The survey found that 59% of people who have arranged a funeral spent beyond their means, with an average overspend of £513. Almost a third (30%) of those who overspent felt pressure to do so, while 26% worried about being judged if they chose a more modest option.
Among those who had experienced the death of a loved one in the past five years, nearly a quarter (24%) had never discussed end-of-life wishes. Of those who arranged a funeral, 54% said they were uncertain about key decisions because no conversations had taken place beforehand. Almost three in 10 (29%) felt anxiety at the lack of clarity, and 22% experienced guilt, worrying they had made the wrong choices.
The nation's silence about the end of life, and death, can carry a real cost, not just emotionally, but financially too.
More than half (56%) of those who arranged a funeral admitted this had resulted in family disagreements lasting an average of 13 months. Among those who had disagreements, more than two-thirds (67%) said the rift was only resolved when another family member became ill. Nearly half (48%) of all respondents feel uneasy talking about dying and death.
Bereaved individuals also reported emotional costs: 59% regretted not having a proper opportunity to say goodbye, and around half said unresolved issues and unfinished conversations continued to weigh on them.
Our research shows 24 per cent of people who have been bereaved in the past five years have never discussed their end-of-life wishes, and as a result, grieving families are left to make emotionally charged and often expensive decisions.
James Sanderson, chief executive of Sue Ryder, said: "The nation's silence about the end of life, and death, can carry a real cost, not just emotionally, but financially too." He added that talking about end-of-life wishes is "one of the kindest, most practical gifts you can give the people you love."
Talking about what you want at the end of your life is one of the kindest, most practical gifts you can give the people you love.