Tauranga's ballooning burial costs hard on families: funeral directors

Burial costs in Tauranga have skyrocketed "disproportionately high", with industry leaders saying it is forcing families into difficult choices.The Funeral Directors Association has released its latest review of council burial and cremation costs, with increases announced on 1 July each year.This year, most councils increased their costs between 2 and 4 percent. An extreme exception was Tauranga, where burial costs had risen 50 percent and ash burial 200 percent.The centres reviewed showed an average burial cost of $4359. In Tauranga, it had increased from $5614 in 2025 to $8426. An ash burial had increased from $803 to $2425.The maximum Work and Income Funeral Grant available to struggling families is $2697.43."Some really disproportionately high prices there," said Funeral Directors Association chief executive Gillian Boyes."It is up to councils to set their own rates. We appreciate that. Our point is that when you're making these massive increases, are you listening to funeral directors and families about what that means for the way that the family can celebrate someone's life and is it really supporting dignity in death when you're having such an enormous jump in one hit?"Funeral directors in Tauranga said families were having to make difficult choices, with some choosing not to bury even when their cultural practices would normally suggest that, Boyes said."Families may choose to bury their loved ones or cremate their loved ones in an area that's cheaper, and that's really unfortunate for families because it's a lovely thing if they can just pop down to their local cemetery and visit their loved ones. But that choice has been taken away now in some of these cases."Funeral directors in Tauranga had engaged directly with the council on the increases but had failed to turn them around, Boyes said."In the Tauranga City Council submission, local funeral homes pointed out unlike many council services, cemetery services are essential, not optional. Every family must face death and there needs to be a consideration of this when setting fees and services."It's clear central government is unlikely to increase the Work and Income Funeral Grant enough to cover even the average burial cost, so as the monopoly provider of deathcare infrastructure in many centres, we think councils should do more to support their communities. Every New Zealander deserves dignity in death."