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Two Together: Save £100!
Save £100 when you purchase two funeral plans together. Call us for more details.
Direct cremation prices are among the first things on our minds when it comes to organising a funeral. Whether we are planning a funeral now for a loved one who has recently passed away, or looking for a prepaid funeral plan for ourselves, the cost of things is a serious consideration, and it can often make it more difficult at a time of potential grief and hardship. We want to take a closer look at the subject of direct cremation prices in this article. We will discuss the average cost of a direct cremation in the UK, and help you to compare different providers more effectively.
We’d also just like to start by saying that we understand, if you’ve come to find us here, you may be going through a difficult moment. Funeral costs can add additional strain to our mental health and the load that we are carrying when we may already be struggling to handle our feelings of grief. Aura, as the top-rated national provider of ‘Cremation Services’ on Trustpilot (with a rating of 4.9/5 stars) understands this and is here to help.
Key Takeaways
Funeral costs are rising in the UK, and they have been consistently for the last two decades.
According to SunLife, there has been a 134% increase in the cost of funerals in the UK within the last 20 years. Against a general increase in consumer prices of 72% within the same period, we can see the issue: funeral prices are rising faster than many other things.
SunLife also says that the average funeral cost in the UK last year was £4,285, which many would regard as a lot of money. We hope that it brings some comfort to know that direct cremation prices are generally a lot cheaper than this.
Direct cremation is generally the cheapest form of cremation there is. That’s because it cuts out a lot of the optional extras that we usually associate with a traditional funeral, like hearses and funeral processions.
Its popularity has been steadily increasing in the UK, and that’s down to three main things:
Aura’s direct cremation services are available to those needing to organise a funeral in the here and now from £1,195, and for those planning ahead for the future from £1,695.
Aura’s offering for unattended cremation compares well with other options that are out there. We are cheaper than most whilst being all-inclusive where others may not be. We are also the top-rated national ‘Cremation Services’ provider on Trustpilot with a rating of 4.9/5 stars.
The below table lets you see the comparison easily.
| Starting Price | £1,695 | £1,995 | £1,700 | £1,799 |
| Trustpilot | 4.9/5 stars | 4.8/5 stars | 4.6/5 stars | 4.7/5 stars |
Aura is one of the highest-rated providers on Trustpilot, with Farewill joining us on 4.9/5 stars. However, many of their positive reviews concern their separate will-writing service; one hundred percent of ours relate to the funerals we arrange.
With Aura, you know you are getting a company that is dedicated to excellence in funeral arranging who will put your satisfaction first, and allow you to be flexible.
We will now briefly explain how a direct cremation ceremony typically works, and then break down some of the costs for you.
With an Aura direct cremation, the person who has died is brought from where they are resting (one of our local care centres) in a private ambulance to the crematorium. It’s possible to select a piece of music, perhaps from among the best funeral songs or the most popular funeral hymns to play as they are carried into the crematorium chapel.
An attendant at the crematorium will then speak a few words out of respect for the person who has died, following which they will be cremated as soon as possible. There are no mourners present, and there is no service conducted by a funeral celebrant or religious minister.
After the cremation, within 21 days, the ashes will either be scattered at the crematorium’s own Garden of Remembrance, or returned to the family for a nominal fee (please note that hand-delivery fee is included in the cost of our funeral plans).
Cremation has all kinds of fees associated with it, some that we call ‘compulsory’, and others that we call ‘avoidable’. What category each fee falls into depends on what they concern.
‘Compulsory costs’ apply to every ceremony, regardless of what it is, whereas ‘avoidable costs’ depend on the tastes of whoever is organising the funeral. We’ve made two tables below which display a few of the average funeral expenses in these two categories.
(The funeral director used in each funeral may cause these prices to vary)
| Type of Expense | Approximate Cost |
|---|---|
| Oversized or bariatric coffin | ~£250 |
| Urgent-collection fee | ~£250 |
(The funeral director used in each funeral may cause these prices to vary)
| Type of Expense | Approximate Cost |
|---|---|
| Catering (such as for a wake) | ~£527 |
| Funeral notice | £87 |
| Order sheets | £123 |
| Flowers | £222 |
| Limo hire | £431 |
| Venue hire | £351 |
We’ve written about some of these funeral costs in more detail, which you can read by clicking the link. As we can see, if the average cost of a cremation in the UK (according to SunLife) is £3,980, then, once the essentials have been paid for, the price can be brought down a good bit by forgoing some or all of the ‘avoidable costs’.
*Figures for ‘Avoidable Costs’ taken from the SunLife Cost of Dying Report 2025.
Ultimately, you need to put your faith in a company to handle one of the most meaningful times in your life. We at Aura know how daunting making that choice can feel. Doing your research on the companies that are out there is vital, in order to ensure you get the best option for you.
Doing your research on each provider is vital: Check how highly they are rated on independent consumer feedback sites, like Trustpilot. You should also find out whether they feature on any industry advice or help websites, such as Money Saving Expert or Fairer Finance.
This will give you a good idea of how trustworthy the company you are looking at is. It will also show you how likely it is that they will be able to deliver on what they are promising.
As well as the final price, you will want to ensure you are getting good value. When it comes to planning a funeral, quality care from expert funeral arrangers is important. Ensure the company you are choosing takes care of their customers so that you always feel supported throughout.
There are three main steps to arranging a simple cremation:
Whatever your needs, Aura has a direct cremation option that could suit you. If you require a funeral for someone who has already passed away, we could arrange a direct cremation for you from £1,695. Alongside that, we’ve got a range of 5-star-rated prepaid funeral plans for simple cremations available:
If there are any questions that you’d like to ask our team, we’d be more than happy to receive your phone call; you can give us a call, or, if you prefer, you can simply request a free quote.
