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 can not 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 .
Number of burials in Britain will increase by 20 % over the next 20 years . Funeral ##ds are faced with bad debts and have increased their prices . A funeral with a priest , minister and an attendant now costs £ ##500 . Younger families may be straddled with ' funeral debts ' due to higher fees .