In recent years, more and more affordable alternatives to a traditional cremation have become available for the public. But which option is the cheapest way to be cremated?
A direct cremation is the cheapest way to be cremated in the UK. With Distinct Cremations, a direct cremation costs just £1,399 - that's on average 66%* cheaper than a traditional funeral.
A direct cremation is a cremation without a service and mourners. Instead, the cremation provider collects the deceased, prepares them for cremation, carries out the process at a crematorium, and then hand-delivers the ashes back to the family. From here, the family can have a memorial service at a date and venue of their choosing.
For those who want a service, the cheapest way to be cremated would be with a small, attended cremation. The price for this starts from just £1,699 and is inclusive of a 10 minute service for 8 people.
Another cheap option would be an attended cremation with a 20 minute service for 20 people which costs just £1,899.
We'll explain all these cheap cremation options in more depth below.
* 66% saving is based on the cost of a basic funeral at £4,141 (SunLife Cost of Dying Report 2024, sunlife.co.uk/ funeral-costs) vs the cost of a Distinct Cremations direct cremation at £1,399.
Even though these options below are the three cheapest ways to have a cremation, there is no sacrifice in quality of care when you opt for something a little more affordable.
Indeed, each and every family that comes through our door is treated just the way we'd like our family members to be treated, whether it's an unattended or an attended cremation.
And each and every cremation is carried out with the same respect and dignity. The coffin is taken through the front door and rested on the raised platform while a song of the family's choice is played or a moment of silence is respected. And again, that's the same whether it's an unattended or attended cremation.
Celebrate a life without the restrictions of a funeral
For immediate friends and family to pay respects
A family-led service attended by close loved ones
Here are a few of the key inclusions and key differences between each option.
| Unattended Cremation | 10 Minute Attended Cremation | 20 Minute Attended Cremation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paperwork support & guidance | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| 24/7 support team | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Collection of the deceased | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Preparation of the deceased | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| A simple coffin | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Choice of crematorium | ❌ | ✔️ ! | ✔️ ! |
| Choice of cremation date | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Funeral service with attendees present | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Return of ashes in ashes container | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
Choosing a simple cremation like those set out above instead of a traditional funeral lets you celebrate a loved one’s life however you wish, with less stress and no fuss.
You can see the key differences between the two options in more detail below.
The contemporary, simple, fuss-free farewell, free of tradition
⊛ 66% saving is based on the cost of a basic funeral at £4,141 (SunLife Cost of Dying Report 2024, sunlife.co.uk/ funeral-costs) vs the cost of a Distinct Cremations direct cremation at £1,399..
A fixed format funeral, with a set service
Though we are able to offer affordable cremations, we do not compromise on quality of care or dignity.
Instead, thanks to our vast experience in the industry, we have developed processes that concentrate on efficiency and we have secured partnerships that have our customer's best interests in mind.
As we are part of the Westerleigh Group and have employees with a wealth of experience within the funeral industry, we have formed strategic partnerships with a number of service providers to reduce costs. These partnerships involve collaborating with suppliers to negotiate discounts on items such as ashes containers and coffins.
Another advantage of being part of the Westerleigh Group is that we own all the 41 crematoriums that we use across the country. This means that not only will we use high quality crematoria, but there will be no logistical issues and we are able to keep costs down as we don't have to pay a fee to use an external crematorium.
With over 30 years' worth of experience in the funeral industry we have developed lean practices to reduce waste and improve productivity. By streamlining our processes, our funeral team have been able to standardise certain procedures from our hub in the centre of England to save costs and pass those savings on to you
A lot of people who choose a simple, cheap cremation like to have a commemoration event or memorial service once the cremation has taken place.
This can take place at any place and at any time. Families often like to choose a meaningful location like a local pub or the deceased's favourite sports club.
Here are a few ideas that will also keep costs to a minimum.
You may like to consider a walk through to the meaningful places of the deceased's life. This could be to a house they grew up in, a park where they played football or just to their local pub.
A gathering at a family house surrounded by your nearest and dearest is a lovely way to commemorate a loved one, and the only thing that you need to bring is your presence.
Tree planting has become a lot more popular as we've all become more eco-conscious, and creating new life is a great, spiritual and circular way to remember a loved one.
A walk with close family members and friends away from the big city is a lovely way to focus your mind on the important things in life and a lovely way to bond with those around you.
If you have a lot of people you'd like to invite, you could organise a picnic in the local park. Tell everyone to bring some food to share and you'll create a lovely, wholesome feast.
An emotional, intimate way to say goodbye, there's something quite spiritual and touching about a candlelight vigil, like you're almost coming into contact with the deceased.
Below are a couple more articles that may be able to help you in your research.
Still concerned about cremation costs? There are several steps you can take to minimise your funeral expenses. Explore the different ways to keep costs as low as possible.
Low cost funerals
One way to set your mind at rest about cremation costs is with a cremation plan. Funeral plans let you choose and pay for a funeral ahead of time and can help alleviate financial concerns.
View our funeral plansWe offer the highest level of support, but don't just take our word for it. Below are recent reviews from customers who bought a funeral with us.
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