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Written by Mitch Tapner.
9 minute read
The main difference is shape. A coffin usually has six sides and is tapered (wider at the shoulders, narrower at the head and feet), with a lift-off lid. A casket has four sides, is rectangular, and usually has a hinged lid for viewing. Coffins are the traditional choice in the UK; caskets are more common in the US.
In everyday British English, the two words are often used interchangeably, even though they technically differ. This guide covers the shape, the cost, which one’s used in the UK, what they’re made from, and whether you even need one at all.
Key takeaways:
Here’s the comparison at a glance:
| Feature | Coffin | Casket |
|---|---|---|
| Shape | Tapered, follows the body | Rectangular, uniform width |
| Number of sides | Six | Four |
| Lid | Single, lift-off | Hinged, often split for viewing |
| Handles | Simpler, fixed | Swing-bar, more ornamental |
| Size | Fits the body’s shape | Larger, box-like |
| Common materials | Veneered chipboard, wood, cardboard, wicker | Solid wood, metal, premium linings |
| Typical cost (UK) | From around £200 | From around £850 |
| Where it’s used | UK, Europe, Australia | US, Canada |
*Figures from SunLife’s coffin pricing guide and Quick Funeral*
They do the same job: respectfully holding the person who’s died for burial or cremation. The differences are mostly shape, style, cost and country.
A coffin is a six-sided, tapered container, wider at the shoulders and narrowing towards the head and feet, with a lift-off lid. It’s the traditional and standard choice in the UK, Europe and Australia.
The tapered shape follows the body and uses less material, which is part of why coffins are usually more affordable. Coffins come in a wide range of materials, from simple cardboard through to solid oak, and are carried using simpler, fixed handles along each side, which most pallbearers will already be familiar with.
A casket is a four-sided, rectangular container with a hinged lid, often split, so the top half can open for a viewing. It’s the predominant choice in the US and Canada.
Caskets tend to have premium interior linings and finishes, plush fabric, cushioned bedding, and decorative swing-bar handles, which, along with the extra material, make them more expensive. In Britain, ‘casket’ is less common, and can also refer to a rectangular-style coffin or a small container for ashes.
The coffin’s tapered form traditionally mirrors the shape of the human body; the casket’s rectangular form suits open-lid viewings and premium finishing.
‘Casket’ was adopted by the US funeral trade in the mid-to-late 1800s as a gentler-sounding word than ‘coffin’, at a time when the trade was keen to soften the language around death for grieving families. Before that, a ‘casket’ meant a small box for precious things, like jewels. That’s why, outside the US, people sometimes still use ‘casket’ to mean a keepsake box, rather than a container for a body at all.
In the UK, the coffin is standard. It’s the shape you’ll see at almost every British funeral, whether that’s a cremation or burial, and ‘coffin’ is the word most people use, from funeral directors to order-of-service wording. Caskets are far less common here, and where you do see one, it’s usually a higher-end or American-style option offered as an alternative rather than the default.
Many people in the UK use ‘coffin’ and ‘casket’ interchangeably in everyday conversation, so don’t worry if you’ve been using them as the same thing; a funeral director will know exactly what you mean, whichever word you reach for.
Coffins and caskets are made from a wide range of materials. Veneered chipboard, a wood-effect surface over a chipboard or MDF base, is the most common and affordable option in the UK, and it’s what most people picture when they think of a standard coffin.
Beyond that, you’ll find solid wood (oak, pine, mahogany), which tends to sit at the higher end for coffins; cardboard, which is lightweight, affordable and increasingly popular; wicker or willow, woven by hand and often chosen for a softer, more natural look; bamboo and seagrass, both fast-growing and low-impact; and simple wool or cotton shrouds (a fabric covering used instead of a rigid container, sometimes with a supporting board underneath). Metal, such as steel or bronze, is more associated with US-style caskets, and is rarely used for traditional UK coffins.
Biodegradable options, including cardboard, wicker and shrouds, suit green and natural burials.
Coffins are generally more affordable than caskets, because caskets use more material and premium finishing.
According to SunLife’s coffin pricing guide (May 2025), plain cardboard coffins start from around £200, with basic coffins generally ranging from about £150 to £480. Veneered wood coffins tend to run from roughly £350 to £860, or up to around £1,000 for personalised versions. Solid wood coffins and metal caskets both span a wide range, from around £850 up to £10,000 or more, since caskets are pricier largely because they’re wider and grander in appearance. These figures are a general guide and will vary by retailer and funeral director, so it’s worth checking current prices before you commit.
Here’s the honest, useful part: a simple coffin is every bit as dignified as an ornate one, funeral directors may mark coffin prices up, and you can also buy direct. A direct cremation includes a simple coffin as standard, so there’s no need to overspend on a premium casket for a dignified send-off. Our guide to types of funerals and their costs covers the wider picture.
Yes. Coffins, including cardboard and wicker ones, are routinely used for cremation. Crematoria simply require a suitable rigid, combustible container that can safely hold the person.
Before the coffin reaches the cremator, there are several steps involved in how a body is prepared for cremation, from identification and preparation through to placing the person in their coffin. If you’re wondering what happens next, understanding the cremation process can explain each stage, including what happens once the coffin enters the cremator.
It’s also natural to wonder whether coffins get reused, but they don’t. The coffin is cremated with the person inside.
Both coffins and caskets can be used for burial too, while biodegradable coffins and shrouds are popular choices for natural burials.
For burial, there’s no strict legal requirement to use a coffin in the UK; a shroud is allowed, and many natural burial grounds welcome one. For cremation, a suitable container is needed, and that’s usually a coffin, which can be cardboard.
This can also be useful to know if you’re exploring DIY funerals and arranging some or all of the funeral yourself. You may have more choice over the coffin, shroud or other arrangements than you realise, although the crematorium or burial ground will have its own requirements that you’ll need to follow.
This is general information rather than a final answer for your situation, so always check what’s permitted with the crematorium or burial ground you’re using.
For a greener send-off, biodegradable choices like cardboard, wicker, bamboo, seagrass and wool shrouds are widely available, and break down naturally over time, which suits woodland and natural burial sites well.
On the other end of the spectrum, many coffins and caskets can be personalised too: engraving, ‘picture’ coffins printed with a favourite design, a football club crest or a favourite scene, chosen interior fabrics, or simply a particular colour. Some families like to keep things simple and traditional; others prefer something that reflects the person’s personality. Both are equally valid choices, and neither is more respectful than the other.
Choosing a coffin or casket is just one part of arranging a funeral, and you don’t need to spend more to make the farewell meaningful. What matters most is choosing something that feels right for the person who died and for your family.
If you’re considering cremation, Aura offers simple, dignified direct cremation, with a coffin included as standard. Our team can take care of the practical arrangements and guide you through each step, giving you more space to focus on remembering the person you love.
Not technically. A coffin is six-sided and tapered; a casket is four-sided and rectangular with a hinged lid. They do the same job, and the words are often used interchangeably, especially in the UK.
A coffin is usually more affordable, because a casket uses more material and premium finishes. In the UK, coffins are the standard choice.
Coffins. The coffin is the traditional and standard container at British funerals; caskets are far less common and usually a higher-end or US-style option.
Yes, including cardboard and wicker coffins. Crematoria just need a suitable rigid, combustible container.
In the UK, there’s no strict legal requirement to use a coffin for burial; a shroud is allowed, and many natural burial grounds accept one. Cremation does require a suitable container.
Most commonly veneered chipboard or MDF, which is affordable, plus solid wood, cardboard, wicker, bamboo or seagrass. Metal is more associated with US caskets.
They’re most common in the US and Canada. In the UK, Europe and Australia, coffins are the norm.