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Funeral Plans

Our Direct Cremation Plan includes everything needed for a dignified cremation without a funeral service attended by friends and family. This affordable and straightforward unattended funeral plan lets you avoid high funeral costs and celebrate life in a more unique way.

The UK’s largest direct cremation provider Independent customer service rating of 4.9/5 on Feefo A caring and attentive team available on a 24/7 phone line Nationwide provider operating throughout mainland GB
The UK’s largest direct cremation provider Independent customer service rating of 4.9/5 on Feefo A caring and attentive team available on a 24/7 phone line Nationwide provider operating throughout mainland GB

About our Direct Cremation Plan

Direct cremation plans allow families to remember a loved one in a personal and unique way.

There is no service attended by loved ones. This keeps costs low with no compromise on the quality of care you and your family receive.

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Everything you need for a dignified unattended funeral:

  • Your family will be informed of the cremation date (if desired).
  • The coffin will be brought into the chapel and rested on a raised platform as it would be for a family service.
  • A piece of music chosen by you or your family will be played while the coffin rests in the chapel.
  • The funeral operatives or chapel attendant will respectfully bow as the curtains close around the coffin.

Need to make immediate funeral arrangements for a loved one who has died? Please see our direct cremation services.

Memorial Tree In Garden Of Remembrance

Get a Direct Cremation Plan quote

If you’ve decided that a Direct Cremation Plan suits your preferences, choose your preferred options below to find out exactly how much you can expect to pay.

Our affordable funeral plans offer the choice between a traditional funeral service at the crematorium or a direct cremation without mourners present. Choose from the options below to find a funeral plan that suits your wishes.

If you have any questions about our funeral plans, speak to our experienced Customer Service Specialists by calling 01543 211997.

What’s guaranteed with an unattended funeral plan from Distinct Cremations ?

Every one of our funeral plans, including our Direct Cremation Plan, is fully inclusive with everything needed for respectful send-off. We own and operate all of our own funeral services including transportation, mortuary care and cremation so we can guarantee the highest quality of care.

The cost is fixed once you set up your plan, giving you peace of mind that the funeral will go ahead according to your wishes.

If you would like a service at the crematorium for friends and family to attend, you may be interested in our Funeral Service Plan.

For full information about our plans, payment options and funeral expertise, request a free guide by email or post.

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What's included

  • The cost is fixed with nothing left for your family to pay
  • An unattended cremation
  • Bringing the deceased into our care 24/7 from anywhere in mainland Great Britain 
  • Daily care at our professional mortuary  
  • Preparation for cremation and removal of medical devices 
  • Dedicated support with arrangements and help with all legal paperwork
  • A classic wood coffin or larger coffin at no extra cost
  • Transportation to the crematorium chapel via private ambulance
  • Respectful presence of the chapel attendant or funeral operatives
  • The coffin rests in the chapel while music of your choice plays
  • Dignified cremation at one of our 41 nationwide crematoriums  
  • Temporary ashes container
  • The option to scatter the ashes in the garden of remembrance at the crematorium, or to have them personally returned within 14 days
  • Free telephone bereavement support for loved ones
  • A donation to World Land Trust with every funeral to protect an area of endangered natural habitat the size of the average UK back garden


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What's not included

  • Attendance of mourners
  • A funeral service or procession
  • Choice of cremation time
  • Choice of crematorium
  • Embalming
  • Viewing of the deceased
  • Celebrant or officiant fees
  • A hearse or limousines
  • Cost of repatriation from outside mainland Great Britain
  • Special requests such as memorials, flowers, catering or obituaries
  • Any additional charges (such as VAT) passed to us due to changes in the law, tax rules or legislation that affect the way cremations are carried out


Request a FREE guide

Other useful resources

  • For full details of what is and is not covered, please read our funeral plan summary and terms & conditions.
  • Please see our price list for additional pricing information and a full list of our optional extras.
  • If you need to make immediate funeral arrangements for a loved one who has died, please see our direct cremation service.
Customer Service Specialist Working At Computer

If you have any questions at all about direct cremation plans please call us.

We're wholeheartedly committed to providing funeral services we'd be proud to give our own loved ones.

Rhiannon Pearson, Team Leader

Call on 01543 211997

How our Direct Cremation Plan works

Safeguard your future, remove the uncertainty about your wishes and relieve some of the pressure your loved ones may feel when arranging a funeral with our Direct Cremation Plan. You can also set up your plan online or call us on 01543 211997. We're here for you and your questions.

Once you've chosen your plan, here's what to expect.

We send out your documents

For peace of mind, you will receive a plan confirmation pack to store safely so you can focus on enjoying your life.

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The cremation is arranged

When the time comes, we support your family with the arrangements including filling out the required paperwork.

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Ashes are returned

The ashes can either be scattered at the crematorium or personally returned by our team within 14 days of cremation.

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We secure your money

We keep your money safe in a trust fund or "whole of life" policy from regulated provider Scottish Friendly.

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Cremation takes place

We deliver all of our own services via our caring teams including collection and a dignified unattended cremation.

Peace of mind with Distinct Cremations

Our Direct Cremation Plan keeps your money safe and guarantees the highest quality of dignified care so once you've set up your plan, you can rest easy.

Looking after your money

Wallet And Glasses On Table Protection against rising funeral costs Once you've taken out a plan, you have peace of mind that your funeral costs are covered. The price is fixed with no hidden costs and nothing further for your family to pay no matter how much funeral prices go up in future. Flexible and safe payment options Paying for your plan is flexible with options to pay in a single payment or spread the cost over 12 months, 5 years or 10 years. Your money is kept secure in either an independent trust fund or insurance policy.

How we keep your money safe

Caring for the deceased

Exterior Of Direct Cremation Plan Building End-to-end services delivered by our expert teams We own and operate all of our own facilities to ensure dignified care at every stage. Our mortuary is state-of-the-art, we have a fleet of specialist private ambulances and only use our own scenic and peaceful crematoriums. Decades of experience providing compassionate farewells As part of the Westerleigh Group, our knowledgable team has over 30 years of expertise in caring for the deceased. We deliver over 70,000 funerals every year from our 41 crematoriums across mainland Great Britain.

How we care for the deceased
Purple FSCS Logo White Background Feefo Platinium Trusted Service Award Direct Cremation Fairer Finance Feefo 2024 logo

What our customers say about us

We 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.

4.9/5
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4.9/5
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4.8/5
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Darren Hearn, on Google 1 Feb 2025
Distinct cremation. What can I say. Unbelievable service very comfortable talking to someone regarding your passing. It's not something ppl like to discuss. But they made the whole thing manageable thank you Distinct cremation.
Wendy Watts, on Google 31 Jan 2025
Easy to understand. Very helpful.
Susan Purkiss, on Trustpilot 28 Jan 2025
Wonderful Service through out Very personable professional and helpful. Explained every step and made the whole process simple and personal. Thank you.
Jenny Plummer, on Google 22 Jan 2025
Excellent service from start to finish. Good communications and assistance.
Tracey Madden, on Google 19 Jan 2025
I found the service offered by the staff of Distinct Cremations excelled any expectations.
KF, on Trustpilot 15 Jan 2025
They were very polite and considerate while walking me through the options I had, the information I needed to provide and what was going to happen. Everything went smoothly and communications were good. They were also very good value for money. Thanks to Joy and the team at Distinct Cremations.
David “Swamps” Marsh, on Trustpilot 13 Jan 2025
Very helpful at explaining everything and answered whatever question I had very professionally. Showed a lot of understanding about my concerns
Christine Berridge, on Google 12 Jan 2025
Bought direct cremations for both myself and my husband. Website was really easy to navigate and our paperwork arrived very promptly. The follow up call was very professional but I felt that the caller was interested in us and our needs rather than just going through the motions. Overall a very good experience.
4.9/5
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4.9/5
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4.8/5
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Read all our reviews

Next steps you can take

We're here to support you whether you're ready to take out a plan today or would like some time to digest the details.

Request a free guide

Sue bench with funeral plan guide

For more information about our funeral plans and what's included, get our guide online or in the post.

Get your free guide

Have a chat with us

Call us

Want to talk through our options? If you have questions or would like some in-person support, we're just a call away.

Speak to our team

Buy a funeral plan online

Woman Buying A Direct Cremation Plan On Laptop

You can also buy a funeral plan online. Once set up, you have peace of mind that the funeral costs are covered.

Buy a funeral plan online

Prepaid funeral plans are the perfect way to secure a low-cost, respectful, meaningful funeral that can be paid off monthly for up to 10 years. For example, Distinct Cremations offers direct cremation funeral plans that are available on monthly payment plans for 12 months, 5 years or 10 years.

Absolutely. Taking out a new funeral plan with Distinct Cremations is completely safe. Distinct Cremations, and our parent Westerleigh, are one of the largest funeral and cremation service providers in the UK. We have been established for 30 years and each year we help around 70,000 families.

You’ll typically receive your documents within five working days of taking out the plan.

At Distinct Cremations, we offer both direct and Funeral Service plans delivered with dignity and care.

Our funeral plans include every aspect of the cremation arrangements so when the time comes there will be nothing more for your family to pay. We deliver all of the services ourselves including transport, care at our mortuary, cremation at one of our crematoriums and the return of the ashes. Our caring team is there to offer support throughout with both paperwork and making the arrangements.

For funeral plans, you can pay half of the cost upfront as a deposit and the remaining amount over six monthly instalments.

You can, and it can make things easier and less stressful for when the time comes. If a loved one is suffering from a life limiting ailment, the dying person may want to be involved in their own funeral arrangements. Or a funeral can be planned when you're healthy with a funeral plan. We're happy to talk through your options 24/7 on 01543 211997.

Yes - you can take out a funeral plan on behalf of your parents or a partner. For more information, take a look at our guide on setting up a funeral plan for a loved one or talk to a member of our team today on 01543 211997.

Our Unattended Direct Cremation Plan has received the top rating of 5 stars by the experts at Fairer Finance, a leading independent reviewer of consumer finance.

Yes, a direct cremation funeral plan lets you pay for an unattended direct cremation in advance. With our Direct Cremation Plan you have the option to pay upfront or in instalments over 1, 5, or 10 years. Your money is kept secure in a trust fund or if you are paying over 5 or 10 years it is protected by Scottish Friendly who are an authorised and regulated insurance provider.

A direct cremation funeral plan lets you choose and pay for an unattended funeral ahead of time. Planning your own funeral protects your family from funeral costs and ensures your wishes are known for the type of funeral you'd like. If you know you'll be the one making funeral arrangements for someone else in future, you can take out a funeral plan for them for peace of mind.

When the time comes we'll carry out every part of the process and deliver the ashes to your family at no extra cost. Our funeral plans include cremation, fees, collection, care, return of the ashes and much more. For full details of what is and is not covered with our different funeral plan options, please read our price list and terms & conditions.

You can choose a nominated representative when taking out a funeral plan. This person will put your wishes in motion when the cremation is required. This could be a family member, friend or someone else.

You can also include your plan's information in your will, however, the will is not typically read until after the funeral.

Our funeral plans guarantee your acceptance, with no medical questions or additional costs for the elderly or those with pre-existing medical conditions. However, for funeral plans payable over 5 or 10 years we incur additional administration expenses for collecting the monthly instalments and for the purchase and administration of a “whole of life” policy from Scottish Friendly - an authorised and regulated insurance provider.

Learn more about funeral plans

Want to find out more about funeral plans before you make your decision? Our guidance below is there to help you understand funeral plans and whether taking out a plan is the right choice for you.

What are funeral plans and how do they work?

Elderly couple reviewing funeral prices _ Distinct Cremations

Discover exactly what taking out a funeral plan means for your money, the key benefits funeral plans offer you and your family and who is eligible to set up a plan.

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How to choose the right funeral plan

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Funeral plans and providers vary in terms of what they include and who delivers the funeral services when the time comes. Get to know the options so you can find the best choice to suit your wishes.

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Are funeral plans safe for your money?

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It's common to wonder whether funeral plans are safe. What happens if a plan provider fails and is your money protected? We've answered these questions to help put your mind at ease.

Are funeral plans safe? >>