The Cost of Burial

There has been a great deal of publicity recently regarding the cost of burials. The phrase “there should be a public debate” has been spoken on both radio and tv within the last day or so. At The Natural Burial Company we agree that there should be a debate, there should be awareness, and everyone should be transparent and honest regarding burial charges.

Initially, we must state that natural burial provides the most environmentally friendly form of interment. It also allows a beautiful place for future generations to visit, encourages nature and biodiversity, and ensures a natural legacy for those in our care. Whatever you may hear elsewhere, we can also confirm that with ourselves, and many other natural burial grounds, there is no shortage of available space.

Wolverhampton Cemeteries have been in the spotlight and Danescourt in particular has been named. This Cemetery is approximately one and a half miles from the Wrottesley Park Natural Burial Ground. The cost for a new full grave at Danescourt is £2,250 (or £3,375 for a non-resident), the interment fee is £1,110 (£1,665 for a non-resident), and you must pay a reservation fee of £163 if you wish to purchase a plot in advance. Compare this to the cost for a full grave at Wrottesley Park of £995 and the interment fee £505. There are no “non-resident” fees and you can purchase a plot in advance for no additional cost.

Likewise in Leicester, the local authority Cemetery fees are £1,690 for a Lawn Grave (doubled for non-resident) or £3,150 for a Traditional Grave (also doubled for a non-resident). The interment fee is £970 (£1,940 for a non-resident). The costs at the Scraptoft Natural Burial Ground, just outside of Leicester, are £805 for a full grave and £505 for interment. Once again there are no non-resident charges.

Whilst we cannot speak for all natural burial grounds we can say that many of us offer these services simply because we wish to support the environment and the bereaved. We want to make a positive difference.

We believe that this is the perfect time to have the debate regarding not only price, but also service and environmental legacy.