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Buy your funeral plan today and pay in January for peace of mind this Christmas. Click here for full T&Cs.
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.
8 minute read
If you are planning a funeral for someone who has recently passed, or you’re thinking ahead to your own final wishes, it’s natural to be curious about what is involved in the cremation process. Questions like “How long does a cremation take” may enter your mind as you consider this funeral option.
While the cremation itself is a relatively straightforward process, various steps are involved before, during, and after to ensure everything is handled with care and respect. From legal requirements to the preparation and handling of ashes, each stage plays an important role in creating a meaningful farewell.
Cremation is a respectful way to handle someone’s body after they have passed away. They take place at crematoriums which can be found all over the UK. Here, professional mortuary experts place the person who has passed inside a coffin and then into a special chamber. This chamber will be heated to extremely high temperatures in order to turn the person who has died into ashes.
In 2023, data from The Cremation Society shows that cremation was chosen for 80% of all funerals in the British Isles. It offers families a simple way to say goodbye to their loved ones as well as flexible options for memorials, as ashes can be transformed into many unique tributes like fireworks and special jewellery.
Every person’s funeral is as unique as they are and may involve different traditions and ceremonies. No matter what kind of funeral a person chooses, they will be treated with dignity and receive great care from professional staff members following a strict code of conduct for cremation.
Step 1 – Paperwork
Before a cremation can proceed, the death must be registered with local authorities. This will involve a doctor and the local registrar. Once the necessary documents have been issued, funeral arrangements may proceed.
Step 2 – Organisation
With the paperwork in order, the family of the person who has passed may choose the type of funeral that suits their needs. If the family decides to include a ceremony, they will work with a funeral director to organise the service, including selecting a venue, date, and celebrant.
Step 3 – Care of the body
Before cremation, the body is stored in a temperature-controlled environment, typically at a mortuary or funeral home. Any medical devices like pacemakers are removed as these can be hazardous during cremation. Jewellery, glasses and other items will also be removed. Anything the family wants to keep will be given to them, while the medical devices will be disposed of properly.
Step 4 – Preparing the body
When the person who has passed arrives at the crematorium, they may be dressed in clothing chosen by the family or a simple white gown. They will then be placed in a coffin, often made from combustible materials like wood or cardboard.
Step 5 – Cremation
The coffin is placed into the cremation chamber and exposed to temperatures of 800°C to 1100°C. This intense heat reduces the body to bone fragments. Mortuary assistants will keep a close eye throughout, however, this is a relatively simple process that can be done automatically.
Step 6 – Handling of ashes
After cremation, the ashes are collected, any remaining metal fragments are removed, and the ashes are placed into a container. Families can collect the ashes from the crematorium or funeral director or have them hand-delivered for an additional fee. Many crematoria offer Gardens of Remembrance where ashes can be scattered for no charge.
The cremation process usually takes around one to three hours, depending on the size of the person who passed, the type of cremator, and the materials used in the coffin. After this, there is a cooling period of one to two hours to allow the remains to be handled.
The full process from the collection of a person who has passed to handing their ashes back to a loved one can take a few weeks.
Collecting your deceased loved one can typically take a few hours. Unless there are special circumstances, bodies can’t be kept at the crematorium overnight. This means arrangements must be in place beforehand so the cremation can occur on the same day as collection.
If you have arranged an attended cremation, this will often take place on the same day as the cremation. Most services last up to 45 minutes but can be as short as 15 minutes depending on what you and your family decide is best for your circumstances.
Under very high heat, the person who has passed and their coffin is burned within a few hours. After the cremation, the remaining fragments are collected, cooled, and processed into ashes. This entire process can take up to four hours in total.
After cremation, it may take an additional few days for the ashes to be prepared and ready to be sent to a family member or close friend. It will depend on your funeral provider. At Aura, we can arrange the hand-delivery of your loved one’s ashes within 21 days.
The size of the person who has passed will affect the time it takes to cremate them. Larger bodies generally require more time, often extending the process by 30 minutes to an hour. Fat tissue burns slower than muscle tissue which can result in needing more time in the cremator, or just being a taller, larger person can lead to more time added.
Additionally, certain medical implants, like pacemakers, must be removed before cremation as they can cause issues when heated to high temperatures. This can add more time to the preparation process before the cremation begins.
A person being cremated will typically go into the cremator in a coffin or container of some kind. Materials like pine, cardboard and wicker are normally used for cremation. This is because they burn quicker, are more affordable and can be more environmentally friendly. Thick and dense materials like solid wood take longer to burn and can lengthen the duration of a cremation.
If the cremation chamber can reach and maintain higher temperatures, this will speed up the duration of the cremation process. Modern cremators are more efficient as they use automated systems that optimise temperature and airflow, ensuring a faster cremation. Older or less efficient cremators may take longer to reach the desired temperature or maintain optimal conditions which will prolong the cremation.
While the actual cremation process takes only a few hours, several other factors can affect the overall timeline. From completing legal paperwork to handling ashes after the cremation, these considerations are essential and may add time to the process.
Before a cremation can be arranged, important legal steps must be completed. The first step is registering the death with your local registrar’s office within 5 days (8 days in Scotland). This usually involves a doctor issuing a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death or MCCD which is then provided to the registrar. The registrar can provide the family of the deceased with a death certificate and a “Green Form” (Certificate for Cremation or Burial), allowing funeral arrangements to proceed. The time frame for completing the necessary paperwork can differ based on location and circumstances. It may last between a few days to a few weeks.
Probate or estate management is another possible consideration. This process can take extra time, particularly if there are complications with the will and funds are needed from the person’s estate to pay for the funeral.
After the cremation, the remains inside the cremator are left to cool for several hours. Once cooled, the bone fragments are processed into fine ashes using a machine called the cremulator.
Any remaining metal pieces are removed with a magnet and the cremation chamber is cleaned thoroughly to ensure no cross contamination can occur. The ashes are then placed into a container, ready to be scattered in the Garden of Remembrance or hand-delivered to a loved one.
A cremation itself is not a very long process and can be quite easy to organise if complications like probate and a coroner’s inquest do not interrupt any plans. However, every funeral is unique and the length of time to arrange a funeral is hard to predict.
There are ways you can make the cremation process faster if necessary. Opting for a direct cremation, which skips the traditional funeral service, can speed up the process. The cremation process can then be expedited as there is no ceremony or procession to organise.
Another option is to have a prepaid funeral plan. By having the funeral provider in place beforehand, the cremation process can proceed more quickly and smoothly, saving valuable time for your family.
With Aura, you and your family can expect compassionate support from our friendly team. As a family-run company, we understand what families need during difficult times and are dedicated to making the process as stress-free as possible. Our affordable and all-inclusive plans ensure everything is taken care of in advance, giving you peace of mind and relieving your family of future burdens.
If you have any other questions about prepaid funeral plans or direct cremations, our friendly team is happy to help. Please feel free to get in touch.
