Independent vs Chain Funeral Directors: What the Prices Show
Data snapshot: 23 October 2026.
If you're arranging a funeral, you may have wondered whether a large national chain or a local independent firm will cost you less. We looked at the prices funeral directors have published to find out.
The short answer is that it depends on the kind of funeral. Chain-owned firms are a little cheaper on average for a direct cremation, but dearer for a full, attended funeral.
The headline figures
We compared the published prices of over 3,300 funeral directors listed on Trusted Funeral Directors. "Chain" means a branch owned by Co-op Funeralcare, Dignity or Funeral Partners. Everyone else is counted as independent.
| Listings | Average direct cremation | Average attended funeral (director's fees only) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | about 2,270 | £1,681 | £2,658 |
| Chain-owned | about 1,680 | £1,603 | £2,782 |
- Direct cremation: chains are about £80 cheaper on average (£1,603 against £1,681).
- Attended funeral: chains are about £125 dearer on average (£2,782 against £2,658).
It isn't one price across the chains
The three chains price very differently, so lumping them together hides a lot.
| Chain | Listings priced | Average direct cremation | Average attended funeral |
|---|---|---|---|
| Co-op Funeralcare | about 780 | £1,471 | £2,610 |
| Dignity | about 610 | £1,637 | £2,818 |
| Funeral Partners | about 220 | £1,974 | £3,292 |
Co-op Funeralcare is the main reason chains look cheap for direct cremation. Its average is about £210 below the independent average, partly because some Co-op branches publish a lower price of around £1,240. Dignity is about £45 below the independent average, and Funeral Partners is the dearest of the three at around £290 above.
For an attended funeral, Co-op Funeralcare is slightly cheaper than independents on average (about £50), while Dignity is about £160 dearer and Funeral Partners about £630 dearer.
The gap by region
The picture changes depending on where you live. Here are the average prices for an attended funeral (director's fees only).
| Region | Independent | Chain | Chain difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | £3,065 | £3,288 | +£223 |
| South East | £3,135 | £3,066 | -£69 |
| South West | £2,636 | £2,774 | +£138 |
| East of England | £2,728 | £2,761 | +£33 |
| East Midlands | £2,618 | £2,672 | +£54 |
| West Midlands | £2,402 | £2,846 | +£444 |
| North West | £2,390 | £2,598 | +£208 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | £2,512 | £2,676 | +£164 |
| North East | £2,242 | £2,601 | +£359 |
| Scotland | £2,597 | £2,470 | -£127 |
| Wales | £2,286 | £2,534 | +£248 |
On average, chains are dearer than independents in most regions: by more than £200 in London, the West Midlands, the North West, the North East and Wales, and by smaller amounts in Yorkshire, the South West and the East Midlands. The two are roughly level in the East of England. In the South East and Scotland, chain-owned firms are cheaper for an attended funeral. Independent firms in the North East and Wales have the lowest averages, and the South East and London are the most expensive regions.
Northern Ireland isn't shown because there are too few chain listings to compare fairly.
What this does and doesn't tell you
These are prices for the funeral director's own services. Attended funeral prices don't include third-party costs, which are charged separately, such as the crematorium or cemetery fees and a celebrant or minister. Those costs are often just as large as the director's fees, so always ask for a full breakdown.
Direct cremation prices are the price each firm publishes. Some firms include the crematorium fee in that price and some charge it separately, so a direct cremation comparison isn't always like for like. The attended funeral figure is the cleaner comparison.
A lower price isn't automatically better value, and a higher price isn't automatically better service. A funeral director's standardised price list should show you exactly what's included, so you can compare like with like.
Questions to ask before you choose
- What exactly is included in the price, and what isn't?
- What are the total costs once crematorium or cemetery fees and other extras are added?
- Who will look after my family member, and where will they be cared for?
- Is there anything you'd recommend we don't pay for?
You can compare funeral directors near you on Trusted Funeral Directors, where every listing is NAFD or SAIF accredited.
For more on what funerals cost, including third-party fees and help with paying, see our guides to funeral costs in England and funeral costs in Scotland.
How we worked this out
In brief:
- Prices come from each firm's published standardised price list (a legal requirement for funeral directors since September 2021).
- We only used active listings with a published price, and the averages are the simple average of those prices.
- Direct cremation prices are the price each firm publishes, and some firms include the crematorium fee while others charge it separately, so compare what's included, not just the headline figure. Attended funeral prices are the director's own fees only, so they're the cleaner like-for-like comparison.
- Snapshot date: 23 October 2026. Price lists change, so please check the funeral director's own list before you decide.
Frequently asked questions
For a direct cremation, slightly: on average about £80 cheaper in our data, mainly because of Co-op Funeralcare. Funeral Partners is dearer than the average independent. For a full attended funeral, no: chain-owned firms were about £125 dearer on average.
Co-op Funeralcare's average direct cremation price is lower than Dignity's and Funeral Partners'. Its attended funeral price varies by region. Other chains and independents set their own prices.
Not necessarily. Prices vary with location, what's included and the size of the firm. Compare what's included, not just the headline price.
Figures are based on funeral directors' own published price lists and are for guidance only.