What is Direct Cremation?

Direct Cremation or Pure Cremation has been increasing in popularity over the last few years. According to The Cremation Society, it accounts for around 10% of all cremations in the UK.

In straightforward terms, a Direct Cremation is where the person that has died is cremated without any service or memorial event.

So what is generally included in a Direct Cremation?

Third-Party Fees or Disbursements

The fees charged by third parties and paid by the funeral director to allow the cremation. Such as:

• Crematorium Fee (Non attended service)

• Doctor's Fee (if required) Some Direct Cremation providers, such as the Coop, do not include the doctor's fee in their package, so it is charged in addition.

Funeral Director Fees

These fees can become a bit confusing as it is down to the individual provider as to what they will include. Generally speaking, the following services are included or incur additional charges depending on the provider.

• Bringing the person into their care (some providers charge extra for bringing someone into care from a non-hospital address and/or outside of regular office hours)

• Looking after the person until the day of the cremation

• Completing all the legal paperwork required for the cremation

• A basic coffin

• Transport and staff on the day of the cremation

• Collection or returning of the ashes (depending on the provider)

What is not included in a Direct Cremation Package

This is one of the most critical questions a family can ask as it defines if a Direct Cremation is right for them

As mentioned earlier, every provider is different, but as a general rule, these services are either not included or not allowed in most cases on a Direct Cremation:

• Having your loved one dressed in their own clothes

• Visiting your loved one in a Chapel of Rest

• Any attendance at the cremation (some providers will allow this at an additional fee)

• Choosing the date and time of the cremation

• Choosing the crematorium that is used

• Choice of coffin or memorialisation

• Talking with the person arranging the cremation in person, it will usually be a call centre, even with National Providers who have local funeral homes.

Why researching different providers is so essential

The three most important things when choosing a funeral director or direct cremation provider are research, research & research

Every Direct Cremation Provider offers unique packages, so you could be charged additional fees for different eventualities that are out of your control.

One of the most straightforward examples of this is:

Where the person passes away

In most cases, if a person passes away in a hospital, they can be brought into the care of the Direct Cremation provider at a time and date to suit them.

The provider must attend immediately if the person passes away in a non-hospital environment such as a nursing home or a home address.

Some providers will charge an extra fee for attending a non-hospital location and/or for attending outside of regular office hours. These charges can be up to £250 in each instance. For Example, if someone passes away at home at 10pm, this could mean an additional £500 in fees on top of the Direct Cremation Fee.

Where will my loved one be until the cremation?

This is a very emotive question. A Direct Cremation can be very hard for families if they do not know where their loved one is or which crematorium will be used. Always ask the questions when researching.

How do I research Direct Cremation Providers?

Website Research

Most Direct Cremation providers have a comparison table displaying what they offer and how they compare with other providers. We have one on our website. Please see the button below.

Compare Us

Review Site Research

Seeing what others have said that have used the provider's services can be very helpful. More and more people are happy leaving reviews and comments that are freely available for you to see. These can be invaluable when deciding which company to use. We again give free access to this on our website, as you can see on the button below.

Our Reviews

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