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Written by Mitch Tapner.
11 minute read
Whether you need to arrange a cremation for someone who has died today or you’re thinking ahead for yourself or someone close to you, it helps to understand your options and what they cost. An Aura Direct Cremation arranged today starts from £1,295, with clear pricing and compassionate support throughout. If you’re planning ahead, we also offer prepaid funeral plans starting from £1,795.
In this guide, we’ll explain exactly what’s included in an Aura Direct Cremation, how the process works and the support you can expect from our team. We’ll also cover any optional costs, so you can understand your choices and make the decision that feels right for you and your family.
Key takeaways:
If you’d like more information about direct cremation and Aura’s funeral plans, then our downloadable guide can help. Find out why others are choosing this affordable, no-fuss alternative to traditional funerals and why it might be right for you too.
Download our guide by clicking the link below and learn more about this simple funeral plan option.
If you’re wondering what is direct cremation and how it works, it’s a simpler, lower-cost alternative to a traditional funeral. A direct cremation, sometimes called an unattended or simple cremation, removes costs such as embalming, hearses and limousines. The cremation takes place privately, without a formal service or mourners present, while the person who has died is treated with care and dignity throughout.
The lower cost is one reason direct cremation has become a popular choice across the UK. According to the SunLife Cost of Dying Report 2026, the average total cost of a traditional attended funeral is £5,140. If someone has died and you need to arrange a funeral with Aura today, our direct cremation service starts from £1,295. The same report found that around 1 in 5 funerals are now direct cremations, as more families choose a simpler, more flexible way to say goodbye.
At Aura, we bring the person who has died into our care and look after them until the time comes. They’re cremated privately, and afterwards we can scatter their ashes at the crematorium’s Garden of Remembrance or hand-deliver them to your home for a small additional fee, whichever feels right for your family.
From £1,295, an Aura Direct Cremation if you needed one today includes:
Prices are starting prices and may not reflect the service that best suits your family’s needs. For a personalised quote, request a free quote or call our team, who are happy to talk it through.
Looking for a short ceremony instead? Our attended direct cremation service starts from £2,295, with a 10 to 40-minute service for family and friends.
We’re here whenever you need us—day or night, 365 days a year. Whether your loved one has passed or you’re preparing ahead of time, call us, and our caring team will guide you through the next steps.
We’ll arrange for the dignified and respectful collection of your loved one, transporting them from their place of passing to one of our trusted crematorium partners.
Our team will manage all the necessary paperwork and ensure a respectful, unattended cremation. We’ll keep you informed throughout, so you don’t have to worry about the details.
Once the cremation is complete, we will carefully return the ashes to you in a simple, dignified container, or scatter them on your behalf, based on your wishes.
If you’d like a clearer picture before you call, our free guide to arranging a direct cremation walks through the process, what to expect, and how Aura can help, whether you’re planning ahead with a funeral plan or arranging a funeral now.
A prepaid funeral plan can offer peace of mind for you and those close to you, knowing your funeral arrangements have been organised and paid for in advance.
With an Aura prepaid funeral plan, you can choose and pay for your funeral ahead of time. When the time comes, we’ll take care of the arrangements in line with the plan you’ve chosen.
Aura offers a range of prepaid funeral plans to suit different wishes and budgets. Whether you choose an unattended or attended funeral, we can scatter your ashes in the crematorium’s Garden of Remembrance or hand-deliver them to a person of your choice. We’ll make sure this is taken care of within 21 days of the cremation.
Our Perfectly Simple Direct Cremation Plan offers a simple and understated unattended direct cremation.
*Terms and conditions apply. You will receive a funeral plan summary before purchase.*
If you’d like family and friends to be there on the day, Aura also offers attended direct cremation plans. These include a service at a crematorium of your choice in mainland Great Britain, giving those close to you the opportunity to come together and say goodbye.
Aura’s Intimate Funeral Plan starts from £2,795 and includes a family-led morning service for up to 15 guests. If you’d prefer a longer service with more people present, our Fully Attended Funeral Plan starts from £3,495 and allows as many guests as the crematorium can accommodate.
Both our attended plans are family-led and do not include a celebrant; however, our team can help you find one if you wish. A celebrant will be an extra cost and is payable directly to the celebrant.
Person-centred care from our Aura Angels. Every family gets a dedicated Aura Angel as their single point of contact: compassionate, seamless support from first call to final ashes.
A family-run business with heart. Aura was founded by Paul Jameson to give other families the same care he wanted for his own. As a family-run business, we treat every family who calls us with that same level of compassion.
Compassionate, close-to-home care. We respond quickly, collecting your loved one within 72 hours, with attentive support at every stage. We provide direct cremation services across mainland Britain, including remote areas. If you’re not sure whether we cover your location, just call and ask. There’s no pressure, only guidance.
Trusted by families across Britain. Thousands of families trust Aura for our compassionate approach, affordable pricing and dedication to taking care of every detail. We’re proud to be the highest-rated, national ‘Cremation Service’ provider on Trustpilot, with a rating of 4.9/5 stars. Our prepaid funeral plans have also been awarded a five-star rating by Fairer Finance, giving you added reassurance when planning ahead.
If someone has died and you need to arrange a funeral now, an Aura Direct Cremation starts from £1,295. This includes our professional service, collection and care of the person who has died, preparation for the cremation, removal of medical devices, a simple coffin, transport to the crematorium, cremation fees and a local ashes collection option.
Depending on your family’s needs and circumstances, there may be additional costs for services such as urgent collection, hand-return of the ashes or a bariatric or oversized coffin. We’ll explain your options and any additional costs before you make your decision.
No. Our £1,295 starting price covers everything listed above, with no surprise charges added later. A small number of optional extras exist for specific situations, such as urgent collection (£250), hand-return of the ashes (£100) or a bariatric or oversized coffin (£250), but you’ll only ever pay for what your family actually needs.
Yes. If you’re thinking about your own funeral or planning ahead for someone close to you, Aura offers prepaid funeral plans starting from £1,795. This allows you to choose and pay for your funeral in advance, giving you and those close to you reassurance that the arrangements are taken care of.
We also offer attended funeral plans if you’d like family and friends to be able to come together at the crematorium.
Our prepaid Direct Cremation Plan includes an unattended cremation, 24/7 collection from anywhere in mainland Great Britain, a simple coffin, cremation fees and hand-delivery of the ashes. It also covers the costs associated with providing the direct cremation included in your plan.
If you’d like a service with family and friends present, our Intimate and Fully Attended Funeral Plans offer attended options.
Your options depend on whether you’re arranging a funeral now or have chosen a prepaid funeral plan.
For a direct cremation arranged after someone has died, you can collect the ashes locally, arrange hand-delivery for an additional cost or ask us to scatter them in the crematorium’s Garden of Remembrance.
Our prepaid funeral plans include the option for the ashes to be hand-delivered to your chosen person or scattered in the crematorium’s Garden of Remembrance.
Once a death has been medically verified, we arrange collection as soon as possible, and our Aura Angels aim to bring your loved one into our care within 72 hours. If you need this done more urgently, an urgent collection service is available for £250.
However, if you have a funeral plan with us, urgent collection is included in the price of your plan.
A direct cremation is a private, unattended cremation with no service and no attendees, starting from £1,295. An attended service adds a short ceremony at the crematorium, from a 10-minute intimate farewell to a fuller 40-minute service, starting from £2,295. Both include the same care and attention from our Aura Angels, so it simply comes down to whether your family would like to be there on the day.