What Happens If I Can't Afford A Funeral?

The cost of funerals in the UK is increasing year on year, with the average basic funeral now costing £4,285*. Unfortunately, this means that a lot of families cannot afford the total cost of a funeral for their loved one, and are forced to look for alternative ways to cover costs.

If you simply cannot afford a funeral, the local authorities will step in to arrange the funeral, however as this is considered a last resort, it is worth considering who is responsible for funeral costs and reviewing any financial support which may be available to you.

Who is responsible for paying funeral costs in the UK?

In the UK, there are no laws that state who is legally responsible for paying funeral costs. However, if you have engaged with the services of a Funeral Director and entered a contract with them, you are legally responsible for paying their fees.

The executor of the estate (if there is a Will) or the family (if there was no Will) will usually take responsibility for arranging the funeral. If the option is available, they can:

Pay for the funeral using funds from the bank account of the deceased

Most banks and building societies will release up to £5,000 from the deceased’s account to cover funeral costs when presented with a funeral director’s invoice with your name on it and a copy of the death certificate, even if the bank account was previously frozen following their death.

It is important to always speak to the bank first if you need to access the deceased’s account - otherwise, you could get into legal trouble. It’s not a good idea to access the person’s individual accounts without contacting the bank or building society first, even if you know their debit card PIN or online banking log-in.

Take the money from the deceased's estate, at a later date, after assets and property has been sold

Anyone who pays for a funeral (family, friends or the local authority) has the legal right to claim that money back from the estate of the person who died, at a later date after assets and property are sold. Funeral costs are usually the executor’s highest priority, after secured debts such as a mortgage.

Check for a funeral plan or insurance

Sometimes, the person who’s died has already planned and paid for their funeral, with a prepaid funeral plan.

In the first instance, check to see if there is any record of a funeral plan or insurance policy, or if you have access to their personal documents or email account, check here for any mention of a funeral plan. Even if you can’t find any in-depth details but maybe the odd letter or email, you can always call the plan provider to see if they have anything on record. If you manage to find a plan or policy, then this could cover some or all funeral costs.

If you’re interested in learning more about funeral plans or want to set something up for the future that will prevent your family planning a funeral with no money, then check out our range of prepaid funeral plans.

But, who pays for the funeral if there is no money in the estate or a funeral plan is not in place?

If there aren’t sufficient funds in the deceased’s bank accounts or within the estate to pay for the funeral, and they did not have a funeral plan, then the family would normally cover the funeral costs.

If the family does not have the funds to pay for a funeral, there may be help available to ensure that your loved one can still be honoured with a dignified funeral.

*https://www.sunlife.co.uk/over-50-life-insurance/funeral-costs/ (Cost Of Dying Report 2025)