NSW funeral parlours quiet as demand drops

Sydney funeral businesses are feeling the sting from an apparent decline in people dying, with some in the industry reporting a drop in demand for services.

A total of 3397 deaths were recorded in NSW in March, about 300 fewer than in February, and almost 700 fewer than in March last year, according to the NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages.

In the first three months of 2016 there have been more than 400 fewer deaths in the state than at the same time last year.

Sydney funeral director Michelle Latham says the whole industry has been subdued in recent weeks.

"Predominantly every year March is a quiet month and also November can be quiet, but I've never seen it this quiet for a long, long time," she told AAP.

Sydney bagpipe player Barry Gray, whose business Pipers of Distinction caters to funerals, said demand was so slow he was relying on teaching to make ends meet.

"This time last year our average of funerals was nine a week, and we're doing nothing like that at the moment," he said.

"It's the same all over."

Winter is "death season" for Australia - and NSW - with more people dying in June, July and August compared with other months, according to research published by McCrindle.

The fewest deaths usually occur in February.

NSW deaths in March 2016 were the lowest for that month since 2005, despite the state's growing population.

But not all in the industry reported a downturn in March.

Sydney funeral director Ian Arthur said his business had been busy in the past two months after a quiet January.

"The funeral industry traditionally goes through ebbs and flows," he told AAP.

"Certainly in the colder months you do tend to see a swing up on the death rate."

DEATHS REGISTERED IN NSW

2016:

Jan - 4120

Feb - 3703

Mar - 3397

2015:

Jan - 3988

Feb - 3580

Mar - 4074

Source: NSW Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages