The facts and figures of funerals

1. One death every 3 minutes and 19 seconds in Australia
2. About 160,000 Australians die every year
3. The age of dying is increasing, with the highest number of deaths occurring in the 85 to 89 age bracket
4. Australian life expectancy has risen to 82 years
5. Australian funeral industry worth $1.1 billion a year
6. InvoCare dominates the industry with over 208 funeral homes and 14 cemeteries/crematoria in Australia under more than 60 brands
7. The personalisation of funerals is a growing trend in Australian society, with 61% viewing funerals as an occasion to honour the departed and recognise their life.
8. Cost is the biggest influencer when planning a funeral with 2 in 3 (66%) Australians stating it is extremely or significantly influential.
9. Over half the population (58%) would prefer to have a civil celebrant conduct their funeral
10. Most Australians over 50 (86%) are not thinking about their funeral and are not making prearrangements
11. Only 6% have made detailed arrangements, while 8% have some general thoughts on what they would like

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, McCrindle, “It’s Your Funeral: An Investigation of Death Care and the Funeral Industry in Australia” by Professor Sandra van der Laan and Associate Professor Lee Moerman.