The debate about Direct Cremation.

The Debate About Direct Cremation 

If you have watched day time TV you will have seen many adverts from companies such as Pure Cremation, Co-op Funeralcare and Simplicity Cremations specialising in direct cremation specifically targeting older audiences. As a Celebrant I have wondered how this is having an impact on the funeral industry. So I’ve delved in and done a bit of research and have come up with this. I hope it’s helpful.

The debate about direct cremation centres on things such as cost, tradition, dignity, environmental impact and the changing meaning of funerals to society today.

What is a direct cremation?

This is when a person is cremated shortly after death without embalming, viewing or a formal funeral service beforehand and families may or may not arrange a memorial separately. Quite often the funeral arranger and crematoria staff, out of respect for the deceased, will say a prayer in the moment. No one wants to see a person forgotten in their last moments.

So why is it increasing in popularity in the UK?

Firstly, the cost of funerals can be extremely expensive with the average traditional funeral in the UK now typically costs £4000 - £5000+. Whereas direct cremation usually costs £1000 - £1800, depending on the provider. With the cost of living crisis, this price difference is a major driver in decisions made about how to say goodbye to a loved one.

Then we had the COVID-19 pandemic which saw attendance at funerals restricted and many cremations happened with no mourners and families choosing to hold memorials later. This unintentionally normalised the idea that a ceremony at the crematorium isn’t essential.

Society’s attitude to religion has also changed and as the UK grows increasingly secular, fewer people now feel bound to church funerals, religious rites and the more traditional formats. Many people now prefer more personalised ‘celebrations of life’ which can be held in different locations such as village halls, pubs, on the beach, in the garden - often with a theme link to the deceased.

The positives of direct cremation.

For families a direct cremation can reduce the financial pressure on them as some families take on debt to pay for traditional funerals. I speak from experience here when I lost my parents within 6 weeks of each other and I wasn’t offered the options available, rather pushed into expensive decisions because that was what was expected..

Direct cremations can avoid costs such as a hearse and limosines, chapel service fees, floral tributes as well as the pressure to have decorated printed orders of service. It can give flexibility and families can scatter ashes later, hold a memorial months even years later, personalise the remembrance and avoid making rushed decisions.

Some people don’t like the formal nature of funerals, the sadness it evokes, and public speaking when emotions are high. As a Celebrant I have surprised many families with the different options available either at a cremation or a celebration of life at a later date. 

Direct cremations can feel more private and less overwhelming if families know that is what their deceased person wanted. It can also give the families an element of control and know they can organise something more meaningful which doesn’t have the time restrictions that a service can have - how do you cram a person's life into a 30 minute recap?

Some arguments against direct cremation.

Some critics believe the loss of ritual raises concerns as the funeral ritual has historically played a key role in British culture, even among those who are non-religious. Ritual helps humans process grief and without a viewing or ceremony, some people will struggle with closure. 

Some believe that not seeing the coffin, not gathering at a chapel to pay respects or marking a defined moment means that grief becomes less acknowledged. It removes the ‘communal grieving’ which funerals offer. A funeral can gather a community together - friends, neighbours, colleagues and extended family to support one another and allow the grief to be shared. A direct cremation limits this and reduces the shared remembrance and can increase isolation, especially for older people.

Then throw into the mix the environmental debate in the UK. Cremations produce carbon emissions and greener alternatives are becoming increasingly more popular such as a natural or woodland burial, the choice of caskets that are eco-friendly and the not so well known option of ‘resomation’ or water cremation although this is not yet widely legalised. A direct cremation reduces material use but it is not carbon free.

I’m on the fence with this debate as I can see the pros and cons of what a direct cremation can bring. Society struggles talking openly about death generally. I have spoken to my children about it and they withdraw from the conversation as though it is taboo. It’s something I never talked to my parents about so had no idea of their wishes, their favourite music or how they would like to be remembered. It made me more determined not to put my children in the position I was in both financially and emotionally at that time.

 As a celebrant I am in a position to offer any service you like to remember your loved one or even if you're thinking about your own funeral and I take pride in the work I do. Whether it is a ceremony at a crematorium, a burial, a memorial, interment of ashes or a full blown knees up celebration of life and wherever you like. It’s your choice at the end of the day and something that needs to be talked about - so get talking!