The UK’s Cheapest Direct Cremation Providers

At a time when you are looking to pay your respects to your loved one, it can be difficult if you constantly have to compromise due to money. There are countless stories online of arguments about funeral costs causing tension and worry to families during an already difficult time. 

Whether you are arguing about the amount of money spent or what it is being spent on, the stress is the same. With this in mind, it’s understandable to go looking for a cheaper, more flexible approach. 

Direct cremation is becoming increasingly popular, is cheaper than a traditional burial or cremation, and has been designed to put you in control of how you say goodbye to the person you love. 

What Is Direct Cremation?

A direct cremation is a straightforward and customisable way to pay your respects that differs from traditional funerals. This type of funeral foregoes the formalities of traditional funerals such as embalming, processions and hearses. 

While direct cremations are usually unattended, meaning no family or friends are present, some providers offer a more flexible approach, providing attended options as well. With attended direct cremations, the funeral still keeps things simple but allows loved ones to be there for an in-person farewell. This hybrid style bridges the gap between a traditional funeral and a completely private cremation, giving you the chance to say goodbye in a way that feels right for you.

The straightforward nature of direct cremation appeals to many families in the UK, thanks to its ease of planning and the freedom it gives for a more personal tribute later on. Traditional funerals can sometimes lead to disagreements over details, but choosing a direct cremation takes away much of that stress, helping everyone to focus on remembering their loved one peacefully.

How Much Does Direct Cremation Cost?

Direct cremation in the UK typically costs between £895 and £2,000, with the average price throughout the UK being around £1,557, according to Legal & General. It is worth noting that prices in densely populated areas can be a little more due to a higher number of families to serve, among other variables. An example of this would be Greater London, where the average price is closer to £1,800. 

The price you are quoted for a direct cremation should include: 

• The collection and transportation of your loved one in a way that is secure and respectful
• All necessary preparations required to make your loved one ready for the cremation 
• A simple coffin 
• The cremation fees charged by the crematorium and the completion of all paperwork 
• The ashes can be returned to the family home or a funeral home by secure courier, though this often comes with an extra fee. Most funeral directors will include the option to scatter the ashes in the crematorium’s Garden of Remembrance at no cost, and collecting the ashes in person from the crematorium is generally free as well.

Because you’ll want to honour your loved one in a way that feels right, it helps to understand what influences price differences between providers:

• Local funeral services based in densely populated urban areas often charge more for direct cremation than companies operating across the whole of the UK. 
• Demand can affect pricing, which is why working with a national provider that can adapt to fluctuations is often a sensible choice. 
• Higher competition generally lowers prices, and this applies to direct cremation as well. 
• The scale and coverage of a provider are important factors, with national providers usually able to keep prices lower than smaller, local firms.

Taking a moment to consider how these factors will affect the price you are quoted may help provide some much-needed context. You can then talk about the costs with the next of kin and immediate family and decide whether direct cremation feels right for your family. 

Comparing the Cheapest Direct Cremation Providers

Once you know that you want to proceed with a direct cremation, it may be a little overwhelming to try and find the right people to entrust your loved one to. To help, we’ve taken a look at some of the established names in the UK and ranked them with the winner shown at the bottom: 

• 4th Place: DirectCremation (£895) provides flexible services for a competitive price
• 3rd Place: Express Cremations (£450) provides the cheapest services on this list 
• 2nd Place: Simplicity Cremations (£995) is an established name focused on speed 
• The Winner: Aura (£1,195) is known throughout the UK for a kind, compassionate, and flexible approach and affordable prices.

Why we’ve chosen Aura as the best Cheap Direct Cremation Provider

We’ve chosen Aura as our winner for the following reasons: 

• Compassion: Kindness and caring are at the centre of everything Aura does, and our research found them to be well ahead when it came to having the customer’s best interest in mind across every level. Their customer reviews showcase this.
• Experience: Decades of combined experience make Aura’s team among the most knowledgeable in the UK, and they are always available to guide you through your options.
• Flexibility: Aura is known for a flexible approach and a highly personable team who go the extra mile to make sure that every family feels listened to and heard.
• Transparency: Aura works tirelessly to build trust with families experiencing some of the most difficult times in their lives. They do this by making sure there are never any hidden fees and that all services are 100% guaranteed 

As with all direct cremation plans, Aura’s packages are tightly regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). This is so that any prepaid plan you take out is sold with unwavering transparency, and any money Aura holds is managed according to strict financial and legal guidelines. The result is the peace of mind that money alone cannot buy, and that is priceless when you are mourning the death of someone you love. 

Attributes to Look for in a Cremation Plan

Finding a provider who has a warm and human-centred approach is certainly important, but there are other, more practical issues that you may also want to consider at this time. Here are a few things that we would recommend taking a closer look at: 

• Careful and efficient documentation handling will ensure that you can mourn the death of your loved one without feeling like you’re having to wrestle with bureaucracy 
• A provider who can arrange the secure return of the ashes within 21 days, anywhere in the UK, will provide you with the peace of mind that comes from knowing everything is being dealt with in a timely manner
• Providers who offer robust coverage guarantees are also going to make a real difference to the level of pressure you feel at this sensitive time 
• Transparent pricing will ensure that you know what you are being given and what is different from a traditional funeral service that you may be more familiar with 
• Secure payment handling is essential because it will make sure you are in the right hands from the moment you reach out to talk through your needs 

Finding a direct cremation provider who is able to tick all of these boxes straight away will give you one less thing you have to work through. Exactly what’s needed when you want to spend your mental and emotional energy working through your emotions and processing your loss. 

 Online Tools for Comparison

One of the smartest funeral financial hacks you can put into practice without delay is to take a look at a few of the leading price comparison websites that are out there. Over50choices, Farewill, and Funerals With Grace each offer intuitive search and quick filtering options that will allow you to: 

• Search a range of prices and plans so you can see what is included
• Read reviews from other grieving families to hear what they thought 
• Easily find new plans and providers if you want to expand your search

Our top tip is to focus on comparing inclusions, not just base fees, so that you can see why prices may vary. The cheapest option available might seem appealing at first, but it could leave out elements you later wish you’d included. Taking a moment to check exactly what’s covered, alongside the base price, will help you make sure you can say goodbye in a way that feels right for you.

Who Should Consider a Direct Cremation?

Everyone has the right to pay tribute to their loved one in a way they see fit. If you are unsure whether or not a direct cremation is right at this time, you may find it helpful to take a look at the main reasons that families choose direct cremation: 

• Cost-conscious relatives may wish to spend their budget on other things, such as a living memorial, and find that direct cremation allows them to avoid the unwanted expense of a formal ceremony
• Elderly individuals may feel like they want less fuss and simply prefer a quiet goodbye. The lower cost and no-frills approach make direct cremation a viable option 
• Bereaved family members may feel completely overwhelmed by the number of decisions that have to be made to arrange a formal ceremony or memorial 

If you resonate with any of the above, direct cremation may be the most suitable approach for your family. There is certainly nothing wrong with taking a budget-friendly approach that allows you to cremate your loved one in a way that provides you with plenty of flexibility to do things your way.

 Prepaid Direct Cremation Plans

Prepaid plans allow families and individuals to pay for a direct cremation in advance. There are a number of advantages of doing this, such as: 

• Being able to lock in today’s price and protect your budget against future funeral inflation 
• Knowing that you have already found a provider when the time comes to say goodbye
• The reduced amount of worry that preparing ahead of time will place on close relatives and the next of kin 

Prepaid plans are regulated by the FCA and are tightly controlled in terms of how they are structured, sold, and handled. You can start a prepaid plan while still alive because no death certificate is needed. The provider will send you all of the necessary documentation so that you have it ready for future reference. There will also be simple-to-follow instructions that guide you through what you need to do when it’s time to contact them and move your loved one onto the next stage. 

 What’s Included in a Low-Cost Cremation Package?

Knowing what is included in a low-cost package can help to clarify your thinking and will provide you with the peace of mind that you are getting everything you need at this time. Here are the fundamental things that your package will include, although we always recommend double-checking with your choice of provider before starting a plan: 

• Transportation of your loved one from the care facility, hospital, funeral home, or other place of rest to the crematorium
• The cremation at the crematorium, including associated fees and all of the relevant paperwork and registration 
• Secure delivery of the ashes (typically within 21 days) so that you don’t have to travel to the crematorium to collect in person 

Packages are generally pre-defined with options to select add-ons should you wish to. Finding a provider with a compassionate, personable team will help you navigate the personal choices that you may wish to make. Some common options you may wish to consider include: 

• Some providers will offer a choice of coffins if you prefer to have something a little more bespoke or ornate than the simple style of coffin typically used 
• There may be the option to add a short viewing prior to the cremation if you wish to personalise the way you bid farewell to your loved one
• Attended options are offered by some providers, allowing you to take a hybrid approach to a direct cremation service. These funerals combine the simplicity and ease of direct cremations with more traditional elements like inclusion of hymns, a celebrant, eulogy and music.

Taking your time to work through these options and decide whether or not they feel right may also help you prepare yourself emotionally for the day. 

Hidden Fees and Red Flags to Avoid

Although the direct cremation industry is tightly regulated, there are some red flags that you may wish to avoid. The first of these is unclear pricing that doesn’t outline what specifically your package includes and what it does not include. Services like this may leave you feeling like you haven’t paid tribute to your loved one as you wanted to, and they may also come with a number of hidden fees and additional charges you were not aware of. Other things you may wish to watch out for include: 

• Unregulated providers who are not following the rules and regulations that have been put in place to protect families at such difficult times 
• Restrictive cancellation policies that tie you in and don’t allow you to change your plans if the needs of your family change in the future 
• A lack of clear guarantees and a general impression that the provider is in business primarily to make money, rather than to serve grieving families 
• Few or no verified reviews that can be easily found online — this is often a sign of a very inexperienced provider

Take a moment to note down the key points on this list that you want to remind yourself of, and you will be able to find a fitting way to honour the memory of your loved one. By giving yourself the choice and flexibility that can make a real difference at times like this, you also free yourself from a lot of potential stress. 

Choosing an affordable, reliable, and highly experienced direct cremation provider will ensure that your loved one is treated with dignity and respect at every stage. Exactly what you need to hear when you want to know that you’ve found the most suitable way to pay tribute to them.