plans or family are available to cover costs.
• Rising funeral costs in London, poverty, and an increasing number of people dying without next of kin drive the trend.
• London funerals cost an average of £5,449, 27% more than the UK average, with a 5.4% rise year-on-year.
• Lack of legal minimum standards creates varied funeral provisions across local authorities.
• Experts call for better understanding and support for public health funerals and highlight social inequalities.
• Demographic shifts show older men often die without family, increasing demand for council funerals.
• Public funds spent on council funerals topped £21 million between 2019 and 2023.
• Campaigns push for expanded government support through Funeral Expenses Payment schemes.

What are public health funerals and why are they increasing in Lambeth?

Council-organised funerals, also known as public health funerals, are arranged by local authorities when no one else has made funeral plans or is willing or able to pay for a service. Lambeth Council reports a significant increase, with the number of public health funerals rising from 55 in 2022-23 to 114 in 2023-24, more than doubling within a single year. This rise reflects a wider pattern across London, where council funerals have grown faster relative to the rest of the UK.

As reported by Kate Woodthorpe, co-director of the Centre for Death and Society at the University of Bath, in The Guardian,

“There is a really desperate need to know more about public health funerals, because they are kind of like the ultimate backstop. They are so symbolic of the role of local authorities or the state — that someone will step in to look after you if you end up in such a marginalised position that you’ve either got no money or family.”

Why are funeral costs rising sharply in London?

According to data shared by financial services company SunLife and featured in the Evening Standard, the average funeral cost in London now stands at £5,449, a 5.4% increase since the previous year and 27% higher than the UK average. The rise is driven by expensive land for burials, high cremation costs, rising supplier charges, and inflation affecting funeral directors and related services.

Rebecca Tickle, Chief Operating Officer at Poppy’s, a London funeral directors company, told the BBC:

“A lot of funeral directors are small businesses as well, and so we’re facing the same costs in terms of heating our buildings and the services that we’re buying in. I don’t think it’s a funeral sector issue per se. I think it is a cost of living issue.”

A 2020 report by the Competition and Markets Authority highlighted that funeral director and crematoria prices have consistently outpaced general inflation for years.

How do public health funerals differ between councils and why is this important?

Lambeth Council explains on its website that it arranges burials or cremations for those who die within the borough when “satisfactory arrangements would not otherwise be made.” Costs for these funerals can range anywhere from £1,800 to £6,000.

However, there are no legal minimum standards for public health funerals across the UK, leading to significant variation in how councils manage them. Lindesay Mace, co-manager of the Quaker Social Action project Down to Earth, told The Independent,

“There are some councils that deny people these things, they will have a direct cremation, so no one can attend. They will refuse to give the ashes back to anybody. That can cause really significant distress for people…where councils refuse to carry out a burial when it’s very clear that the person who died wanted to be buried and didn’t want to be cremated.”

What social factors contribute to the rising number of council funerals?

Experts link the rise to expanding poverty and changing family dynamics. The ESRC Centre for Population Change at the University of Southampton published a study establishing a “clear link” between public health funerals and poverty, noting Lambeth ranks second highest nationally in public health funerals.

The Trust for London highlights Lambeth’s high rough sleeper numbers, and a 2019 Lambeth Council report reveals that 30% of adults over 60 experienced income deprivation — over twice the national average.

Lindesay Mace emphasises in The Independent,

“As with everything poverty related, it comes back to recognizing that all these different types of poverty, they are just different types of poverty, and trying to address each one individually will never work without looking at the whole.”

Another critical factor is demographic change. The Local Government Association found in 2024 that 62% of councils reported no family or friends as the main reason for public health funerals, with men particularly vulnerable — making up two-thirds of such funerals between 2014 and 2020.

How are people adapting their funeral choices amidst cost pressures?

The Direct Cremation, a low-cost funeral option without a service or attendees, has surged from 3% of all funerals in 2019 to 20% in 2023, according to Down to Earth.

Mace commented to the Financial Times,

“I’m not unsympathetic to the impact of rising costs, but funeral prices have risen significantly above the rate of inflation for over a decade…The reality for bereaved people is they’re still facing prices that are higher than they really should be.”

What financial support exists and what changes are being campaigned for?

The UK government offers Funeral Expenses Payment (FEP) to individuals receiving income-related benefits to help with funeral costs. However, Down to Earth is campaigning to expand eligibility criteria, arguing the current support is insufficient given soaring prices and poverty levels.

What are the broader implications of increasing public health funerals for society and public spending?

Between 2019 and 2023, councils spent over £21 million on public health funerals, with service numbers rising 47% from 2015 to 2021. This growing drain on public funds has led to debates about fairness and sustainability, especially compared with funeral insurance or pre-paid plans by others.

Kate Woodthorpe noted in The Guardian,

“Without an effective solution, some may begin to question the fairness of spending increasing amounts of taxpayer money on public health funerals, when others have contributed to insurance schemes or pre-paid funeral plans. The reality is there’s going to be a large number of people who just can’t — so what do you do? It’s a really tricky one, but how you handle it is also quite indicative, I think, about how you regard the role of the state in supporting its most vulnerable citizens.”