Church of England Funeral: What to Expect and What It Costs

A Church of England funeral is led by a minister, usually in a parish church, at a crematorium or at the graveside. You can choose the modern Common Worship service or the traditional 1662 Book of Common Prayer. The Church says its funerals are for everyone, and from 1 January 2026 the statutory fee for a funeral service in church is £244.

Who can have a Church of England funeral?

The Church of England says a funeral is available to all, and you do not have to have been a churchgoer. The Church's guide to parochial fees explains that burial rights in a parish churchyard extend to:

• people who live in the parish
• people who die in the parish
• people whose names are on the church's electoral roll when they die

Anyone who does not qualify can still be buried or have a service with the incumbent's consent. If the person lived elsewhere, ask the minister of the church you have in mind. To find the right church for your address, use the Church of England's "A Church Near You" website.

This guide covers England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have different churches and rules, and the Church of Scotland is Presbyterian. See our guide to Presbyterian funerals if that is your tradition.

How do you arrange one?

1. Register the death. You need the registrar's paperwork before a funeral can go ahead. See our guide to registering a death in the UK.
2. Contact the minister. Your funeral director will usually do this for you, or you can call the parish yourself. The minister will usually meet or call you to talk about the person's life and what you would like in the service.
3. Agree the date and place. The church, the crematorium and the funeral director all have to be free on the same day.
4. Choose the service. You can ask for Common Worship or the Book of Common Prayer, and decide on hymns, readings and tributes.

What happens at the service?

The Church of England describes the funeral in six steps, and local ministers adapt them.

1. The arrival. The coffin is carried in, often to music, and the minister may say a few words of welcome.
2. A hymn. Hymns are optional. "Abide with Me" and "Amazing Grace" are among the common choices.
3. Remembering the person. Tributes, readings and music that reflect the person's life.
4. A message of hope. A Bible reading, such as Psalm 23, and a short address from the minister about the Christian hope that death is not the end.
5. Prayers and reflection. Prayers for the person and for the family, with a time of quiet. Flowers may be laid on the coffin.
6. Saying goodbye. The commendation and committal, with the familiar words "earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust", then a blessing.

The Church's guide describes a Bible reading in the "message of hope" step, and tributes and readings of your choice in the "remembering" step. The committal happens at the graveside or, after a church service, at the crematorium, which the minister may attend with the family.

See what happens during cremation for the steps at the crematorium. Our funeral service order template and hymns for a funeral service can help you plan the order and music.

Common Worship or the Book of Common Prayer?

Both are authorised for funerals. The minister can tell you what your parish offers and how much you can personalise each.

Where can the service be held?

The Church of England says funerals can be held in church, in a churchyard, by a graveside or at a crematorium. A church usually gives you more time and space than a crematorium chapel, but you will need the church to be free. A crematorium service suits families who want everything in one place, but check how long the slot is before you plan the order of service. Some families also hold a funeral service at the funeral director's premises.

What does a Church of England funeral cost?

Fees for services the Church provides are set by law and rise each year with inflation (capped at 5%). The Archbishops' Council's 2026 table, in force from 1 January 2026, lists these main fees for someone aged 18 or over:

The table notes that there is no fee for the funeral or burial of a person who died under the age of 18, or for a stillborn baby. The fees do not cover heating, a verger, music, bells or flowers. Each PCC sets those charges, and the Church's guidance says extras can only lawfully be charged for things you have a genuine choice about, so ask for them in writing. The fees above are only the Church's part. The funeral director, crematorium and any minister's expenses are separate.

For funeral director costs and help paying, see our guides to funeral director costs in the UK and UK funeral financial help.

Burying ashes and headstones in a churchyard

You can arrange for a minister to bury ashes in the churchyard, with a short service, if the person has a right of burial there. The fees for this are in the table above.

Churchyards are consecrated ground with their own rules. The fee table says monuments must follow the rules, regulations or directions of the diocese's Chancellor, and anything outside them needs a faculty, a legal permission from the Chancellor.

What to do next

1. Register the death, then ask your funeral director to contact the parish or call the minister yourself.
2. Ask which service book the minister recommends and what you can personalise.
3. Ask the PCC in writing about any extras, such as the organist, heating or the verger.
4. Compare funeral director quotes against our funeral director costs guide, and check if you can claim help from UK funeral financial help.