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Two Together: Save £100!
Save £100 when you purchase two funeral plans together. Call us for more details.
Buy now, pay in January
Buy your funeral plan today and pay in January for peace of mind this Christmas. Click here for full T&Cs.
14 minute read
If you’re starting to think about your own future funeral, but don’t feel like the traditional option with pallbearers, black garb, and a big procession are really you, then there may be an alternative option out there for you. Alternative funerals and non-traditional options are becoming increasingly popular in the UK, and that is what we are going to discuss in this article.
In the UK, there is a growing appetite for ‘alternative’ funerals, i.e., ceremonies which approach matters from a different direction than the traditional norm. But what are alternative funerals, and why would you choose one for your own arrangements?
An alternative funeral is any kind of funeral arrangement which does things differently than the traditional (perhaps religious) funeral ceremony that many of us would instinctively think of. These days, there are many different alternatives to the traditional option, from sea burial, to natural / wood-land burial, and direct cremation. Each one is different and special in its own way.
There are many different reasons for wanting to choose an alternative funeral. The decline of religion in the UK has led to a large drop in the number of religious funerals in the UK over the last few years. With people feeling less obliged to have a religious funeral for the sake of tradition itself, it has unlocked a world of possibilities for self-expression. People now see their funeral as the last great opportunity they will have in life to do something their way, and to make a statement about who they are. Others are determined to make sure that their death has as limited an impact on the environment as possible, such as by having a natural burial, or a water cremation.
Others see having an alternative, personalised funeral as a wonderful way of remembering a loved one, giving the family and friends they leave behind to feel as close to them as possible in spirit at their send off.
From green and eco-friendly funerals, to alternative forms of cremation, and even living funerals, there are more and more alternatives available to the traditional norm.
More and more these days people are worried about what impact they are having on the climate. Funerals, apart from a lasting legacy and a sense of closure for remaining friends and family, can also leave behind a hefty carbon footprint. In response to this, new environmentally friendlier options have emerged.
One example of this would be water cremation: a form of cremation involving water and an alkali solution. It reduces the body to ashes like a normal cremation, but with 90% less energy usage. There is also no need for a coffin with this type of cremation, with providers often allowing families to rent one in order to have a committal at the ceremony, before being placed in the cremator wrapped in a biodegradable shroud. It means the answer to the question “do they burn the coffin at a cremation?”, in this case would be “no”, where it is normally “yes”.
Another example of this would be a natural burial at a woodland site, where, again, the person who has died, is wrapped in a simple shroud or placed within a biodegradable coffin, and then buried somewhere outside of an urbanised area where there is less space available. Both of these options can save on energy usage, as well as on the production and consumption of expensive coffins.
Along with the rise in alternative funerals, there has also been a rise in cremation ashes ideas as a further way to personalise what happens with our remains, as well as to lessen the environmental impact of ash-scattering. Whilst it’s a popular cremation myth to say that ashes are dangerous – they are not – they can have a negative impact on the environment if scattered in certain places in large quantities. If many people share the same favourite beauty spot, for instance, it’s possible to change the ecological make-up of that place by adding more and more foreign nutrients from human ash there, possibly changing and damaging the local flora and fauna that made it so special to the person who has died in the first place.
People may now want to turn their ashes into jewellery and other keep-sakes for their families, to inter them beneath the roots of a tree so that they can grow together and serve a positive environmental purpose, or even to be fused with ink in order to make a cremation ashes tattoo.
The number of those seeking a meaningful celebration of life to follow their funeral are increasing too. End-of-life celebrations take something of the ‘wake’ tradition of reminiscing about someone who has died collectively, after their funeral. However, they tend to be much more in line with the interests and hobbies of the person who has died. For instance, it could be a themed party, or a group participation in a sport or hobby of theirs. Otherwise, people could gather in a favourite natural spot of theirs in order to share stories.
More and more people these days are actually attending their own celebrations of life, or ‘living funeral’ in person, before the day of their death, so that they can bid farewell to people they’ve known and loved. Those who suffer from terminal illnesses often do this, as they know when they are likely to die. We have even seen this idea in certain stories about death, such as The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.
There are a whole host of ways to make a funeral service unique, from personalising the theme, to having a virtual or online memorial service, to memorial art and tributes.
The different beliefs on death and funerals in religion usually lead to a strictly mandated funeral in a traditional format, in accordance with the principles of each faith. But with fewer and fewer religious funerals happening in the UK, more and more space is opening up for people to personalise their funeral ceremonies. They can do this by assuming more control over each element, from dress-codes, to incorporating video, and music. Design of a visual theme tailored around the interests and tastes of the person who has died is also becoming more common, with funeral celebrants able to assist in the tailoring of everything.
During the Covid pandemic, during which, thanks to government-mandated restrictions on our movements, we were unable to attend funerals, the practice of the virtual or online funeral began to gain popularity. It allowed people to still feel as if they were there in person, and to be able to take the time to meaningfully pay their respects to those they had lost. With the increasingly ‘online’ nature of the rest of our lives, it seems inevitable that the same trends should impact the funeral process too.
Today, in a post-pandemic world, the practice of hybrid or fully remote work has swept the globe, where it was once only a niche occurrence. Today, many funerals integrate an online element, or are otherwise fully remote, which allow the family arranging matters to maximise the number of attendees without having to worry too much about the cost. It also allows those who may be living far away and who are unable to travel to pay their respects in a socially acceptable way.
If you want to plan your own funeral today, you are more likely to give some attention to memorial art and tributes than ever before. People like to be able to leave a little piece of themselves behind for their friends and family, which they can do by having art commissioned, whether in the form of poetry, stories, or of visual art, such as portraiture. These can become valuable keepsakes which steadily accrue more and more sentimental value.
There are a number of alternatives to burial and cremation which are gaining in popularity, too. For many, after weighing up cremation vs burial, they simply decide on neither, preferring, for example, burial at sea, human composting, or the donation of their body to science.
If a burial at sea appeals to you, the first thing you will need to do is to appoint a funeral director who is capable of arranging that process; as this is still a fairly niche option, this may be slightly more difficult than finding a director for a more conventional style of funeral. You will need to secure marine licence from the Marine Management Organisation, and you will have to select from one of the three locations where it is legal in English waters to arrange such a burial:
If you wish to arrange a sea burial in Scottish or Northern Irish waters, make sure to check the local regulations. A sea burial requires a specific type of biodegradable, solid softwood coffin. It needs to have holes drilled in it, and it needs to have weights fitted to it, in order to help it to sink.
One of the most environmentally beneficial ways of processing your remains – that is, not just environmentally friendly, but actively good – is to opt for human composting. This alternative option allows you to return the nutrients of your body to the earth, gradually converting it into soil over a 60-to-90 day process. The soil that your body has been converted into can then be used to sustain tree and plant life somewhere special to you. Please note that, currently, this practice is not legal in the UK, but there is a campaign for its legalisation.
One of the more longstanding alternatives to the traditional funeral is the donation of one’s body to science. The concept of organ donation is commonplace in British society, and the harvesting of the organs is one of the first things that happens when someone dies and they are a registered organ donor. In donating your body to medical science, it can be used to teach medical students about anatomy, and allow them to enhance their knowledge of the human body, and thus, to become better doctors.
It can also be used to train surgeons, and to conduct medical research. It’s a selfless thing to do in service of better healthcare, and the advancement of knowledge. Naturally, if you believe there is spiritual or ethical significance attached to the process your body goes through when you die, such as you would if you were religious, then this option likely won’t be for you. With that said, most major religions in the world permit this practice, although more conservative branches of each faith may object.
If you’re considering arranging an alternative funeral, then there are a number of steps to consider, from selecting the form, theme and location, to considering the legal implications of what you’ve got planned.
In general, you will want to think about the kind of funeral you want first, e.g., natural burial or water cremation, before investigating your options for locations near you which may support your wishes. Burial at sea is only legally permitted in three English locations, so any concurrent or immediately following celebration of life may need to be reasonably nearby, for instance.
Much as you would compare Aura funeral plans with other leading providers if you were considering a prepaid funeral plan, you will want to compare the different options out there for the type of funeral you want. Considering how they stack up next to one another on price, but also on customer rating, flexibility of options, and what their service includes. You may want to start a funeral checklist in order to keep track of these matters, as you do your research.
Keep the legal matters in mind as you go. Remember that certain alternative funerals which are gaining popularity in other parts of the world, such as human composting, are not currently legal in the UK. Others, like burial at sea, have specific requirements to obtain a licence before proceeding. Naturally, there’s a great deal of paperwork involved with any funeral (we’ve written a cremation forms guide for the UK cremation process), but there may be specific legal requirements you need to be aware of for your own alternative option.
It can also be important to talk about death and dying with your family whilst you can, to make sure they understand your wishes, and the reasons behind them. Whilst the reasons behind your wish to opt for a woodland burial or burial at sea are perfectly valid, and even noble, it’s not everyone who agrees with these choices. By talking to your family about direct cremation, for instance, beforehand, you can answer any questions they may have on the subject, and set their minds at ease.
There are a number of unique benefits available to you through alternative funerals, from personalisation and unique memories to environmental and ethical plusses.
With a traditional funeral, we perhaps run the risk of not doing ourselves justice; of not having a funeral that truly reflects who we were as people. That’s because the format tends to be designed to align with religious principles and values, and thus, the funeral is somehow bigger than we ourselves personally. The mood is often sombre, and the theme and colours appropriately mournful.
Whilst we can never say that an alternative celebration-of-life celebration will be a happy occasion, it is true that there is far more scope to bring your personality front and centre. In the very specific selection of music, songs, readings and poetry, as well as in writing a eulogy that shares anecdotes about you and your achievements, you can create a day that is well and truly memorable for the attendees. This isn’t just important for the day itself, but will be important for a lifetime, as a carefully tailored ceremony can truly help your family to grieve your loss and be in peace.
The environmental and ethical positives of some of the alternative funeral options, from natural burials to donating your body to medical science, are worth considering for their own sake. If one of your last acts can be to do some good with your very body, it can be a powerful statement. Many of us want to do good, and strive to leave the earth behind better than it was when we were born into it. By opting for certain alternative funeral options, you can do some good that will live in the hearts of those whom you leave behind.
Aura, as the top-rated provider of ‘Cremation Services’ on Trustpilot, with a score of 4.9/5 stars, proudly offers you its funeral plans. We have attended and unattended options to choose from, starting at £1,595, which is less than half of the national traditional average of £4,141, according to SunLife. If you’d like to learn more about how we can help you to secure peace of mind for yourself, and your family, why not download one of our funeral-plan brochures today?
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