What is direct cremation and how do you arrange one?

Direct cremation has been a great low-cost funeral option for many years, but it gained particular popularity in 2016 after David Bowie pre-arranged to have one after his death.

Unlike burial or traditional cremation, direct cremation allows you to plan a funeral without needing to use a funeral director. This takes away all the stuffy, formal things that come with arranging a funeral so you’re free to create a memorial that perfectly celebrates your loved one’s life.

But before we go any further, let’s cover some of the basics...

What is a direct cremation?

Direct cremation is a cremation without a traditional funeral service at the crematorium. This means that you can arrange a more personal service that’s right for you and your family.

The person who has died is collected from their place of death and taken to a crematorium for a private, unattended cremation. This gives you the time and freedom to put your own funeral plans in place with your friends and family. The ashes are then returned to you in a beautiful, temporary urn. Lots of families will choose to have the ashes present at a memorial service, display them or scatter them in a place of their choosing.

What can you do with the ashes?

The beauty of a direct cremation is that you have the freedom to celebrate your loved one’s life in your own way. You could hire out the local town hall, host a memorial service in your garden, or you could even get together for a picnic in the park.

After everyone has had a chance to say goodbye, you’ll need to decide what to do with the ashes. If your loved one made a will, they may have left wishes about their final resting place. If not, you can take inspiration from some of these popular choices:

1. Display the ashes at home

If you choose a direct cremation with Farewill, your loved one's ashes will be returned in a simple tube. Alternatively, you can choose to make things more personal. We offer ceramic urns for display, and even companion urns, if you'd like to keep two sets of ashes together.

2. Scatter the ashes

Another popular way to celebrate your loved one after a direct cremation is to scatter their ashes. You could choose the place they got engaged, their favourite beach or a park they walked through every day – or you could divide up the ashes and do all three. At Farewill, we offer a range of urns for scattering ashes, including ones that dissolve in water for dispersing the ashes at sea.

3. Turn the ashes into a memento

One of the more extravagant options after a direct cremation is to turn your loved one’s ashes into a memento. Using a small amount of the ashes, you could pay a professional to create a ring, cufflinks or a sparkling pendant. And if your loved one was the theatrical type, you could even use their ashes to create a commemorative firework display.

How much does a direct cremation cost?

A direct cremation with Farewill costs just £895. If there are doctor’s fees to be paid or your loved one needs to be collected from their home, there may be additional costs.

To put this in context, the average cremation in the UK costs around £3,795. This is because people often feel pressured into spending more when they use a funeral director. When given a choice of coffins, for example, people feel guilty choosing the cheapest option, so they end up spending more than they need to – and more than their loved one would have wanted.

By focusing all our efforts on the cremation itself, we give you the freedom (and the budget) to create the perfect funeral for you and your family.

How to arrange a direct cremation with Farewill

If someone has already died...

Call us today on 0203 695 2090 and we’ll start arranging the cremation straight away. Our team will speak to the doctors to arrange an appropriate collection time, so you can go home, spend time with your family and focus on planning the funeral.

Over the next few days, we’ll keep you informed on when the cremation will take place. If you choose to, we can hand-deliver the ashes to your door at a time that’s convenient for you.

If someone is receiving end of life care…

Call us today on 0203 695 2090. We’ll take a few details about you and your loved one, then we’ll send this to you by email so you can check everything is correct.

When the time comes, simply call us back and we’ll start arranging the cremation straight away for you.

If you're planning for the future…

We also offer a Direct Cremation Funeral Plan. With a funeral plan, you can plan and prepay for a direct cremation in advance, saving your family from the stress of arranging a funeral in the future, and the burden of paying for it. If you'd like to know more, get your free guide, or talk to our friendly team, on 033 0818 3830

Read next: free guide on how to arrange a funeral.

Need help with probate? Farewill also offers a fixed-price probate service from only £595.