When you are arranging a funeral, understanding different costs relating to funerals can feel overwhelming. In additional to the Funeral Director costs and disbursements, burial and cemetery charges are set by local councils, which means costs can vary widely depending on where the burial takes place. 

Each council acts as the burial authority for its area and sets its own fees for grave purchase, interment, burial of cremated remains, and additional services such as weekend burials or memorial permits. 

How Burial Fees Work 

Most burial costs are made up of: 

• The Exclusive Right of Burial – the right to use a grave for a fixed period (often 50–100 years) 

• The interment fee – the cost of the burial taking place 

Additional charges may apply for: 

• Re-opening an existing grave 

• Burial of ashes 

• Weekend or bank holiday burials 

• Oversized coffins or vaults 

• Memorial installation and permits 

Many councils charge significantly higher fees for non-residents, so checking eligibility for resident rates is important. 

Councils, Cemeteries & Official Burial Fee Links 

Greater Manchester 

• Manchester City Council https://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/200032/deaths_funerals_and_cemeteries/8176/bereavement_services_-_prices_2025  

• Salford City Council 
  https://www.salford.gov.uk/births-marriages-and-deaths/dealing-with-a-death/fees-and-charges/  

• Bolton Council 
  https://www.bolton.gov.uk/burials-cremations/funeral-costs  

• Bury Council 
  https://www.bury.gov.uk/births-deaths-and-ceremonies/deaths/burial-fees  

• Oldham Council 
  https://www.oldham.gov.uk/info/200388/cemeteries_graves_and_memorials/612/buying_a_grave/2  

• Rochdale Borough Council 
  There doesn’t seem to be a page of burial costs, but this page may be a good starting point to get the information you need https://www.rochdale.gov.uk/deaths-funerals-cemeteries/cemeteries-crematoriums  

• Stockport Council 
  https://www.stockport.gov.uk/booking-a-burial-or-cremation  

• Tameside Council 
  https://www.tameside.gov.uk/Bereavement/Cemeteries-and-Crematorium-Fees-and-Charges  

• Trafford Council 
  https://www.trafford.gov.uk/births-deaths-marriages-and-civil-partnerships/deaths/bereavement-burials-and-cremations/burials-and-cremations-fees-and-charges  

• Wigan Council 
  There is a form to contact them to find out costs, and a separate page giving locations of cemeteries at:  https://www.wigan.gov.uk/Resident/Births-Marriage-Deaths/Deaths/Deaths.aspx  

Merseyside 

• Liverpool City Council 
  https://liverpool.gov.uk/births-marriage-deaths/deaths/cemeteries-and-crematoria-service/burials/burial-and-interment-costs/  

• Sefton Council 
  https://www.sefton.gov.uk/births-marriages-and-deaths/bereavement-services/cemeteries-and-crematoria/  

• Wirral Council 
  https://www.wirral.gov.uk/cemetery-and-cremation-fees  

• Knowsley Council 
  https://www.knowsley.gov.uk/births-deaths-marriages-and-ceremonies/deaths-and-bereavement/burials-and-cremations  

• St Helens Borough Council 
  https://www.sthelens.gov.uk/article/4309/Purchasing-a-grave 

Lancashire 

• Lancashire County Council (registrations; cemeteries managed by districts) 
  https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/births-marriages-deaths/deaths/https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/births-marriages-and-deaths/deaths/ 
  District councils below set burial fees. 

• Blackpool Council 
  https://www.blackpool.gov.uk/Residents/Life-events/Cemeteries-and-crematorium/Cemetery-and-crematorium-price-list.aspx  

• Blackburn with Darwen Council 
  https://www.blackburn.gov.uk/cemeteries-and-crematoriums/bereavement-services-fees-and-charges  

• Burnley Borough Council 
  https://burnley.gov.uk/bereavement-services/  

• Chorley Council 
  https://chorley.gov.uk/bereavementcharges 

• Fylde Council 
  https://new.fylde.gov.uk/resident/cemetery-crematoria/burial-and-cremation-forms/  

• Hyndburn Borough Council 
  https://www.hyndburnbc.gov.uk/category/deaths-funerals-and-cremations/  
  Burial information and contact details. 

• Lancaster City Council 
  https://www.lancaster.gov.uk/environmental-health/cemeteries 

• Pendle Borough Council 
  https://www.pendle.gov.uk/directory/48/cemeteries  

• Preston City Council 
  https://www.preston.gov.uk/article/10310/Cemetery-and-Cremation-price-information  

• Ribble Valley Borough Council 
  https://www.ribblevalley.gov.uk/clitheroe-cemetery/clitheroe-cemetery-1/2  

• Rossendale Borough Council 
  https://www.rossendale.gov.uk/bereavement-services/information-graves/4  

• South Ribble Borough Council 
  https://southribble.gov.uk/births-marriages-deaths/what-to-do-when-someone-dies  

• West Lancashire Borough Council 
  https://www.westlancs.gov.uk/more/your-community/burials-and-cremations.aspx  

• Wyre Council 
  https://www.wyre.gov.uk/bereavement-cemeteries-funerals/cemetery-fees-charges  

Cheshire & Cumbria 

• Cheshire East Council 
  https://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/register-office/bereavement-services/cremation-burial-and-related-fees-and-charges.aspx  

• Cheshire West and Chester Council 
  https://www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/residents/births-deaths-and-marriage/burials-and-cremations  

• Cumberland Council 
  https://www.cumberland.gov.uk/births-deaths-marriages-and-ceremonies/deaths-and-stillbirths/cemeteries-and-crematoriums  

What to Check When Comparing Burial Fees 

When reviewing council burial charges, always look for: 

• Resident vs non-resident pricing 

• Length of the grave lease 

• Fees for reopening family graves 

• Ashes burial vs full burial costs 

• Weekend and urgent burial surcharges 

• Memorial and headstone permissions 

If fees are not clearly listed online, councils will usually provide a full price list on request. 

Whether you are arranging a funeral now or planning ahead, The Farewell Guide is here to support you.