Simple Cremations: What Do They Include?

When it comes to funerals, more of us than ever are looking for the simple option. From financial, to personal, and cultural reasons, there could be any number of triggers for this new interest, but, regardless of the reason, one thing is clear: simple cremations are on the rise. In this article, we are going to take a look at simple cremations — what they are, how to arrange one, and the differences between a simple cremation and a more traditional option.

We’d like to start by recognising that, if you’ve found us here, you could be looking to organise a funeral for a loved one who has recently died, or you could be beginning to think about your own future funeral needs. We’d just like to say that we understand the potential stress of your situation, and that we are here to help. Aura is the top-rated national ‘Cremation Services’ provider in the UK, with a Trustpilot score of 4.9/5 stars. We proudly offer our funeral services to those seeking a direct cremation in the here and now, and to those considering a prepaid funeral plan.

Key Takeaways

• Simple cremations, also known as direct cremations, are a less formal funeral option.
• Simple cremation popularity has increased because of Covid restrictions, the cost-of-living crisis and the decline of religion in the UK.
• Aura offers unattended, intimate, and fully attended simple cremation options.
• Simple cremations are generally cheaper than traditional cremations.
• Aura is a family-run simple cremation provider, offering empathetic and low-cost services.

What is a simple cremation funeral service?

A simple cremation service, more commonly known as a ‘direct cremation’, is an understated type of funeral, usually without any attendees or most of the typical formalities associated with tradition. Simple cremations are becoming a more preferred choice for British people due to three main reasons:

• the impact of Covid restrictions on British funeral habits; 
• the cost-of-living crisis, which has left many of us struggling to pay for funeral expenses; 
• and the decline of religion in the UK.

With Aura, a simple cremation is a type of funeral which focuses on the cremation process. We bring the person who has died, within their coffin, from the local care centre where they are resting to the crematorium, inside a private ambulance. After a few short, respectful words from a crematorium attendant, the cremation is carried out as soon as possible. Next, the cremation ashes are either hand-delivered to the family, or scattered on their behalf at the crematorium’s Garden of Remembrance. It’s as simple as that.

How to arrange a simple cremation

There are three main steps to arranging a simple cremation:

• Consider your preferences. While a direct cremation normally goes ahead without any loved ones there to mourn, Aura has options which allow family and friends to attend on the day. Whether or not your simple cremation is attended, with Aura, you can still customise elements of the service, such as selecting music from the best funeral songs or the most popular funeral hymns to play at certain moments. So, to make sure that your service honours your wishes and does you justice, you may wish to have a think about what you’d like ahead of time. 
• Select your provider. Whether you’re planning for your own funeral in the future, or organising one now for a loved one, it’s important to find out what is included in each provider’s offering. You can do this by comparing funeral plans, or by comparing direct cremation providers. Different providers will charge extra for different things, so, as Money Saving Expert states, it’s really important to be aware of what you are getting for your money. You can see how our funeral plans stack up against some other options on the market below this list. 
• Decide how you’ll pay. Following on from that, if you’re opting for a prepaid funeral plan, you’ll have to think about whether you’ll pay everything up front in one go, or pay in instalments. The option you select will depend on your needs and circumstances, and we’ll discuss this point in more detail below.

The difference between a traditional cremation and direct cremation

Unlike a direct cremation, a traditional cremation follows the format of the typical funeral that we all tend to imagine when we think of one. Besides the practical matter of the cremation itself, there will likely be:

• a hearse
• a funeral procession
• mourners dressed in black
• floral tributes with the name of the person who has died 
• some words from their loved ones
• hymns or special music
• and a catered wake afterwards in a nearby hotel or pub. 

A direct cremation, other than a very minimal ceremony before the committal, may not include any of these elements, and likely won’t.

A simple cremation allows those who don’t want to make a fuss to go out on their terms, while also giving people the chance to put their own stamp on things. If you are uncomfortable, or feel stifled by the formality of a traditional service, a simple cremation presents you with an opportunity to get creative and to bring elements of your life more authentically into proceedings. Ultimately, there are many different beliefs on death and funerals, whether religious or cultural, out there. 

The content of your direct cremation ceremony is up to you. But, more than that, you also get the chance to pause and reflect; the official and necessary parts can be dealt with at first, when they need to be, and then a proper end-of-life celebration can be held for the person who has died when they are in a better frame of mind. By talking about death and dying as early as possible with your loved ones, you could even outline what you’d like as an end-of-life celebration, and how you’d like to be remembered by your friends and family.

What happens at a simple cremation

At a simple cremation, the person who has died is taken privately to the crematorium and cremated without a formal service, or any mourners in attendance. The funeral director will choose the crematorium in which this occurs based on availability; as no guests will be present, it doesn’t necessarily need to take place close to where the deceased was from or where they lived. 

This incredibly private process is overseen with all the dignity of a normal funeral, with the staff of the crematorium speaking a few words about the person who has died  as a mark of respect.

Following an Aura cremation, within 21 days of the ceremony, the ashes of the person who has died will either be hand-delivered back to their family, or scattered at the crematorium’s own garden of remembrance, based on their preference. Getting this right every single time is something that we see as our solemn duty, and we want you to have peace of mind knowing that you will be cared for. Please note, whilst hand-delivery is included in the price of our funeral plans, there is a nominal fee for the service when arranging a cremation at short notice.

How long does a simple direct cremation take?

In general, it takes 1–3 hours to fully cremate a body, with each cremation time depending on a few things. For instance, the temperature of the cremator will influence how quickly things can be done, as will the size of the person being cremated, and the material out of which the coffin is made. The body will normally be cremated very shortly after the cremation service. There are types of alternative funerals and cremations available where things could take quite a bit longer, for environmental reasons.

Can you attend a direct cremation?

With an Aura direct cremation, you certainly can. However, different providers may have a different view on this, so, as ever, it’s always good to check. Aura offers three prepaid direct cremation plans which allow you to organise a simple cremation:

• Direct Cremation: the most understated of simple-cremation options, providing a concise and dignified cremation without any mourners present.
• Intimate Farewell: a simple cremation ceremony, with a 10-minute service allowing a small number of close friends and family to bid farewell.
• Fully Attended Service: as above, but with a ceremony lasting for up to 40 minutes, with as many attendees as the chosen crematorium can accommodate.

Each of these options is also available for those who are arranging a funeral for someone who has passed away, so whatever your needs, we’ve got something that could work for you. You can see the range of our funeral plans in the table below.

Benefits of simple cremation

The main benefits of a simple cremation are that it’s much cheaper than a traditional cremation, and that the ceremony format is a lot more flexible. Those who would rather not be the centre of attention can take care of things their way, while those who are more interested in making an impact on the ceremony with their own personality or life story are free to do so.

Ultimately, a simple cremation can liberate you and your family from high prices, and the obligation to do something traditional if that’s not what you would like, leading to the creation of memories that are authentic and true to you.

One of the things we are most passionate about at Aura is the level of empathy in our service. Whether you are looking for a prepaid funeral plan or you are in need of a funeral now, you will be guided through the process by our wonderful Aura Angels. They bring an industry-leading level of compassion and expertise to their work, which each family in their care benefits from. They can provide administrative support, such as with cremation forms and other paperwork, as well as logistics like booking venues and organising transportation. They can even lend a listening ear if you’d like to share a little bit about how you are feeling at what could be a difficult time.

The costs of a simple cremation 

There’s a lot of variation in price out there for those thinking about a simple cremation. Different providers have got different rates, and you will get more or less for your money from one funeral plan to the next. You should also bear in mind the fact that the price charged for a funeral at the point of need will be different from the price of a prepaid direct cremation plan for the future.

There’s no getting away from the fact that funeral costs in general are getting more expensive. According to SunLife, last year’s average UK funeral price was £4,285. Whereas our simple prepaid funeral plans start at £1,695, and our funerals for those in need now start at £1,195; both less than half of the cost of this SunLife average.

We are proud to say that our prepaid plans are all-inclusive; unlike many providers, we don’t charge an extra fee for things like oversized or ‘bariatric’ coffins, or urgent collections. Everything is included in the final price you pay for your plan.

They are also fully flexible, meaning that you won’t be penalised should you wish to cancel or amend things for any reason. We’ll simply issue you with a full refund for any cancellation, and you’ll only need to pay the difference if you are upgrading from a smaller to a bigger plan.

Aura for your future

We hope this article about simple cremations has been useful for you. There are a variety of reasons as to why you might be interested in the subject, from the savings you can make, to the personal or cultural.

Aura is a family-run company, founded by Paul Jameson in 2019, following his 2017 diagnosis with motor neurone disease. He established the company in order to help families up and down Britain with their end-of-life planning needs, following what he’d learned by grappling with his own mortality. Today, we strive to embody that family-focused approach to service, never knowingly offering care that is below the level Paul would expect for his own family.

If you think Aura could help you with your own funeral-planning needs, why not give our friendly team a call today? They will most definitely be able to answer all of your questions, and set your mind at ease. And, don’t worry, they will never bombard you with calls once you have gotten in contact.