Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral and lying-in-state cost the government £162m

Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral and the lying-in-state at Westminster Hall cost the government an estimated £162m.

In a breakdown of costs released by the Treasury, it was revealed that the Home Office spent the most money (£74m) on events surrounding Her Late Majesty’s death. This would have likely been in relation to security and policing, both protecting members of the public and the hundreds of world leaders who visited London for the funeral.

The Department of Culture, Media and Sport was the second highest department in terms of cost (£57m).

The Chief Secretary fo the Treasury, John Glen, said that the government’s priority at the time had been to make sure “these events ran smoothly and with the appropriate level of dignity, while at all times ensuring the safety and security of the public”.

Full breakdown of estimated costs:

• Home Office – £73.68m
• Department for Culture, Media & Sport – £57.42m
• Scottish Government – £18.756m
• Ministry of Defence – £2.890m
• Department for Transport – £2.565m
• Welsh Government – £2.202m
• Northern Ireland Office – £2.134m
• Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office – £2.096m

The Scottish government also faces significant costs of around £18.7m, with Queen Elizabeth II dying at her Scottish residence of Balmoral, and lying-in-state in Edinburgh for 24 hours.

The Treasury says it has “fully refunded” the Scottish and Welsh Governments, and the Northern Ireland Office, for their costs.