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Two Together: Save £100!
Save £100 when you purchase two funeral plans together. Call us for more details.
Two Together: Save £100!
Save £100 when you purchase two funeral plans together. Call us for more details.
10 minute read
If you wish to compare Simplicity Cremations vs Aura and the services each funeral provider can offer you, this article can help. We know that choosing someone to care for your recently lost loved one and organise their funeral is an important decision. That’s why carefully examining your options and comparing direct cremation providers is so important.
Both Aura and Simplicity Cremations offer compassionate solutions tailored to meet the needs of grieving families and they have a similar approach to pricing. However, the services they offer and the flexibility included do differ. In this comparison, we explore these two providers to help you make an informed decision.
Simplicity Cremations, a division of Dignity Funerals Limited, provides a straightforward alternative to traditional funeral services. They offer direct cremations with the option to add on a stripped-back attended service.
They are a registered member of the National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD) which ensures that they take respectful care of those who have passed.
Simplicity Cremations serves mainland Great Britain including Scotland and has access to 45 crematoria. They offer three options for cremation and currently only offer cremations to those who are recently bereaved. They may offer funeral plans at a later date.
Simplicity Cremations offering:
Unattended Funeral: This is a direct cremation without any service or attendees, conducted at a time and date selected by the company. It offers a no-frills approach for those seeking a simple option.
Intimate Funeral: This service accommodates up to 12 guests in the crematorium chapel, with the inclusion of a piece of music. Intimate Funerals are private and held at 9 am from Tuesday to Friday.
Family-Led Funeral: This option allows families to plan and conduct their ceremony, this option offers the use of the crematorium chapel and the flexibility to choose the date and time of the cremation.
Compassion and care are at the heart of everything we do at Aura. Our mission began with our founder, Paul Jameson who created Aura to be a gift to his family. After his diagnosis of motor neurone disease, he was seeking a funeral plan that was simple yet meaningful. When he couldn’t find what he envisioned, he made it himself.
Paul, his son Dave, family friend Ben and our dedicated team now extend that gift to the rest of the country. Being family-led ensures that we bring a personal touch to every client, the service we deliver is exactly what we would want for our own families. This is what makes us stand out from larger, more impersonal providers.
Our dedication to quality and value is reflected in our partnerships with reputable third-party providers, all of which are members of either the NAFD or The National Society Of Allied And Independent Funeral Directors (SAIF). Additionally, Aura’s funeral plans are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), offering financial security and peace of mind to our clients.
Whether you are in need of our cremation services today or looking for a prepaid funeral plan, we offer three options:
Direct Cremation: A direct cremation for those seeking a straightforward option without attendees.
Intimate Service: A cremation accompanied by a 15-minute service attended by up to 15 people, allowing for a private and meaningful farewell.
Fully Attended Service: A private service of up to 45 minutes including the maximum guest count of the crematorium alongside the cremation.
If you’re organising a funeral for a recently passed loved one, Simplicity Cremations and Aura both only charge you for the services that are required, rather than an all-inclusive package option. This means you only pay for what you need and doesn’t include unnecessary costs. But, it also may mean you pay more than the starting price quoted.
You have three options when choosing Simplicity as your cremation provider. Their Unattended Funeral starts at £995, covering a direct cremation without attendees. For a small gathering, the Intimate Funeral is available for up to 12 guests at 9 am on selected days, starting from £1,395. The most flexible option, the Family-Led Funeral, starts at £1,895, allowing families to organise a more personalised ceremony.
Simplicity’s prices do include cremation fees and a basic coffin. Some additional services will incur extra charges. This includes the removal of medical devices, delivery of ashes, or extra charges for collections outside or working hours and if your loved one is resting in a non-hospital location such as their home.
Aura provides affordable and compassionate cremation services tailored to individual preferences. Our Direct Cremation option starts at £1,095 and includes an unattended cremation without attendees. If you want to include a ceremony alongside the cremation, we offer an intimate service at a local crematorium. This differs from a traditional service as it doesn’t include a procession or pallbearers but can still be meaningful and personalised.
Our Intimate Service can accommodate up to 15 guests for 15 minutes and starts at £1,895. For larger gatherings, we offer up to 45 minutes for a service starting at £2,495 which can accommodate the maximum capacity of the crematorium. We want to help you personalise your service as much as possible, so our team would be happy to help you organise your loved one being dressed in their own clothes, choosing a different coffin or having a memorial item added on. Please note this will incur an additional fee.
Our starting prices include the coffin, cremation fees, and removal of medical devices. Additional charges may apply for urgent or after-hours collection and the hand delivery of your loved one’s ashes back home to you.
When it comes to arranging a funeral for someone who has recently passed, both Aura and Simplicity require a lump-sum payment upfront. However, as Aura offers a prepaid funeral plan, there are different payment options available to those planning ahead.
You can choose to pay for your funeral plan all at once or break it down into monthly instalments over 12 to 24 months. There are absolutely no extra fees, so you can avoid unexpected and costly surprises.
Planning a funeral is a particularly sensitive time. We understand that delivering the services you need with care and respect is vital as you process a difficult loss. Here is how Aura and Simplicity can help you during this time.
Compassionate, high-quality services are what Aura strives for every day. We set ourselves apart with the Aura Angels, a dedicated team that assists families during difficult times following a loss. They can help organise funerals, memorials and celebrations of life that honour your loved ones, dealing with paperwork and administration tasks. The Angels can also offer heartfelt support to grieving families, focusing on personalised attention for each client. As a national provider, Aura is accessible both online and by phone, ensuring our team is here to help whenever you need us.
Similarly, Simplicity also recognises the challenges that come with arranging a funeral during a distressing time and offers its services online and on the phone. They have a team of arrangers to help you save time and energy when organising a funeral. So, there is support available to their clients.
With both Aura and Simplicity offering a similar level of bereavement support and help with organising funeral details, it’s also important to read their reviews. This is a great way to see what this support is like in action and gives you an idea of what you may experience as their customer.
At Aura, we’re delighted to highlight our impressive customer ratings which shows our commitment to quality and compassionate service. We hold 4.9/5 stars on Trustpilot, reflecting the positive experiences shared by our clients for both funeral plans and those who need us for a recent loss. These testimonials often praise the empathetic and thorough support provided by our team. Our service for prepaid funeral plans was also recognised by Fairer Finance who gave us a 5-star rating, demonstrating our dedication to offering a top-tier service.
Comparatively, Simplicity currently holds a 4.4-star rating on Trustpilot. from less than 60 reviews on Trustpilot (correct as of June 2024). It’s recommended to read reviews from both providers to get a glimpse into possible challenges or positive aspects of their service.
Every funeral is unique, just like every life it honours. That’s why having a funeral provider that allows you to personalise the service is so important. At Aura, direct cremations are at the core of what we do. But we also understand that every farewell is personal. That’s why we offer the option of small, private gatherings at a local crematorium, complete with your chosen music and personal stories from friends and family, making the occasion truly meaningful. We can also offer prepaid funeral plans for those thinking ahead. This comes with absolutely no cancellation fees so if your needs or circumstances change, your plan can change with you.
Similarly, Simplicity focuses on direct cremations and also allows for an intimate service on the day. They can help families craft a personal tribute that respects the memory of the person who has passed. However, Simplicity currently does not offer funeral plans to help people organise their affairs ahead of time.
Whether you’re planning a funeral for a recent loss or thinking ahead, it’s important to look beyond just the prices and services. Additional benefits and features offered by funeral service providers can sway your decision, especially if it helps you navigate difficult times.
Aura offers several useful benefits. One notable advantage is our Two Together plan which offers you the opportunity to save on costs when you are purchasing a funeral plan with someone else. Additionally, we have a membership opportunity called the Aura Circle. It is completely free to join and provides access to time-limited discounts on funeral plans. Beyond financial savings, joining the Aura Circle gifts members with many tools, resources and guides that cover bereavement, funeral planning, and end-of-life preparations. You can also use the Aura Circle to share your life story and meaningful messages with loved ones.
Simplicity Cremations offers support through their online articles that cover bereavement support. They also have a service called GriefChat that allows individuals to speak with online bereavement counsellors. This service, facilitated by the National Bereavement Service’s webchat, is particularly valuable for those seeking immediate emotional support following the loss of a loved one.
While both companies provide essential services that extend beyond traditional funeral arrangements, Aura offers a broader range of benefits. By focusing on both immediate and long-term planning we can offer a comprehensive support system for those who are bereaved and those preparing for the future.
Aura and Simplicity Cremations provide a simple option for saying farewell to a loved one. They both offer direct cremations as well as private services where families can gather. While Simplicity has a lower price, Aura brings a personal touch to their service with more support.
The choice between Simplicity and Aura really comes down to what’s important to you when selecting a funeral service provider. Whether you prefer something straightforward or more personalised, both companies have strengths that cater to different preferences. Consider what features are most important for you and your family as you make this sensitive decision.
If you are interested in talking to our team at Aura, please do not hesitate to get in touch. Whether you need help organising a funeral for your loved one or setting up a funeral plan, we are here to help.
