Compare cremation only costs and how much each of the market-leading direct cremation companies charges, including any additional extras. To help you choose what's suitable for your loved one, we've collated a table of companies offering the best quality and cheapest funerals.
Compare UK average costs to find the best direct cremation service to suit your needs and budget with Distinct Cremations.
Typically, direct cremation is the cheapest option when it comes to arranging a funeral in the UK. If you’re looking for an affordable option for a loved one who has recently died or looking to plan ahead by taking out a direct cremation funeral plan, this could be the best choice for you.
Choosing and organising a funeral is never easy, especially with so many factors to consider across different service providers. To make things that bit easier for you, we've organised the best direct cremation providers into a straightforward comparison table below, helping you choose the cheapest direct cremation with the best benefits for you and your loved one.
Alternatively, if you'd like to settle your funeral arrangements early, you can compare funeral plans.
| Direct Cremation Product Feature |  |
Pure Cremation | Memoria | Simplicity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price (not including extras) | £1,199 | £1,395 | £1,095 | £995 |
| Bringing deceased into care in office hours from a hospital or coroner's office |  |
|
|
|
| Collection of deceased from place of death other than hospital or coroner's office |  £250 extra |
£250 extra |
£250 extra |
£250 extra |
| Collection of deceased out of office hours | £250 extra |
£250 extra |
£250 extra |
£195 extra |
| Doctor's fee for medical cause of death certificate | £82 extra |
|
£82 extra |
|
| Removal of pacemaker, medical implants or artificial limbs | |
|
|
|
| Provision of standard coffin | |
|
|
|
| No charge for oversized coffin | £150 extra |
|
£250 extra |
|
| Transport of deceased | |
|
|
|
| Notification of the date of the cremation | |
|
|
|
| Crematorium fee included | |
|
|
|
| Owns own mortuary and crematorium facilities | |
|
|
|
| Personal return of ashes included | |
|
£100 extra |
£75 extra |
| Ashes return guaranteed within 14 days | |
|
£175 extra |
|
All information correct as of 04/04/2024
The average cost of a direct cremation in the UK is £1,498. This is on average £2,643 cheaper* than a traditional funeral with a service.
| Distinct Cremations cost | UK average direct cremation | UK average cremation funeral | UK average burial funeral | Average funeral cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £1,199 | £1,498** | £3,795** | £5,077** | £4,141** |
Direct cremations are a simplified funeral that takes place without attendees or a service. Importantly, direct cremations maintain the quality and dignity that you would expect from any funeral provider.
* Saving of £2,643 is based on the cost of a traditional funeral at £4,141 vs direct cremation funeral at £1,498 (SunLife Cost of Dying Report 2024, sunlife.co.uk/funeral-costs) ** Average direct cremation, cremation, burial and funeral costs in 2023 (Sunlife Cost of Dying Report 2024, sunlife.co.uk/funeral-costs)
With so many options to choose from, it can be confusing to compare direct cremation and attended funerals. We can help you to break down the process.
At Distinct Cremations, we offer both unattended direct cremation options and attended cremations:
We also offer funeral plans to help you set up a funeral in advance. Choose from our Unattended Direct Cremation Plan, Small Attended Cremation Plans or Simple Funeral Plan to manage your future funeral arrangements with ease.
Find out more about our funeral plans.
If you have any questions, or would like to talk through our options, you can speak to our expert team 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
When you're ready to organise a funeral, call us on 01543212000 and we will begin all the arrangements for you, including taking the deceased into our care and supporting you with the paperwork.
View our direct cremationOur Customer Service Specialists will liaise with you to make arrangements for the cremation and keep you updated every step of the way.
You can be assured that your loved one will be handled with the utmost care and respect. They will be transported from their place of rest to our state-of-the-art mortuary where they'll be prepared for the cremation itself.
At an unattended direct cremation, the coffin will be respectfully brought through the front doors of the chapel and rested on a raised platform whilst a piece of music of the family's choice is played or a moment of silence is observed. The cremation then takes place.
The ashes will be personally returned to you within 14 days of the cremation by a member of our team, ensuring a dignified send-off from start to finish.
We’ll take care of everything, so your family don’t need to - from collection to the paperwork and right through to cremation
We have the Distinct advantage of only investing in the best funeral and mortuary care at our state of the art facilities
Our highly experienced, attentive customer service specialists are here for you & your family 24/7. We’re here whenever you need us
No matter where you live in the UK mainland, our specialist direct cremations are available for the same price
We focus solely on direct cremations across mainland England, Wales and Scotland, offering the highest quality nationwide for the best price
Distinct Cremations leave out the funeral fuss and needless extras but leave in great service and a wonderfully caring attitude. That’s why my instinct is Distinct.
Sue Cook, TV Presenter
Below are a selection of reviews from those who followed their instinct with Distinct and chose to buy a funeral with us.
If the deceased goes to a coroner, there will be no need to pay for a medical certificate. This is because a coroner needs to perform different checks when there is uncertainty over how an individual died.
Yes, as long you are over 18 you can take out a prepaid funeral plan for a direct cremation. A prepaid direct cremation plan is an agreement set up between you and your funeral provider. The funeral can be chosen and paid for in advance, providing a straightforward way to organise your future and ensuring a direct cremation for you when the time comes.
At Distinct Cremations, we ask no medical questions and there are no screenings. You can see more on our funeral plans page.
The average cost of a direct cremation in the UK is £1,498 which is on average £2,643 cheaper than a traditional funeral with a service.* Direct cremation is the cheapest funeral option. At Distinct Cremations, the cost for a direct cremation is £1,199.
* Saving of £2,643 is based on the cost of a traditional funeral at £4,141 vs direct cremation funeral at £1,498 (SunLife Cost of Dying Report 2024, sunlife.co.uk/funeral-costs)
The doctor’s fees are needed to obtain cremation certificates required to carry out the service. Without them, there can be no cremation.
An oversized coffin is for individuals who are too big for the average coffin width of 24 inches, 76 inches in length and 14 inches in depth. If the deceased is over 22 stone or 6 ft 5 or over, then an oversized coffin will be needed.
All of our ashes are returned in a simple biodegradable container which can be upgraded to a wooden urn for an additional cost.
Our direct cremations are unattended cremations which take place without mourners present. However, we do offer a choice of small attended cremations where up to 8 mourners can attend a 10 minute service or up to 20 mourners can attend a 20 minute service.
There are many benefits to choosing a direct cremation. Direct cremations offer a respectful, uncomplicated cremation with no attendees present.
These are a few of the key benefits:
Our customer service specialises can help you understand direct cremation costs, explain how the process works and liaise with you to make your cremation arrangements.
Get in touch to arrange a dignified funeral for your loved one.
Call us on 01543 212000
Oak Tree Court, Brookfield Drive, Cannock, WS11 0JN
