SA funeral demand soars, with cheaper cremations up as cost of living crisis hits

South Australians are choosing cremation over burying their dead relatives as the cost of living crisis hits funerals, amid a surge of people dying.

Funeral Directors Thomas Butler and Karina Jones at Ivan Butler funerals. Picture: Keryn Stevens

More South Australians are cremating their dead relatives over burying them in a grave as the cost of living crisis forces families to soften the blow of costly funerals amid a surge of people dying.

Official figures show almost 11,700 cremations were conducted across the state last financial year, compared to nearly 9900 in 2020/21 – a spike of nearly a fifth.

Industry leaders blamed increasing costs of funerals – fuelled by rising digging, plot and headstone charges – despite SA fees being competitive compared with other states.

Funeral directors, who have grappled with draconian pandemic restrictions and worker shortages, say cremations provide greater flexibility for families and allowed them a chance to scatter ashes in locations close to their relative’s, or friend’s, heart.

Funeral directors Karina Jones and Thomas Butler at Ivan Butler Funerals. Picture: Keryn Stevens

Ivan Butler Funerals director, Michael Butler, 58, said he had never experienced a busier time in a 42-year career, with the volume “presenting challenges for my staff”.

“It has been a very busy few years,” he said.

“There’s been times we’ve been run off our feet. You have to just keep going for the families as you have to show them they are your priority no matter how busy we are.

“You just learn to cope and learn to manage it. The job is 24/7 and you have to treat each family, and their relative, as the individual they were.

“There’s nothing you can do about it. You can’t control the death rate.”

Experts say an overall funeral cost depends on the type and family request.

Industry research showed an average funeral cost was almost $9000 in 2022 but can sometimes be more than double that amount depending on logistics and demands.

Coffins can cost anywhere from $1000 to $40,000 for elaborate caskets.

Costs can include celebrant charges, cemetery fees, death notices, tribute material, audiovisual equipment and catering.

Average plots can cost between $3000 and $5000 – charges vary on scale or location – digging fees are an additional average of $2500 while coffins can cost anything from $1000 to $40,000.

Elaborate catering can be more than $4500. Almost half of funerals are now livestreamed.

State government figures show almost 16,000 deaths were reported to Births, Deaths and Marriages last financial year, compared with more than 13,800 in 2020/21.

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The agency, which is part of Consumer, Business Services in the Attorney-General’s Department, recorded more than three quarters were cremated, which had steadily increased over the past three years.

Initial data is down during this financial year.

A nationwide industry survey found almost two in three families now choose cremation, according to the latest Australian Funeral Directors Association trends report.

Adelaide Hills-based Kleemann Funerals director, Andrew Kleemann, 59, said the proportion of families choosing cremation services had changed dramatically over the past 30 years.

He said in 1995, at least 70 per cent of clients chose a grave burial but, today, that figure had reversed with just 30 per cent choosing to bury a relative.

The numbers of funeral burials has fallen.

Some families are even choosing not to have a funeral, he said.

“Digging a grave is much more expensive now, cemetery fees are extremely high so it can be a very costly process,” said Mr Kleemann, who has offices in Mt Barker, Lobethal and Strathalbyn.

“Scattering a loved one’s ashes can offer families more flexibility and helps with their grieving process. Some people bring an urn home and then move their relative with them.

“But the cost of living is a big part of that as some families can struggle to cope with the money it takes to give their relative a send off.”

Mr Kleemann, a former national industry president and fifth generation funeral director, said his business had expanded to cope with demand while dealing with Covid-19 challenges.

He said his family-operated business focused on quality, not quantity. “I pride myself on doing the job right and helping to the highest possible standard,” he said.

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AFDA national president, Kelly Scott, said there had been “quite a significant” spike in the number of funerals in the past few years.

Ms Scott, a country Victoria funeral director whose national body conducts almost 100,000 funerals a year, said the cost was an industry-wide challenge along with finding suitable staff.

“It’s a really demanding industry but we have to be there for our families as it is literally the worst time of their lives for many,” she said.

“They need more and we need to accommodate that. In some ways you do feel overburdened – especially during Covid – because of a family’s needs but we always show compassion.”