Church of England wedding and funeral fees to increase
15th February 2012
The already steep cost of marriages and funerals is set to rise further with the Church of England’s decision to raise the costs of these services significantly.
Church members have voted to raise the average cost of a wedding from £296 to £415, and for a funeral service from £102 to £160, from January 2013.
The rise represents increases of 40% and 50% for wedding and funeral ceremonies respectively, but will now be inclusive of lighting and administration.
The move has been met with criticism by some after the Church's governing body, the General Synod, warned that it will have a serious impact on poorer couples who want to have their nuptials at Church.
The Rev Canon Simon Killwick, a vicar in Moss Side, Manchester, said; "Such a fee increase seems to me hard to justify in times of financial austerity and even harder to justify in poor inner-city parishes.
"The Church of England ought not to be seen to be making a big increase at this time and ought not to be making it difficult for the poor to access these services at a time when a simple ceremony can be had at a registry office for around £100."
In contrast, the Rt Rev John Packer, the Bishop of Ripon and Leeds, argued that changes to the costing of services were due and that the fees will represent a unified costing scheme for all parishes.
He told the General Synod that fee increases will generate £35m a year for the Church, which includes £15m towards the cost of clergy pay.
"The reality of what it costs matters, and it seems to me that those who are being married within our churches do understand that," he said.
The increases were put in place after a 4% rise in the number of Church of England weddings in 2010.
If you are worried about the potential cost of your funeral, you could choose to leave a cash lump sum for your loved ones which could help with funeral costs.
Asda’s Over 50s Life Cover includes a Funeral Benefit Option which can help you in this regard.
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