The high cost of funerals is to come under scrutiny, with reviews being launched by both the Treasury and the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).

The CMA study will review how well the market works, and if consumers are getting a good deal, by looking at two core areas:

• how competition between funeral directors works, and transparency issues in the provision of funerals
• how competition works in the crematoria segment of the industry

Concerns over regulation of pre-paid funeral plans, where families are having to cover costs not included in the plan, are being looked at by the Treasury.

Daniel Gordon, a senior director of markets at the CMA, said: “People can understandably be very emotionally vulnerable when planning a funeral.

“We therefore think it is important that – at what can be a particularly challenging time – the process is made as easy as possible.”

Read more: BBC Business and Gov.uk

See also

• Let's bust some myths about death and funerals
• Financial help when someone dies