It is often difficult to think about how much the passing of loved ones may cost.

But dying in Essex could be about to get more expensive, with some councils looking to increase their fees and charges for the coming year.

The LDRS has compared the prices of various services currently offered by cemeteries and crematoria across the county.

Although prices vary for residents and non-residents, the most expensive council-run service in Essex on our list is Chelmsford Cemetery and Crematorium, at £2,800 for the burial of someone who is not a resident of the city.

A spokesperson for Chelmsford City Council said in a statement: "At the Chelmsford Cemetery and Crematorium, an exclusive right of burial for 50 years – which includes the right to place a memorial, costs £1,400 for residents and £2,800 for non-residents.

"This is considerably less expensive than many other authorities in East Anglia and nationally."

Basildon

According to its website, Basildon and District Crematorium and Cemetery was developed in agreement with Basildon Council, but is currently run by Westerleigh Group Ltd.

A 60-minute cremation slot, which includes a 40-minute service from 9.30am, costs £1,015. The fee also includes use of the chapel, media system, organ, the scattering of ashes within a garden of remembrance and a cremation certificate.

For burials, both single and double depth interments cost £1,115.

Braintree

Braintree District Council runs the cemetery on London Road, just off the A120. According to the council website, the cemetery has a 48-capacity chapel, and separate areas for burials, cremated remains, interments, consecrated interments and Roman Catholic interments.

An interment of cremated remains costs £160 for a resident and £320 for a non-resident.

The burial of a resident over 18 costs £539 at single depth and £698 at double depth, but £1,078 for a non-resident at single depth and £1,396 at double depth. Brentwood Both London Road and Woodman Road cemeteries are run by Brentwood Borough Council, according to its website. Cremated remains plots are available at both, but full burial plots are only available at Woodman Road. Exclusive Rights of Burial for 50 years will cost a resident £1,268 and a non-resident £2,537.

Meanwhile, purchasing a cremated remains grass plot for 50-years will cost £457 for a resident and £914 for a non-resident.

Castle Point

Castle Point Borough Council manages two cemeteries for burial and cremated remains interments. These are Woodside Cemetery on Manor Road, Benfleet, and South Benfleet Cemetery on Jotmans Lane, South Benfleet.

According to its website, Basildon District Council currently provides booking services for the cemeteries on behalf of Castle Point Borough Council.

However, Castle Point Borough Council looks after grave digging and cemetery grounds at St. Katherine's churchyard, Canvey Island, St. James-the-Less churchyard, Hadleigh, St. Mary's churchyard, Benfleet, and St. Peter's churchyard, Thundersley.

A churchyard burial for a resident over 12-years-old costs £663 and £1,321 for a non-resident.

Chelmsford

Chelmsford Cemetery and Crematorium is on Writtle Road.

Grave purchase for 50-years costs £1,400 for a resident and £2,800 for a non-resident.

According to the council website, a cremation of someone over 18 costs £895 with organ music and mourners but £775 without. Colchester For 2022-2023, Colchester's cremation and burial fees are about to go up, by £85 and £34 respectively. From April 2022, an adult burial at single depth will cost £706 and £844 at double depth, according to a council report. Adult cremation will cost £796. Epping Forest In Epping Forest, cemeteries are administered by town and parish councils. Chigwell Parish Council charges £770 for Chigwell residents, £1,540 for Loughton and Buckhurst Hill residents and £2,315 for non-residents to be buried at Chigwell Cemetery. For cremated remains plots, the prices are £550 for Chigwell residents, £1,100 for Loughton and Buckhurst Hill residents and £1,650 for non-residents. Meanwhile, interment in a purchased grave costs £819 for a resident and £2,456 for a non-resident at Epping Cemetery. The Epping Town Council-run cemetery charges £257 for residents and £773 for non-residents for interments in cremated remains plots. Until March 2022, exclusive rights of burial at Waltham Abbey Cemetery cost a total of £875.50 for a resident but £2,626.50 for a non-resident. The interment fee for ashes in a grave is £244.50 but £733.50 for residents. There are no more grave spaces available at Loughton Cemetery, but according to its price list exclusive rights of burial in a plot for cremated remains would cost £607 for Loughton residents, £1,214 for Chigwell and Buckhurst Hill residents and £1,821 for non-residents. Ongar Town Council charges £623 for a grave and £305 for cremated remains, including a rose bush. This goes up to £2,492 for a grave and £1,246 for cremated remains for non-residents.

Harlow

According to its website, Harlow Council will arrange a cremation if a person dies in the district without arrangements of their own. The council used to run Parndon Wood Cemetery and Crematorium, but the service was transferred over to Westerleigh Group in 2011.

Essex County Council's cemeteries and crematoria web page also directs users to Westerleigh's website.

Price lists on the website state a standard grave for a resident will cost £1,785 and £2,395 for a non-resident. 45 minute slots from 10am for adult cremations cost £970.

Maldon

There are three council cemeteries in Maldon. These are Burnham-on-Crouch, Heybridge and Maldon Cemetery.

The resident fee for a burial over 18 years of age is £1,000 while the non-resident fee is £2,000.

The council charges £225 for a resident to be cremated and £500 for a non-resident.

Rochford

Rochford District Council owns cemeteries at Hall Road, Rochford, and Hockley Road, Rayleigh. However, the cemetery at Rayleigh has reached its capacity, with the exception of children's graves, according to the council website.

Since April 2021, interments in a grave in Rochford for the deceased over 12-years-old have cost £712.33.

Interments in cremation plots cost £267.86.

Tendring

Weeley Crematorium on Colchester Road is operated by Tendring District Council and is currently open subject to social distancing rules, according to the council website.

A full burial over for someone over 18-years-old, with exclusive rights for 99 years, costs £885, with optional use of the chapel costing an extra £165.

Cremation over 18 years of age costs £775.

Uttlesford

Like Epping Forest, cemeteries are administered by town and parish councils.

The main cemetery in the district is Saffron Walden Cemetery.

Since 2020, Saffron Walden town council has charged £525 for a grave for residents, £819 for residents from adjoining parishes and £1,166 for non-residents.

Interment of ashes in the garden of remembrance costs £205 for residents, £294 for residents of adjoining parishes, and £525 for non-residents.