Caket-renting has seen a rise in UK inflation.
The Sun reports that cash-strapped Brits have begun to rent temporary coffins in order to save money on funeral costs. The cost-saving measures are becoming increasingly popular among funeral directors as Brits face rising living expenses.
For the funeral, a temporary coffin can be rented and returned later. The deceased is placed into a cheap and lightweight ‘inner’ coffin, which sits inside the rented casket. After the funeral, the outer coffin is removed and the body placed inside the lighter casket.
The average cost of renting a coffin is £250 ($312), the Sun reported, much below the £750 ($937) price tag for buying a casket outright.
“There are many ways to keep the cost of a funeral within a budget, while making it special,”According to the British tabloid, a spokesperson from the National Association of Funeral Directors said this. “Provided it is clear what is being provided, this is one of several choices available that may assist families.”
While one manufacturer of rental coffins told the Sun that her company’s products should be seen as no different from renting a wedding dress, an “industry insider”According to the tabloid, “this move is the latest sign the living costs crisis is literally becoming a killer issue.”
“This rental coffin market is saving families thousands of pounds, but it’s sad they must come to terms with the fact their loved one isn’t in an enclosed casket,”According to the source.
The UK saw an increase in inflation of 7% over the 12 months prior to March. This is the highest rate of inflation since March 1992, at 7% per month. Energy costs have soared even higher in the wake of the conflict in Ukraine and Britain’s decision to cut itself off from Russian energy imports, as households are now paying 28% more for gas and 19% more for electricity.
83% of UK adults reported an increase of their living expenses in March. The Office for Budget Responsibility forecasted last month that real household incomes will fall by 2.2% in this year. This would be the biggest drop in living standards in the country since 1956, when records were first started.
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