The funeral industry in Australia is currently estimated to be $1.5 billion and provides essential services to individuals and families dealing with, or preparing for, death and bereavement.

However, navigating the funeral industry when dealing with a loved one’s death can leave many of us vulnerable to upselling and confused with no understanding of the industry and little idea of our rights and choices.

Who Owns Simplicity Funerals?

Simplicity Funerals is a funeral brand owned by InvoCare, a publicly listed multinational company which accounts for 34% of all funeral homes in Australia.

In addition to Simplicity Funerals, InvoCare own many other national brands such as White Lady Funerals and Value Funerals.

When selecting a funeral home, one question you need to consider is whether to engage a large corporation (like Simplicity Funerals) or the services of a smaller, Australian and family-owned funeral home. While large corporations have the benefit of a well-known brand, it often means that you’ll pay a premium and have less freedom to personalise the service, so it’s worthwhile to consider all of your options.

What Services Do Simplicity Funerals Offer?

Simplicity Funerals offer the typical services you would expect from a funeral home but in a way that is stripped down, standardised and cheaper for families. While the price saving is an advantage, the trade-off is that you may not be able to do much customisation to the service, with only a few fixed-package options available for families to choose from.

Also, because you’re paying less in fees, the level of service and dedication you receive won’t be the same as on offer from the more expensive brands or family-owned funeral homes. You’re also not guaranteed to have one funeral director look after you from start to finish.

Simplicity Funerals Prices

Simplicity Funerals are the cheapest of the InvoCare Brands (not including Value Cremations who only offer direct cremations). While they are cheap, there are definitely cheaper options to be found in each of the states.

To help you compare prices, we’ve set out the starting price of a basic cremation and burial charged by Simplicity Funerals.

(Note: These prices are taken from InvoCare and are current as at the time of publication.  Please check website for inclusions and exclusions to avoid hidden fees.

Corporate versus Independent Funeral Directors

Although most consumers will pick a funeral home brand based on expensive marketing campaigns, it pays to shop around. We wouldn’t consider buying a car or paying for a wedding without learning everything we can about the product or service. The same decision making process should also apply to funerals!

Choosing between a corporate or family-owned funeral home is a personal question. Corporate funeral homes are often able to charge a premium due to brand recognition and the belief that their services will be of a higher professional quality. On the other hand, independent funeral homes in Australia work for consumers and not shareholders of publicly listed companies, InvoCare and Propel Funeral Partners. They are often more connected with the communities they serve and have more freedom to tailor funerals to reflect the wishes of the family (rather than being bound by strict package options).

Make the Independent Funeral Choice the Right Choice

If local ownership and community involvement are important to you, you should ask who owns and operates the funeral home you are considering. By choosing to use the services of an independent funeral director, listed with eziFunerals, you are selecting the help of a trusted professional – who can help you anywhere, anytime. They are not distracted or bound by corporate rules handed down from head office and shareholders but can be flexible and responsive to individual needs, providing a highly personal and compassionate service.

So make the right choice and get value for money by selecting an Australian, independent and family owned funeral director to conduct a funeral.

For more information on funeral costs in each of the states, see our city specific pages:

• Funeral Directors Sydney
• Funeral Directors Melbourne
• Funeral Directors Brisbane
• Funeral Directors Adelaide
• Funeral Directors Perth
• Funeral Directors Hobart

About eziFunerals

eziFunerals is a free consumer advocacy and funeral planning platform that supports individuals and families cope with end of life decisions, death and funerals. We are an independent, Australian-owned and operated company, and are not a subsidiary of any other corporation. We are not part of any other funeral company. Founded by consumers frustrated by how difficult it was to get independent information, eziFunerals supports consumers plan a funeral, compare prices and select the right funeral director anywhere, anytime.