Price Lists and CMA

Our Price List

We aim to be transparent and fair about all aspects of arranging a funeral for your loved one, including the cost of a funeral. We know that there can be some confusion about what you can expect from us, what is included and how we arrive at the final invoice cost, so we hope that this short overview will help you.

Please contact us for a copy of our up to date complate price list.

The total cost of a funeral is made up of two main parts:

Funeral Director's Charges

Funeral Director’s Charges or Professional Services include the following:

24-hour telephone support
Bringing the deceased into our care within a 30-mile radius
All administration relating to funeral arrangements including the completion and delivery of statutory documents
Liaising with third parties on client’s behalf
Administration of donations on client’s behalf
Placing of newspaper notices
Use of the Chapel of Rest (by appointment)
Care of the deceased including dressing
Provision of a motorised hearse within a 30-mile radius
Services of a qualified Funeral Director to conduct the funeral
Services of fully-trained staff to drive funeral vehicles, act as ushers and bearers. Please note that on certain occasions, additional staff may be required to assist at the funeral and additional charges will apply. We must always have a minimum of three trained coffin bearers in attendance, to meet required health and safety standards.

Professional fees also include an appropriate proportion of business overheads such as insurances and maintenance costs etc.

Additional Costs

Additional Bearer
Funeral Director’s attendance at interment of ashes
Additional mileage beyond 30 miles
Additional charges for staff will be incurred if a funeral is in two or more parts and therefore occupies more than 3 hours in total.
We also reserve the right to charge additional administration fees for the arrangement of services such as the interment of ashes and memorial services which were not requested at the time of arranging the funeral.

Disbursements

Disbursements are the monies paid out to third parties on behalf of the client. These include fees to crematoria, cemeteries, church, clergy and doctors’ fees, newspaper notices, venues and caterers, florists and so on. These fees are generally paid out either prior to or on the day of the funeral. We make every effort to accurately estimate third party costs before the funeral but any subsequent changes to costs made by third parties is beyond our control and will be incorporated in the final account.

Disbursement Fees Include

The following information is to give an idea of costs but is by no means exhaustive.

Services of a Church of England Minister or Civil Celebrant approximately
Doctors’ fees for the completion of cremation paperwork
Crematorium fees from
Burial Fees
Hire of Limousine to follow hearse
Printed Service Sheets
Floral Tributes
Coffin / Ashes caskets
Preparation of a grave
Preparation of an ashes plot

Terms of Payment

You will receive your invoice approximately 10-14 days after the funeral unless you specifically require it sooner. Only in exceptional circumstances do we ask for a deposit prior to the funeral. However, we do ask that you settle your bill within 30 days of the invoice date. You can pay either by cheque, card or BACs transfer. It is helpful to know in advance if a solicitor is going to be handling the account so that we can liaise directly with them. We understand that paying for a funeral can be daunting, especially if the death was unexpected. Please let us know as soon as possible if you have any concerns about being able to pay the bill so that we can talk through all the options available. We will always try to help if we can.

STANDARDISED PRICE LIST - Victoria Allen Funeral Services, Ludlow

All funeral directors are legally required to publish this Price List for a standardised set of products and services. This is to help you think through your options and make choices, and to let you compare prices between different funeral directors (because prices can vary).

ATTENDED FUNERAL (Funeral Director’s charges only) This is a funeral where family and friends have a ceremony, event or service for the deceased person at the same time as they attend their burial or cremation.	£2317.00
Taking care of all necessary legal and administrative arrangements	£1199.00
Collecting and transporting the deceased person from the place of death (normally within 15 miles of the funeral director’s premises) into the funeral director’s care	£225.00
Care of the deceased person before the funeral in appropriate facilities. The deceased person will be kept at the Funeral Director’s	Included
Providing a suitable coffin – this will be made from Veneered Oak	£428.45
Viewing of the deceased person for family and friends, by appointment with the Funeral Director (where viewing is requested by the customer)	Included
At a date and time you agree with the Funeral Director, taking the deceased person direct to the agreed cemetery or crematorium (normally within 20 miles of the funeral director’s premises) in a hearse or other appropriate vehicle	£465.00

UNATTENDED FUNERAL This is a funeral where family and friends may choose to have a ceremony, event or service for the deceased person, but they do not attend the burial or cremation itself.
Burial (Funeral Director’s charges only)	£1110.00
Cremation (Funeral Director’s charges plus the cremation fee) 2	£1799.00

FEES YOU MUST PAY
For an Attended or Unattended burial funeral, the burial fee.1 In this local area, the typical cost of the burial fee for local residents is: For a new grave, you will also need to pay for the plot; for an existing grave with a memorial in place, you may need to pay a removal/replacement fee. In addition, the cemetery may charge a number of other fees.	From £473.00
For an Attended cremation funeral, the Cremation Fee.2 In this local area, the typical cost of a cremation for local residents is:	£955 - £1220

ADDITIONAL FUNERAL DIRECTOR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

This funeral director may be able to supply a range of optional, additional products and services, or to arrange (on your behalf) for a third party to supply them. Examples include:

Additional mileage (price per mile)	£0.90
Additional transfers of the deceased person’s body (e.g. to their home, to a place of worship etc.) (price per transfer)	From £150.00
Collection and delivery of ashes (from Crematoriuom to Funeral Home)	Included
Embalming (not offered as standard, by request only)	Price on Request
Funeral officiant (e.g. celebrant, minister of religion etc.)	From £220.00
Services supplied outside of normal office hours	Price on Request

The funeral director can give you a full list of what they can supply. They are likely to charge for these additional products and services, so you may choose to take care of some arrangements without their involvement, or you can use a different supplier.

1 This fee (which is sometimes called the interment fee) is the charge made for digging and closing a new grave, or for reopening and closing an existing grave.

2 In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, you will usually need to pay doctors’ fees as well. This is the charge for two doctors to sign the Medical Certificates for Cremation.

Direct Funeral Options

Simple Funeral Options

If a ceremony or service is not required, we offer a totally fuss-free option which keeps costs to a minimum.

Our Unattended Direct Cremation Service costs from £1799* and includes the following:

Collection of the deceased from place of death within 30 miles
Administration and legal documentation
Supplying a simple coffin
Taking the deceased to a local crematorium for cremation – no ceremony or mourners
Crematorium fees
Doctors’ fees for completion of cremation paperwork
Cremated remains to be scattered at Crematorium (unattended) or can collected from our offices within 30 days

This is an 8.15 am Direct cremation service at Shrewsbury Crematorium with no service or mourners present

Our Limited Cremation Service allows for mourners to attend at 8.45am, 9.30am service at Hereford Crematorium, an 8.45am or 5.00pm service at Shrewsbury Crematorium or a 9.30am service Wyre Forest Crematorium - costs from £2245* (please add £150 for a Limited service at Wyre Forest) and includes the following:

Collection of the deceased from place of death within 30 miles
Administration and legal documentation
Supplying a simple coffin
Provision of a Hearse to convey the coffin to the Crematorium
Services of a qualified Funeral Director and Staff to bear the coffin
Crematorium fees
Doctors’ fees for completion of cremation paperwork
Cremated remains to be scattered at Crematorium (unattended) or can collected from our offices within 30 days Numbers may be restricted by the venue for this service and the service time is reduced

Both of the above options exclude the following: hire of funeral cars for family, services of an officiant or organist, service sheets, floral tributes, newspaper notices, administration of donations or chapel visits.

*Prices are valid from October 2023 but are subject to change from third parties.

Contract and Terms of Business

Please download a copy of our contract and terms of business here:

Contract January 2023 (PDF 119KB) - Download Here

Disclosure of Interests

The ownership of Victoria Allen Funeral Services Ltd, an Independent Family Business established in 2006 (Company No: 06952861) is made up of the following directors:

Ms Victoria Allen, Mrs Janet Milden and Mr Thomas Milden.

Victoria Allen Funeral Services Ltd has no business or material financial interest in a price comparison website which compares Funeral Directors and Crematorium Prices.

Victoria Allen Funeral Services Ltd has not made any material charitable donation, charitable contribution or payment gratuity to a third party in return for recommendation.

There has been no material form of payment to a third party that does not relate to a cost incurred or a Service provided by a third party on behalf of or to Victoria Allen Funeral Services Ltd.

The National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors Code of Practice - October 2020

1. General Conduct and Presentation
1.1 Members must conduct themselves in a totally professional manner, and behave sensitively, with courtesy and complete dignity at all times, both privately and professionally.
1.2 Members shall provide the highest professional standards in all elements of the service they provide to each individual client(s).
1.3 Members shall treat as confidential all information obtained in relation to their clients and carry out their duties with total regard for the laws of privacy and data protection.
1.4 Members must establish and interpret client needs without exploiting their vulnerability or exerting any pressure on them.
1.5 Members will be responsible for all the decisions and actions taken by their staff in relation to the provision of funeral services and the ancillary services they offer.
1.6 Members shall conduct themselves in a courteous and professional manner in all dealings with clients, taking into account their religious and cultural needs.
1.7. Members shall not try to persuade clients to choose an expensive or elaborate funeral when a less expensive funeral is more appropriate to their circumstances.
1.8. No member shall act in any way whereby a conflict of interest may arise with the Society or its objects.
1.9. No members shall do anything that might prejudice the good name and reputation of the Society.
1.10. Members must adhere to an abide by the Society’s Quality Assurance Programme at all times
1.11. Members must comply with all current government legislation, including EHS, Laws and Privacy and Data Protection Requirements.
2. Marketing of Funeral and Associated Services.
2.1. Advertising and Promotions.
All advertising and promotional activities must comply with the following Codes of Practice at all times:
The British Code of Advertising Practice.
The British Code of Sales Promotion Practice.
Ofcom – Office of Communications. The Independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries.
Any other relevant Codes or Legislation.
2.2 Soliciting for Business.
Members shall not solicit or offer any inducement of any nature for instructions for funeral services or any other associated services (i.e: pre-paid funeral plans, memorials etc); nor shall they engage or reward any other party - whether an individual, a partnership, a company or other formal or informal association or group - to do so on their behalf.
2.3 Public Image.
Members must ensure they convey a wholly professional image to the general public both through the delivery of the services they offer and by ensuring that all public relations activities are appropriate and sensitive in regard to their professional responsibilities.
2.4 Transparency of Ownership.
Members must prominently display details of the ultimate ownership of their business both outside and inside each premises and on all literature, business stationery and on all advertising and promotional material.
2.5. Displaying the Society’s Logo
Members must prominently display at all of their branches and on their stationary and website, the Society’s logo to indicate to the public adherence to the Code of Practice. Copies of the Code must also be available at all of their premises for clients to inspect and/or take away.
3. Communication on Funeral Matters Relevant to 3rd Parties
3.1. Members should ensure that all literature and information relevant to other related services such as the local Registrar and bereavement associations are readily available to their clients.
3.2. Members should communicate and co-operate with the relevant authorities, institutions, professions and voluntary organisations so they themselves can advise their own contacts/clients or patients on funeral matters.
4. Prices, Information and Choice.
4.1. Prices must be fair, reasonable and transparent in relation to the particular goods or services supplied. Within funeral homes, price lists, detailing all the services offered must be prominently displayed, so they can easily be seen by all visitors to the premises and electronic copies available to customers as requested.
4.2. Funeral definitions. The below definitions are technical descriptions for the purposes of pricing two types of funeral in accordance with clause 4.3. SAIF members may wish to adopt their own names and service propositions for these funerals for marketing and business purposes. It is a requirement of SAIF membership to offer a simple funeral.
Unattended cremation / burial: (direct cremation/burial with no mourner attendance)
- The time of cremation / burial to be arranged by the Funeral Director
- Making all necessary arrangements for a cremation / burial without mourners present and providing professional advice
- Removal of the deceased to a suitable resting place within a 10-mile radius within normal working hours
- Provision of a coffin and conveyance by a suitable vehicle direct to a local cemetery or crematorium
- Providing appropriate staff
- All necessary disbursements
Simple funeral:
- Making all necessary arrangements for a funeral service with mourners present and providing professional advice
- Removal of the deceased to a suitable resting place within a 10-mile radius within normal working hours
- Provision of a coffin and conveyance by hearse direct to a local cemetery or crematorium
- Providing appropriate staff
- All necessary disbursements
4.3. Members must display either on their own website or on another open digital platform prices for a minimum of two funeral formats, including an unattended cremation or burial service (direct funeral) and a simple funeral. It must be made clear that any services supplied which are not covered in an estimate may incur additional charges, with details provided upon request.
For tailored or bespoke funerals, members shall provide details of the services and facilities that are covered and the costs.
Further, all members will provide upon request by phone, email or in person, clear and transparent price information to enable prospective clients to make an informed choice. Members should actively ensure the awareness of lower-cost funeral options if they are the most appropriate funeral for the client’s needs.
Members who specialise in single format funerals, such as unattended cremations or burials or one type of faith-based funeral, must provide details of that service in line with the above
October 2020
5. Arrangement meetings: treating customers fairly
5.1. During arrangement meetings, members will make prospective clients aware of different coffin types and their prices. One of these coffins will be of low cost, which must be shown in a brochure and displayed in a showroom wherever practicable.
5.2. Members must explain their full range of services to ensure the client is able to make an informed choice about the various types of funeral elements that may be relevant in helping to remember the deceased person.
5.3. Clients must receive full advice on all the actions, including registration, they need to take in relation to the death and the funeral.
5.4 Members will advise customers on enquiry if a payment on arrangement is taken to cover costs when making the initial funeral arrangements. (There are variations to this practice across the UK).
6. Provision of Estimates and Invoices
6.1. Terms and Conditions
Members shall make clients aware of their Terms and Conditions of Trading, which ideally should be printed on the estimate given to them. Alternatively, copies should be sent to clients or made available for clients to inspect.
6.2. Provision of the Estimate.
6.2.1 Clients must be provided with a detailed written estimate at the time of arranging the funeral or, if that is not achievable then as soon as practicable afterwards. Where a consumer requests an estimate, in writing or otherwise, at an earlier stage (e.g. during an initial meeting or over the telephone), members should provide this as far as is practicable to do so. Members should make sure that clients confirm their acceptance of the estimate formally, as long as possible before the funeral takes place.
6.2.2. All estimates must at least give the following details of the Funeral Director’s charges:
Professional fees.
Removal of the deceased.
Coffin or Casket (including fittings and interior).
Embalming/Hygienic Preparation.
Hearse(s).
Limousine(s).
Where only an approximate cost can be given, it must be made clear that this may vary. The ‘confirmed’ cost must be supplied to the client as soon as possible.
6.2.3. All estimates must also itemise each disbursement cost, including:
Cemetery/Crematorium fees.
Doctors’ fees.
Minister of Religion or Officiant.
Church and associated fees.
Where only an approximate cost can be given, it must be made clear that this may vary. The ‘confirmed’ cost must be supplied to the client as soon as possible.
6.2.4. Any additional items, which arise or are instructed after the estimate has been issued, must be authorised by the client prior to them being charged to their account.
6.2.5 A revised estimate, showing the changes made and the alterations to costs must be issued wherever practicable, where the client varies their original instructions, and again the client should formally confirm their acceptance of such changes.
6.3. Issuing the Invoice.
6.3.1 A fully itemised invoice, which should mirror the estimate whenever practicable, is to be provided to the client either after carrying out the funeral services as specified or as agreed with the client, before the funeral.
The total amount charged should be as per the original or revised estimate as agreed with the client.
Where approximate costs were given for disbursement items then the final cost, together with the reason for any variation should be shown.
6.3.2. If it is part of the member’s Terms and Conditions that interest be charged for late payment of the account, then this must be explained, together with details of the prevailing rates, to the client, both when arranging the funeral (and before a contract is entered into) and when the invoice is issued.
7. Premises
7.1. Premises must be acceptable, in all respects for the provision and delivery of funeral services.
7.2. Members must fully comply with all health and safety regulations, related legislation and Codes of Practice and shall display the appropriate certificates as required by law.
7.3. Members must provide adequate facilities for clients, in terms of reception areas, arranging rooms and toilet facilities.
7.4. There must be well-appointed and well-maintained areas and facilities for the preparation of the deceased and the holding of bodies.
7.5. A Chapel of Rest and/or suitable viewing rooms must be available, so family and friends can see the deceased and pay their respects in suitably tranquil and private surroundings.
7.6. The deceased must be treated with the utmost respect at all times.
8. Vehicles and Equipment
8.1. All vehicles must comply with all relevant legislation and be maintained and presented to the highest practical standards at all times.
8.2. All equipment associated with the preparation and provision of funeral services must be properly maintained to the standards specified by the manufacturer and/or supplier.
9. Other Services
Members should offer and provide either directly or through suitable agents or sub-contractors, floral, catering, monumental and pre-paid funeral planning services. Members shall ensure that such agents and sub-contractors are bound by all the relevant provisions of this Code while providing such services for the member’s clients.
10. Employees
10.1. Members shall properly train all staff employed, taking full account of the sensitive nature of the service provided.
10.2. Members should take every opportunity to encourage their staff to develop through all relevant forms of training and to obtain formal qualifications where appropriate.
10.3. All employees should be fully aware of and comply with the contents of this Code of Practice, including the complaints and redress provisions, throughout the performance of their duties.
10.4. Staff conduct must always reflect the sensitive nature of their employment.
11. Complaints and their Redress
11.1 Members must have an internal written complaint procedure formally in place.
11.2 All recommendations and decisions relating to complaints must be approved and sanctioned by a director or senior manager.
11.3 Members, should within their literature and correspondence, make it clear to clients to whom they should complain and the address to which complaints should be sent together with the procedure for handling complaints.
11.4 Initially all complaints should be put in writing by the complainant to the member, who must acknowledge its receipt promptly, investigate it
and give a written response and where appropriate, an apology and/or offer of compensation and/or other form of redress as soon as practically possible to the complainant.
11.5 If the complainant is dissatisfied with the response, then the member must make them aware of the following options and procedures. The matter can be referred either to:
a) the Chairman of the Society’s Standards Committee for investigation and an amicable resolution between the parties; or
b) the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR). A completed signed application for arbitration is required for each case.
c) All correspondence should be addressed to either the Standards Chairman or the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR), as appropriate, at SAIF Business Centre, 3 Bullfields, Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire. CM21 9DB
d) CEDR consists of two stages, conciliation and arbitration. The first stage, which consists of an informal process of conciliation, can be bypassed if one or both of the parties expressly opt to proceed directly to arbitration.
e) If the parties have previously attempted to resolve their dispute using conciliation and the customer wishes to refer the dispute to arbitration, they must submit an application to the administrator within 28 days of the end of the conciliation proceedings. lf at any stage the Conciliator considers conciliation inappropriate the matter may be referred to arbitration under the rules of the scheme.
f) The award of the Arbitrator will be generally final and legally binding on both parties. If however, either Party considers the Award is one that no reasonable Arbitrator should have reached on the basis of the documents presented, any payment ordered should still be made, but they may write requesting that the matter be referred to review.
g) An application for Review by the Appellant will only be considered if:
1) CEDR receives it within 21 days of the date that the Award was dispatched to the Parties by CEDR.
2) It is accompanied by a copy of the Arbitrator’s Award together with a statement setting out the reasons why the Award is one that no reasonable arbitrator should have reached on the basis of the documents presented.
3) A fee, known as the “CEDR Fee,” is sent with the respective paperwork to “CEDR.” (For current day fee contact SAIF office.)
h) Once the Review Procedure has been completed, no further steps can be taken by any Party under these Rules. Any Party considering the possibility of an appeal to the courts, if indeed such an appeal is legally possible, is strongly advised to seek legal advice.
A complete copy of CEDR scheme rules, is freely available from the Society at the address referred to above.
12. Definitions
12.1. ‘Client’ means a client or potential client.
12.2. ‘Coffin’ includes a casket, unless the latter is specifically
referred to.
12.3 ‘Estimate’ includes a quotation and means an offer by the
member to provide the specified services for the price specified.
An ‘Estimate’ shall include details of all the funeral directors charges (see 6.2.2) and disbursement costs (see 6.2.3) that is practical to give at the time the estimate is given. It might be practicable to give an approximate cost or a range of prices even where it is not possible to give a confirmed cost.
12.4. ‘Member’ means a member of the National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors.
12.5. Simple funeral:
- Making all necessary funeral service arrangements for a funeral service with mourners present and providing professional advice
- Removal of the deceased to a suitable resting place within a 10-mile radius within normal working hours
- Provision of a coffin and conveyance by hearse direct to a local cemetery or crematorium
- Providing appropriate staff
- All necessary disbursements
12.6. Unattended cremation / burial (direct cremation/burial no mourner attendance)
- The time of the cremation / burial to be arranged by the Funeral Director
- Making all necessary arrangements for the cremation / burial without mourners present and providing professional advice
- Removal of the deceased to a suitable resting place within a 10-mile radius within normal working hours
- Provision of a coffin and conveyance by a suitable vehicle direct to a local cemetery or crematorium
- Providing appropriate staff
- All necessary disbursements