Guide · updated
Pet cremation cost in the UK: communal vs individual, ashes, and what vets must now tell you
The difference between communal and individual cremation, what the CMA found pet owners were paying, and the new rules that make vets show cremation prices and options from December 2026.
What practices that already publish charge
Fewer than 3 practices that publish these prices are on our list so far. Vet businesses with 15 or more practices or out-of-hours centres must publish them, if they offer them, on each practice's website from 23 December 2026, and smaller practices from 23 March 2027.
What others have published:
- Cremation: communal: from £50 for a communal cremation of a small pet to over £300 for an individual cremation of a large pet: the CMA's range across both types (CMA, Final decision report, Part A (competition concerns), paragraph 13.20; final report, 2026).
- Cremation: individual: £186.87 for a cat to £313.30 for an extra-large dog: the average of the large groups' median individual cremation prices (the CMA's size groups, not the price list's weight bands) (CMA, Final report Appendix K: cremations pricing, mark-ups and costs, Table 2.2; year to about September 2024).
- Cremation: individual: £127.80 for cats and £153.36 for dogs: the medians in a sample of 27 independent practices (CMA, Final report Appendix K: cremations pricing, mark-ups and costs, Table 2.2; year to about September 2024).
Figures from published reports, not prices we collected, and not a current UK average.
Almost nobody shops around for a cremation. That was one of the CMA's clearest findings. Of the pet owners in its survey who had bought a cremation in the previous two years, 89% did not compare providers, and 78% bought it from their vet or their out-of-hours practice, or on their recommendation (Final report, Part A, paragraphs 13.5 and 13.67).
That is understandable. The decision usually comes on the worst day, often in the same appointment as euthanasia. It is also why the CMA decided this was a market that needed rules. From 23 December 2026, large vet groups must show cremation options and prices clearly, and smaller practices must follow from 23 March 2027 (Order, Art. 3 and 20).
If you are reading this ahead of time, that is the best moment to do it. Here is what the options mean, what the CMA found people were paying, and what your vet now has to tell you.
Communal, individual, or something else
The Order defines a Basic Communal Cremation Service as one that covers administration, handling and storage of your pet, transport to the crematorium, any payment processing fees, and "a communal cremation whereby a number of different animals are cremated together, and no ashes are returned to the owner" (Art. 2).
An individual cremation is the other option: your pet is cremated on its own and the ashes can come back to you. The CMA's report put it this way: in a certified individual cremation each animal is cremated individually, "and the ashes are generally returned to the pet owner" (Part A, paragraph 13.6).
| Communal cremation | Individual cremation | |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | Several animals cremated together | Your pet cremated alone |
| Ashes returned? | No | Generally yes |
| Must every practice offer it? | Yes, a basic communal service at every practice (Art. 20(2)) | Only if the practice offers it |
| On the standard price list as | "Cremation: communal" | "Cremation: individual" |
| Relative price | The CMA found it much cheaper | Where the CMA found the high mark-ups |
PDSA's guidance for owners says the same in plain words: with a communal cremation "it's not possible for their ashes to be returned to you", and "if it's important for you to have your pet's ashes returned, the vet can arrange an individual cremation" (PDSA, When it's time to say goodbye).
You do not have to use a cremation at all. Burial at home is one of the end-of-life options the Order lists. Of owners whose pet had died in the previous two years, 67% chose cremation and 27% buried their pet at home, according to the CMA's survey (Part A, paragraph 13.1).
What the CMA found people were paying
The CMA asked the large groups for their cremation prices and also looked at independent practices and crematoria. Its figures come from data for roughly the year to September 2024. They are a snapshot, and the CMA itself flagged gaps in the data, so treat them as a guide to the gap between options rather than a price you should expect.
Median individual cremation prices the CMA reported (Final report, Appendix K, Table 2.2):
| Who sells it | Cat | All dogs | Small dog | Medium dog | Large dog | Extra-large dog |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Large vet groups (average of their medians) | £186.87 | £249.47 | £214.37 | £234.23 | £272.11 | £313.30 |
| Independent practices (sample of 27) | £127.80 | £153.36 | – | – | – | – |
| Independent crematoria, direct (desktop review) | £160.00 | – | £182.50 | £208.50 | £240.00 | £275.00 |
The dog sizes are the CMA's own size groups, not the price list's weight bands.
For communal cremation the CMA did not publish a comparable table. It said prices across both types ranged "from £50 for a communal cremation of a small pet to over £300 for an individual cremation of a large pet" (Part A, paragraph 13.20), and that communal prices "more closely reflect their costs and are a lot lower than individual cremations" (Final report summary, paragraph 56).
The CMA's overall judgement: some practices earn high mark-ups on individual cremations, and owners "may be paying in the order of £100 more for this service than they would be if there were strong price competition" (summary, paragraph 56). The CMA called that "a helpful broad indicator", and no more (Part A, paragraph 13.10).
Prices vary by practice; see the map for published prices from 23 December 2026.
Why the price varies
- The type of cremation. Communal is the cheaper option by some way.
- Your pet's size. The CMA found prices vary significantly with the weight of the pet (Part A, paragraph 13.6), using its own size groups. On the new lists, where the price depends on species or weight, the practice must show it in six fixed bands: cat, and five dog bands from under 10 kg to 60 kg and over (Art. 7(2)(c)).
- The crematorium behind the practice. Most owners buy a cremation through their practice, which has an arrangement with a crematorium (Part A, paragraph 13.3). The CMA found that groups using the same crematoria tended to have the most similar prices (Appendix K, paragraph 2.6).
- Add-ons. Urns, caskets, figurines, paw prints and fur clippings are what the Order calls Cremation Add-Ons (Art. 2). The CMA found practices often sell cremations bundled with them (Part A, paragraph 13.7).
- Bundling with euthanasia. Some practices charged one price for euthanasia and cremation together, which makes comparison hard (Part A, paragraph 13.52). On the standard list they are separate items.
What your vet must do from December 2026
The cremation rules are in Article 20 of the Order, with price list rules in Article 7. In order:
- Every practice and out-of-hours centre must offer a basic communal cremation (Art. 20(2)).
- The practice website must set out the end-of-life options with equal prominence: a communal cremation or, if offered, an individual one from the practice; arranging it yourself with a crematorium; or taking your pet home for burial (Art. 20(1), (3)(a) and (4)). "Equal prominence" means the cheaper options cannot be tucked away under the premium one.
- If you are considering a cremation, the practice must discuss those options with you before you decide, unless you would rather not (Art. 20(3)(b)).
- Before you decide, the practice must tell you in writing, on paper or by email, the price of each cremation option it offers and what is included, unless you refuse (Art. 20(5)(a)).
- Any add-on, such as an urn, must be priced in writing separately from the cremation itself (Art. 20(5)(b)).
- The price list must show both communal and individual cremation prices. Where the practice does none of the work itself and hands you to a third-party crematorium, the list must link to that crematorium's own price list (Art. 7(2)(j)).
The Order also allows a gentler bill. A practice may give you a less detailed itemised bill for euthanasia and cremation if it reasonably thinks the detail would cause distress, as long as any add-ons are always shown and you can ask for the full breakdown (Art. 12(6)). Itemised bills become compulsory from 23 June 2027 at large groups and 23 September 2027 at smaller ones (Art. 3).
Going direct to a crematorium
You can. The Order names "make separate arrangements with a Crematorium" as one of the options your vet must set out (Art. 20(1)(b)). The CMA found that only 9% of owners compared providers (Part A, paragraph 13.67), and that independent crematoria were often hard to price: of 30 websites it checked, 21 had price lists and only five of those showed communal prices (Appendix K, paragraphs 2.9 and 2.12).
If you want to compare, the practical route is to ask your practice for its written prices (which it now has to give you) and phone a local crematorium with the same pet weight and the same type of cremation.
Questions to ask
- What are your communal and individual cremation prices for my pet's weight band?
- Which crematorium do you use, and can I see its price list?
- Is anything in the price I'm being quoted an add-on, such as an urn or a paw print, and what does the cremation cost without it?
- How and when are ashes returned, and is collection included?
- Is the euthanasia priced separately?
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to cremate a dog in the UK?
The CMA reported an average of the large groups' median individual cremation prices of £214.37 for a small dog up to £313.30 for an extra-large dog, using data for the year to around September 2024 (Appendix K, Table 2.2). Communal cremation was much cheaper. Prices vary by practice; see the map for published prices from 23 December 2026, and the communal and individual cremation price pages.
Do I get my pet's ashes back after a communal cremation?
No. By the Order's definition, in a basic communal cremation several animals are cremated together and no ashes are returned (Art. 2). Choose an individual cremation if you want the ashes.
Can I say no to a cremation?
Yes. Taking your pet home for burial and arranging a cremation yourself are both options the practice must set out (Art. 20(1)). Check any local rules on home burial before you decide; PDSA suggests a grave at least 1 metre deep.
Does my vet have to tell me the price before I decide?
From 23 December 2026 at large groups and 23 March 2027 at smaller practices, yes: in writing, before you choose, unless you say you don't want it (Art. 20(5)(a)).
Are urns included in the cremation price?
They should not be hidden in it. Add-ons must be priced separately from the cremation service (Art. 20(5)(b)), and the price list's cremation prices do not include them.
Related reading
- Pet euthanasia cost: what is included
- What the CMA vet price rules mean for pet owners
- How to compare vet prices in the UK
Sources
- Competition and Markets Authority, The Veterinary Services Market Investigation Order 2026, published 22 September 2026: Articles 2, 3, 7(2)(c) and (j), 12(6) and 20.
- CMA, Final decision report, Part A (competition concerns), 24 March 2026, section 13 (paragraphs 13.1, 13.3, 13.5 to 13.10, 13.20, 13.52 and 13.67).
- CMA, Final report Appendix K: cremations pricing, mark-ups and costs, 24 March 2026, paragraphs 2.6 to 2.12 and Table 2.2.
- CMA, Summary of the final report, 24 March 2026, paragraph 56.
- PDSA, When it's time to say goodbye, accessed 4 November 2026.