text: The baby boom generation is set to leave one last burden to its children and grandchildren – a wave of funeral debt. The cost of paying for rising numbers of deaths as the unprecedented numbers of post-World War Two babies come to the end of their lives may be too much for many families, a report said. It predicted that numbers of deaths in Britain, which have been falling for 40 years, will start to go up and increase by 20 per cent over the next two decades. At the same time the price of a funeral is rising fast, thanks to higher costs for cremation, rising undertakers’ bills as funeral firms are faced with bad debts, and the increasing fees demanded by churches. Deaths in Britain, which have been falling for 40 years, will start to go up and increase by 20 per cent over the next two decades, a report by a think tank has found (file photo) The report, prepared by an old age think tank, the International Longevity Centre-UK, and backed by insurance firm OneFamily, suggests that younger people who already feel financially hard pressed in comparison to their parents will still be under money pressure even after their deaths. Younger people are finding it increasingly difficult to afford homes or to start families, and in the long-term their pensions are much less secure than those of their parents, many of whom enjoyed the generous and fast-disappearing defined benefit pension system. The report from ILC-UK to be published next week said that death rates are set to go up following a long period in which medical advances, better diet, healthier lifestyles and the growing unpopularity of smoking, and the decline of dangerous heavy industrial jobs, have meant fewer people have been dying despite a rising population. ‘After decades of the number of deaths in the UK falling, 2015 will mark a tipping point where the historic trend starts to reverse,’ it said. ‘As the oldest of the baby boomer generation move through their later years, deaths are predicted to rise by 20 per cent.’ It added: ‘This will have significant implications for current forecasts of funeral costs and highlights a growing need for families to broach the delicate subject of end of life expenses.’ A 'simple' funeral with a cremation, a minister and an undertaker now costs £3, 590 . Baroness Sally Greengross of ILC-UK said: ‘More than half of UK households have less than £3,000 in savings and many will struggle to cover funeral costs. ‘We all need to talk more about dying and ensure we are prepared for the inevitable. State support for funerals is complex and inadequate and without reforms will contribute to more people falling victim to funeral debt.’ The report said that funeral costs have already risen by 80 per cent over the past 10 years and costs are set to go up further. A ‘simple’ funeral, with a cremation, a minister and an undertaker, now costs an average of £3,590, it found. However a family that wants to throw in a memorial stone, death notices, flowers, limousines, a wake and somewhere to hold it, is likely to be looking at spending almost £2,000 more. An average ‘full works’ funeral now costs £5,423, the report said. Costs are going up, it found, partly for technical reasons. Crematoria now need to cover costs for removing fillings from the teeth of the dead, for example, because they must remove mercury from the body before disposal. Funeral firms are under growing costs pressures, not least because some families cannot or will not pay their bills, and the fees for a Church of England vicar to conduct the funeral went up in 2013 from £102 to £160. More than one in five families do not have money left by the deceased to help with the cost of the funeral, the report said.
target: Number of deaths in Britain will increase by 20% over the next 20 years .
  Funeral firms are faced with bad debts and have increased their prices .
  A  funeral with a cremation, minister and an undertaker now costs £3,590 .
  Younger people may be straddled with 'funeral debts' due to higher fees .