Nottingham Funeral Costs: Council Fees and What to Expect

Nottingham City Council charges £911 for a standard weekday adult cremation and £531 for a direct cremation in 2026-27. A burial in a new 50-year lawn grave costs a city resident £2,741, made up of a £1,785 grave and a £956 interment. The council also backs a fixed-price funeral for residents, called The Nottingham Funeral, from £2,059.

The fees below are from the council's fee schedule, which it says applies from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027. They are the council's own charges. The funeral director's fee, flowers, a celebrant and the cost of a headstone are extra.

How much does a cremation cost in Nottingham?

The council runs the Southern Crematorium at Wilford Hill. Its fees for an adult depend on the day and whether you attend.

Other charges to know about:

Ask the funeral director about timing, because a late arrival or missing paperwork carries a £300 charge. Our guide to direct cremation providers in the UK explains what a direct cremation includes.

How much does a burial cost in Nottingham?

The council runs six active cemeteries: Wilford Hill (Southern), Northern, Highwood, Rock, General and Basford. A burial in a new grave needs two fees: the lease of the grave and the interment.

The grave lease price depends on the term and type:

Adding the lease and the £956 or £1,939 interment gives these totals for a new adult grave:

• 50-year lawn or natural: £2,741 for a city resident, £5,138 for a non-city resident.
• 99-year traditional: £3,505 for a city resident, £5,891 for a non-city resident.

The council's page says city prices apply to Nottingham City residents. If the person lived outside the city before moving into care, ask Bereavement Services which price applies before you book.

You buy a lease, not the land. The council also lists a lease extension and charges for memorial permits.

What do memorials cost?

The council charges permit fees to put a memorial on a grave:

• headstone up to 4ft 6in: £350
• kerbs, any size: £250
• plaque or vase up to 12in: £135
• additional name on an existing memorial: £124

These are permit fees, not the price of the stone itself. Read our guide to headstone costs for the stone and the mason's charges.

What is The Nottingham Funeral?

It is a fixed-price funeral scheme the council runs with partner funeral directors, and it is available to residents of the City of Nottingham whatever their culture or belief. The council's page says the cost is from £2,059 and that prices are subject to annual review. The page does not give a date for that price, so confirm it when you call.

The council says the scheme covers:

• collection from the place of death
• viewing in the chapel of rest and care of the person
• a fabric shroud and a choice from the scheme's coffins
• funeral arrangements and bearers
• a hearse and one following limousine for six people
• flower transport to the cemetery or crematorium
• 24-hour availability
• all unavoidable disbursements, except the right of burial in a new grave

A religious service at another venue costs a separate fee, and anything beyond the scheme needs a written quote in advance. Former residents who moved away within five years of death specifically for full-time care can also use it. The council names The Co-operative Funeralcare and Lenton Funeralcare as its providers.

How does Nottingham compare with the rest of the UK?

SunLife's Cost of Dying Report 2026 put the average simple attended funeral at £4,222 across the East and West Midlands, and £3,828 across the UK. Direct cremation averaged £1,628 UK-wide. SunLife is an insurer, so treat these as survey averages. They are useful for judging whether a quote is high or low, and the council's own fees tell you what you will pay local authorities.

Since September 2021, the CMA's order has required funeral directors to publish a standard price list. Get two or three and compare them like for like. Our guides to funeral director costs in the UK and Leicester funeral costs help with comparing.

How do you register a death in Nottingham?

The Nottingham Register Office is at The Council House, Old Market Square, NG1 2DT. It is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 4:30pm, and appointments are compulsory. You must register within 5 days of the medical examiner's office contacting you, including weekends and bank holidays.

The council says the registration service will contact the next of kin once it has the paperwork from the medical examiner or coroner. If you miss the call, ring 0115 841 5554. The council also has a weekend registrar for urgent funerals because of religious or cultural needs. See our guides on registering a death in the UK and Tell Us Once.

For cemetery and crematorium questions, Bereavement Services takes calls on 0115 876 1922 (9am to 3pm on weekdays) and works by appointment.

What help is there paying for a funeral?

• Funeral Expenses Payment. If you or your partner get a qualifying benefit, such as Universal Credit or Pension Credit, you can claim for burial or cremation fees, some travel and up to £1,000 for other costs. Apply within 6 months of the funeral. It usually does not cover everything and is deducted from the estate. See Funeral Expenses Payment eligibility.
• Children's Funeral Fund for England. It covers burial or cremation fees and a coffin up to £300 for a child under 18 or a baby stillborn after 24 weeks, with no means test. Nottingham City Council does not charge for children's cremations or burials.
• Public health funeral. Where no suitable arrangements are being made, section 46 of the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984 requires the council to arrange a burial or cremation, and it may recover the cost from the estate. See council funerals in the UK.

Our guide to UK funeral financial help lists other sources.

What to do next

1. Check for a will or funeral plan, then ask the doctor or medical examiner's office when you can register.
2. Phone Bereavement Services and ask whether city prices apply, and whether The Nottingham Funeral fits.
3. Compare standard price lists from two or three funeral directors.
4. Register the death within 5 days.
5. Claim any help you qualify for before you pay a large bill if you can.