Prices
Funeral Costs.
At Abbey we recognise that funerals can be expensive and some people may struggle with the cost. We will make our most affordable funeral package visible to the public, including third party costs and we will charge clear prices for goods and services so people know what they're buying. We always communicate prices in initial conversations and prominently display full price lists in our office. We do not 'slash' our prices to compete with other funeral companies, it is a practice we find very wrong and unfair. We are competitive in our price and exceptional in our service.
For some people the cost of the funeral is a major expense and so we are happy to discuss with you options to reduce the cost of even a basic funeral. For example many crematoria will offer a reduced price for an early morning service, or where no service takes place at their chapel.
Because the cost is made up of many different elements, with both crematoria and cemeteries having vastly different prices, it would be impossible to list here all of the possible combinations. However we can indicate the cost of a basic funeral at our most local crematorium which is at Tunbridge Wells.
The invoice for a funeral is always shown in two parts. The funeral Director's charges which are all of the services which we have provided, and third party costs known as disbursements. Disbursements are fees and charges made by other people and which we pay on your behalf, often before the funeral takes place. For that reason we ask for these disbursements to be paid as a deposit at the time you arrange the funeral. The remainder, the funeral director’s charges must be paid before the funeral.
SIMPLE AND DIGNIFIED FUNERAL SERVICE £3693.00 plus third party disbursements from £1297.00
Funeral Directors charges Correct at 1st April 2024
- Labour and service charge £2750.00
- This includes time with our funeral arranger and all administration needed for the funeral, bringing your loved one into our care even when its outside of normal working hours, appropriate storage for as long as is required, all labour charges up to and on the day of the funeral and all other administrative costs with you and a proportion towards the overheads of the business.
- Hire of our Daimler hearse £423.00
- Provided its within the local area (Tonbridge & surrounding villages / Tunbridge Wells / Sevenoaks) there is no extra charge for leaving from a private address or travelling to the cemetery or crematorium via a place of worship.
- Simple oak veneered coffin £520.00
Total Funeral Director’s charges £3693.00
These charges remain the same for any funeral which is completely carried out within a 10 mile radius of Tonbridge. This basic simple funeral can be enhanced with other services such as following cars, facilities for visiting the deceased and more ornate coffins and caskets. Our comprehensive price list which covers additional services is shown below.
Third Party Costs or Disbursements. Correct at April 2024
These will depend on where the burial or cremation takes place. A guide to the most common third party costs are below and should be added to the funeral director's costs for the total price of the funeral.
- Tunbridge Wells Borough Council Crematorium fee, including burial of remains in the garden of remembrance and the medical referee’s charge. ONLY FOR SERVICES AT 9am and 9.30am are for half an hour slots and cost £805. Tunbridge Wells Crematorium bookings between 10am and 3.15pm are for 45 minutes services at a fee of £980.
- Tonbridge Cemetery – New double grave, £2255 Interment fee £1500 use of Chapel £339
- Doctor’s cremation certificates payable to GP practice or hospital £82.00 per doctor (only needed for cremation)
- Minister or celebrant: Paid to the individual or to the church £235
Funeral Directors have no control over these third party costs which generally rise each year and often above the level of inflation. Any increases in our fees are always inflationary only to reflect the increased costs we face as a business and to ensure that every member of our staff is paid a living wage as a minimum.*
We provide 2 types of service for you and your loved one
- Cremation Services:
a. Direct to cremator service – Westerleigh Crematorium
b. Unattended cremation service – Kent & Sussex Crematorium
NB The nature of these services mean that we are providing less of our professional service and staff time therefore the service is stripped back with no provision for additions unless stated in the description, however the care of your loved one does not change. For all other options we revert to our bespoke funeral services.
- Funeral Service:
This is an attended service at church, crematorium chapel or cemetery chapel (other venues are available) followed by a cremation or burial – see bespoke price list
1a. Direct to Cremator Service. £1800.00 inclusive
We will collect your loved one from a local* place of death be it home or hospital at any time of day for no additional charge and take them into our care at our premises until the day of the cremation.
We will organise all relevant paperwork for the cremation on your behalf
We will provide a suitable coffin for cremation
Your loved one will be taken to the crematorium on the day of the cremation by private ambulance, date and time of which will be at the discretion of Abbey FS Ltd, family attendance to the crematorium is not available.
As SAIF members we are able to offer this service at a low rate due to the partnership we have with Westerleigh Crematorium, your loved one will be cremated at a Westerleigh Crematorium and ashes will be returned to Abbey for your collection at no additional charge within 21 days of the cremation date.
Please note there is strictly no provision for additional services to this option and you may wish to consider other options to remember and celebrate the life of your loved one and to allow your family to mourn.
1b Unattended Cremation. £2450.00 inclusive
We will collect your loved one from a local* place of death be it home or hospital at any time of day for no additional charge and take them into our care at our premises until the day of the cremation.
We will organise all relevant paperwork for the cremation on your behalf
We will provide a suitable coffin for cremation
There is the provision of our Jaguar Hearse to take deceased to Tunbridge Wells crematorium via a local address to allow family and friends to pay their respects. Date and time of cremation will be at the discretion of Abbey FS Ltd and attendance at the crematorium is not available to family.
Additional services that can be added to 1b Unattended Cremation -
Embalming and Viewing
If you would like to visit our chapel of rest to see your loved one this would be available to you at an additional cost:
Embalming and preparation of your loved one £ 275.00
Use of Chapel & staff per visit (by appointment only not exceeding an hour) £ 60.00
Coffin
if you would like to change from included cremation coffin see bespoke coffin price list
Please note there is strictly no provision for any further additional services to this option and you may wish to consider other options to remember and celebrate the life of your loved one and to allow your family to mourn.
- Funeral Service from £3693 + disbursements
A bespoke, attended traditional or contemporary service to celebrate the life of a loved one
Price list attached
Local in hours Included in Labour charge (Tonbridge & surrounding villages / Tunbridge Wells / Sevenoaks)
Local, out of hours ,weekends and bank holidays there is NO ADDITIONAL CHARGE
All Others, Price on request
- This charge covers our staff time and a proportion towards our overheads.
- Funeral Service at local venue £2750.00
- Vinters Park/Worth/Charring/Medway All Plus £195.00
- South London, London & South Coast areas All Plus £325.00
JAGUAR HEARSE - Local £423.00 (Tonbridge & surrounding villages / Tunbridge Wells / Sevenoaks) | Out of area Price on request |
JAGUAR LIMOUSINE - Local £312.00 (Tonbridge & surrounding villages / Tunbridge Wells / Sevenoaks) | Out of area Price on request |
Use of child car seat (9 months – 4 yrs only) No charge
Embalming, Dressing & Preparation for viewing | £275.00 |
Dressing & Preparation for viewing (no embalming) | £195.00 |
Coffin into Church prior to service (inc staff & vehicle) | £250.00 |
Coffin to home prior to service (inc Staff, Vehicle And Risk Assessment) | £350.00 |
Delivery of funeral flowers (Tonbridge area only) | No charge |
Delivery of funeral flowers (Other areas) | Price on request |
Arranging Interment of Ashes | £270.00 |
Transporting Deceased to Doctor for certification | £120.00 |
Private chapel use | £60.00/hour |
Other Services
Coffins | FROM £520 |
Caskets | FROM £895 |
OAK CROSS GRAVE MARKERS | 18” £50, 36” £75 |
ASHES CASKETS | FROM £248 |
We have an extensive range of memorial items such as Memorial Bears made from precious items of clothing, Ashes Pandora Charms and Fingerprint keepsakes. We are also able to provide you with Monumental Masonry through our sister company Kent & Sussex Memorials, from ashes tablets to full size memorials in both churches and cemeteries. Please ask a member of staff for assistance
BABYS FUNERALS AND CHILDREN FUNERALS UP TO THE AGE OF 18
We will provide our services up to the day of the funeral free of charge – to include the funeral arrangements, collection of child or young adult from place of death to our chapel of rest and all other staff hours required up to the day of the funeral.
There will be no charge for the Hearse on the day of the funeral or alternative vehicle from our fleet.
We will provide the family with a light oak veneered coffin or white baby casket at no cost.
Funeral staff on the day of the funeral will be charged to the family at a maximum cost of £250 – The number of staff members needed will be at our discretion, but will not exceed 5
If, for any reason, more than 5 are needed then additional staff will be charged at £50 each
Fees that the will or may be incurred and which are dependent on your wishes:
Alternative modes of transportation of the coffin e.g. Horse and Carriage The full cost of this will apply.
Alternative coffin to that which we provide free of charge. The full cost of this will apply.
Limousines will be charged at our normal rate.
Disbursements: fees that are charged by 3rd parties and passed onto you.
- Embalming if requested
- Order of Services
- Crematorium/Cemetery fees
- Clergy/Church/Celebrant fees
- Flowers
- Medical certificates
- Stone masonry (a temporary oak cross grave marker will be provided for free)