With the funeral prices soaring every year faster than inflation, it’s no surprise that people look for alternative and more affordable ways to say goodbye. Nowadays, a simple funeral in the UK could set you back more than £4,000. A burial funeral is even more expensive costing more than £5,000 on average. The biggest expense is funeral director fees, which make up around 65% of the overall cost. They take care of most the arrangements and provide a coffin, hearse and limousines.
When you’re struck with a big funeral bill unexpectedly, it can cause notable financial stress. However, these days many people are realising they don’t need to spend more than they can afford on fancy ceremonial elements. The perfect send-off may not be a traditional funeral with all the bells and whistles, but it could be a simple gathering of family and friends to talk about old memories and raise a glass to their loved one.
Whether arranging a funeral for a loved one or thinking about your own funeral in the future, and want to keep costs to a minimum, then you may consider direct cremation.
What is direct cremation?
Direct cremation means that the person who’s died is cremated without having a funeral service beforehand. A funeral director can collect and care for them until the cremation, but they won’t be able to offer a viewing at the chapel of rest. The cremation takes place at a date and time that’s convenient for the crematorium.
How does it save money?
It saves money because there’s no service at all. This means no hearse, no limousines, no ceremony, no flowers and no wake. You only need to pay for the basic cremation services. The ashes can be collected afterwards for you to scatter or keep wherever you wish. You might like to arrange an informal gathering with family and friends to celebrate the life of your loved one with their ashes present.
Where can I organise a direct cremation?
95% of funeral directors in the UK offer direct cremation services. Just ask your local funeral director about their low-funeral options. Although it’s important to bear in mind you won’t be able to choose the crematorium.
Why have a direct cremation?
There are many reasons why you may choose direct cremation over a traditional funeral with full-length service. Some reasons may include:
- It’s cheap. Prices start from around £1,000 which is around 75% less than the average cost of a cremation funeral.
- It’s simple and fuss-free. For some people, all the frills that come with a traditional funeral seem extravagant and unnecessary.
- It protects loved ones from the additional stress of planning a funeral service
- It allows loved ones to grieve in private, away from a funeral setting which may be too upsetting for them.
- Some people prefer that their family and friends have a celebration of life, which could be a gathering at an informal venue after the cremation.
I want a direct cremation, how do I make sure this happens?
It’s really important to make your final wishes known. Even more so if you’re specific about how you want your family and friends to commemorate your life.
You could record final wishes by writing them into your Will, writing them down and keeping them with important documents (that your loved ones can easily find), or documenting them online. The other option is to take out a prepaid funeral plan. A funeral plan is a sure-fire way of ensuring you get the send-off you want, as you pay for all your funeral services in advance. It ensures that when the time comes, everything has already been taken care of. Your loved ones wouldn’t need to worry about any funeral arrangements, they just need to make a single phone call. A funeral plan also locks-in today’s rates, protecting your loved ones from higher prices in the future. Life insurance is another good option if you would rather a lump sum payout.
To compare direct cremation funeral plans quickly and easily, you could use the expertise of a funeral plan broker, such as Reassured. They don’t charge for their service, as they work on your behalf to find you the best funeral plan at the best price. It’s much less hassle than going to each plan provider website to compare information.
