They say people are paying ‘unnecessary additional costs’ and are urging people to ask more questions about funeral expenses.
The average cost of a funeral and associated fees in Jersey is over £5,000.
Anne King, the council’s executive officer, said that funeral costs should not be seen as a ‘taboo’ subject.
In the UK, figures show that the cost of a funeral has almost doubled over the last decade. But the Consumer Council’s research shows that funerals in Jersey can end up costing even more than those in the UK, largely because of expensive additional costs unforeseen by most people.
‘It can be a very emotional time for people who can get carried away trying to give their loved ones the best send-off they can,’ said Mrs King.
‘It’s quite common here for people to choose a very expensive limousine or coffin.’
She urged people to talk about funeral costs more and ask questions of suppliers and funeral directors.
The average cost of a Jersey funeral now stands at £3,421, compared to a UK average of £3,897, statistics say.
But Mrs King said that in Jersey you could add an average of £1,737.50 to the average amount to cover third-party costs, such as doctors fees, service costs, the organist, JEP notices, flowers, death certificates and for orders of service.
‘Jersey funerals work out as being much more expensive than the UK,’ said Mrs King. ‘We compared funerals in affluent areas in the UK – to make sure we were comparing apples with apples – to funeral costs in Jersey and Guernsey.
‘What it showed was that not only was there a huge difference in price between the suppliers here in Jersey, but also a difference in price for the same service here compared to the mainland. We found it very enlightening to see the different costs. And we want to let people know they aren’t obliged to provide an all-singing, all-dancing funeral to remember their loved one.’
According to the council’s report, the difference in cost locally can be seen, for example, when comparing funeral directors’ fees, not including third-party costs and the send off.
For basic services, it costs £2,735 if you choose De Gruchy’s Funeral Care, £2,970 with Maillards and £4,558 with Pitcher & Le Quesne.
Gary Tye, manager of De Gruchy’s Funeral Care, said that while organising a funeral could be ‘a bit of a minefield’, he felt the average costs in Jersey were ‘relatively on par’ with the UK.
However, he added that different parishes charged differently for burials.
‘The cost of a grave in Grouville is £200 and an added £260 to dig it, while it would cost £315 and an added £325 for the exact same service if you were buried in St Helier,’ he said.
Mr Tye said anyone who was concerned about the costs of a funeral should talk to their funeral director, as savings could be made when choosing aspects of the day such as flowers, the type of coffin and transport.
In Jersey, a death benefit is paid out when someone dies. Currently that figure is £838.04.
And last year the JEP revealed that there had been a rise in the number of Islanders dying while living in poverty, with a five-fold increase in those unable to pay for their own funeral.
In such circumstances the States pays for what is known as a ‘pauper’s funeral’. In 2014, one in 20 funerals were paid for by the States.
