Direct Cremation Costs

The average cost of a direct cremation service in the UK is £1249. This compares to the average cost of a tradition cremation £3500 and a traditional burial funeral costing £4700.

The simplicity of a direct cremation means that there is a lot less to consider when working out how much you may have to pay for your funeral. With no hearse, limousine or ceremony involved, understanding the costs is a much more straightforward task compared to a traditional funeral.

Find the Cost of a Direct Cremation Near You

Select your city below and we’ll show you the average cost of a direct cremation in your area. We will highlight a low-cost option for you to see how much you can expect to pay.

The increasing demand of direct cremation services, brings with it a number of new direct cremation providers competing on the cost.

There are some important differences between the various providers you will want to know.

You will want to know which services are included in the price, which service you can choose, and which you might have to pay extra for.

This article will explain all of the various services for you, and how much you can be expected to pay for a direct cremation service.

You should then be in the best possible position to make the most suitable selection for you.

The Essential Services included in the Direct Cremation Costs

Expect to pay £800-£1,200
The headline price offered by a provider should include the below essential services necessary for carrying out a direct cremation funeral:

Collection of the Deceased
Transporting the deceased in a special vehicle from a hospital or public mortuary into the care of the funeral provider during office hours. Note that some providers may vary when it comes to the regions they are able to cover.

Care and Preparation of the Deceased
At specialist mortuary facilities, the provider will prepare the deceased for cremation. Some providers may dress the deceased in a simple gown, others may leave the deceased in the clothes they were wearing on arrival at the mortuary. This service normally excludes embalming.

A ‘Basic’ or ‘Simple’ Coffin
There is usually no need to choose a coffin with a direct cremation. Most providers will supply a simple, unvarnished wood-veneer or wood-effect coffin, suitable for cremation.

Funeral Director’s Fees/Cost of Cremation
With a traditional funeral, the funeral director’s fees and crematorium charges normally appear as separately listed items on your invoice. However, with a direct cremation funeral, both the cost of cremation and the provider’s professional services are all included in the headline price.

Scattering of the Ashes
If you prefer to have the ashes scattered for you in the crematorium’s garden of remembrance, this service should be included in the headline price.

Additional Services at an Extra Cost

The following is a list of additional services which you may or may not need depending on your particular circumstances. Note that some providers may include the provision of these services within their headline price, while others may charge extra for them. If they charge extra, this means you might have to pay more than the headline price if you either need or want the service in question.

Collection of the Deceased from a Private Residence or Care Home
If the provider needs to collect the deceased from anywhere other than a hospital or public mortuary then they may charge extra for this service.
Some providers may combine this charge with ‘urgent’ or ‘priority’ collection (see below) for the reason that collection from a private residence usually needs to be carried out as soon as possible.
LIKELY ADDITIONAL COST: £250

‘Urgent’ or ‘Priority’ Collection of the Deceased
This refers to collection of the deceased outside of office hours. This should be necessary only if the collection must be made without delay.
Some providers may combine this charge with collection from a private residence or care home (see above), as such collections nearly always need to be made as soon as possible.
LIKELY ADDITIONAL COST: £250

Doctors’ Fees
In England and Wales, you may have to pay extra for a doctor to complete the necessary paperwork prior to the cremation.
LIKELY ADDITIONAL COST: £82

Removal of Medical Devices
Medical devices found on the deceased’s person must be removed safely prior to the cremation. This includes pacemakers, prosthetic limbs and hearing aids.
LIKELY ADDITIONAL COST: £100, but may vary depending on the nature of the work required

Removal and Return of Jewellery
Some providers will charge an additional fee for removing, storing and returning items of jewellery and other valuables found on the deceased’s person.
If you know that the deceased is likely to be in possession of these items then it is worth checking the provider’s terms and conditions – some may not offer to remove these items prior to cremation.
LIKELY ADDITIONAL COST: £50

Optional Extras & Their Expected Costs

The following are purely optional services that you can choose if you want them. Note that not every provider will offer each service. Of those that do, some providers will include them in their headline price, others will charge an extra fee.

Dressing the Deceased in a Choice of Clothing
Some providers may allow you to provide a chosen set of clothes in which the deceased can be dressed prior to the cremation.
LIKELY ADDITIONAL COST: £50

Collection or Delivery of the Ashes
Nearly every provider will offer you the option of having the ashes returned to you. Most providers will offer to hand deliver them to you at a chosen address, although coverage may vary. Alternatively, you may be able to collect the ashes yourself from the crematorium at no extra cost. The latter may be an especially viable option if the provider is able to offer a local cremation.

The ashes will normally be delivered in a simple container which should be suitable either for scattering, burying or for transfer of the ashes to an alternative urn.
LIKELY ADDITIONAL COST: £50-£100

Choice of Crematorium
For unattended cremations, the vast majority of providers will allocate a crematorium at which the cremation service will be conducted. A few, however, will offer you a choice.

You should note that providers differ considerably when it comes to the locality of their service. Some will focus all of their operations in only a handful of crematoria, regardless of where the deceased has passed away. Others may use a few dozen locations, while only a few will use the nearest crematorium available.

If you are especially keen on receiving a cremation close to home then it is worth checking precisely what the provider can offer.
LIKELY ADDITIONAL COST: Varies

Attendance of the Cremation
A few providers offer you the choice to attend the cremation. The precise services available can vary between different providers. Some are fairly minimalist, offering the opportunity for a few mourners to attend the proceedings without any formal service. Others may be a bit more elaborate, including a ceremony with readings, music and a minister/celebrant.

There will nearly always be an additional charge for this service. Normally, you should also be able to choose the crematorium, but this may be from a list of the provider’s partner crematoria. As such, it is worth checking how close to home the provider is able to offer you this service.
LIKELY ADDITIONAL COST: £400-1,000

Upgrade of Coffins and Urns
For an additional price, some providers will offer you an upgrade of the coffin and/or urn that is included in the set price.
LIKELY ADDITIONAL COST: £25-£500

Getting the Best Price on your Direct Cremation

When opting for a direct cremation funeral, you should look precisely at the services that every provider includes and where they charge extra.
While a direct cremation funeral is much simpler than a traditional funeral, there are still further ways in which you could save money.
For instance, if you know that you are not going to need one of the optional or additional services, then it makes sense to look at providers who exclude them from their headline price.

The cheapest direct cremation cost

Co-op direct cremation cost

Sample Direct Cremation Price List

*Acme Cremations Ltd*	Service Cost
Direct Cremation Funeral	£995.00
Collection from a Hospital or Public Mortuary During Office Hours	INCLUSIVE
Collection from a Private Residence or Care Home	+£250.00
Doctors’ Fees	+£82.00
Bringing the Deceased into Our Care	INCLUSIVE
Basic, Wood-Effect Coffin	INCLUSIVE
Removal of Medical Devices	+£10.00
Removal and Return of Jewellery	+£50.00
Attendance of the Cremation	+£500.00
Scattering of the Ashes in the Garden of Remembrance	INCLUSIVE
Hand Delivery of the Ashes to your Chosen Address	INCLUSIVE

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