Yes, it's possible to have a cremation without a funeral. Unlike traditional funerals, cremations without funeral services have no funeral procession, flowers or cars and no attendance of mourners at the crematorium itself.
You can arrange a cremation without a funeral service with us for just £1,299, including cremation fees and collection of the deceased.
The UK’s largest direct cremation provider
Independent customer service rating of 4.9/5 on Feefo
A caring and attentive team here for you and your family 24/7
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 here for you and your family 24/7
Nationwide provider operating throughout mainland GB
Cremations without a funeral service, also referred to as direct cremation or cremations only, are becoming more and more popular. Unlike funeral ceremonies in the traditional sense, there is no service or attendance of friends and family at the crematorium itself.
Instead, for cremation only funerals, we deal with all the arrangements so the family can take time to mourn in their own way. We collect the deceased, care for them at our purpose-built mortuary facility, carry out the cremation and then personally deliver the ashes to the family or scatter the ashes in our garden of remembrance. From here, the family can arrange a memorial service dedicated to their loved one at a separate time.
A cremation without a funeral emphasises simplicity whilst keeping the highest standards of care. It is an affordable no-fuss funeral option.
With Distinct Cremations, our cremations are available for £1,299 if you need to arrange a funeral or £1,899 for a funeral plan.
Choosing a cremation without a funeral service 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 a cremation only funeral service and a traditional funeral in more detail below.
A farewell free of tradition or fuss with Distinct Cremations
* 69% saving is based on the cost of a basic funeral at £4,285 (SunLife Cost of Dying Report 2025, sunlife.co.uk/ funeral-costs) vs the cost of a Distinct Cremations direct cremation at £1,299.
A fixed format funeral, with a set service
An unattended cremation with Distinct Cremations includes:
Can be included for an additional cost
A cremation without a funeral excludes:
Whether your loved one has died or you’re planning a prepaid cremation without ceremony arrangements for the future, we’re on hand to deliver a first-class service fulfilled with care and compassion.
Find our low cost funeral services below or alternatively you can view our price list or our CMA standardised price list.
Whether your loved one has died or is close to passing, our team is available 24/7 to support and talk you through the next steps; from collection and care of your loved one, completion of all paperwork, to the day of the funeral itself.
Relax knowing that the arrangements are agreed and paid for. There are no medical questions and acceptance is guaranteed. You can also pay in monthly instalments.
** Price advertised is for a 50 year old paying over a 10 year period. Total cost is £2,374.80 and includes administration fees.
Whether you're wanting to arrange a funeral today, interested in funeral plans, or looking for something else, our customer service specialists are here for you 24/7 to answer any questions you may have.
Call on 01543 212 000Choosing a cremation without a funeral instead of a traditional service has several advantages.
When you choose a funeral without a ceremony you benefit from:
We collect the deceased.
At Distinct Cremations, when someone dies our expert team, experienced in facilitating both attended funerals and cremations only, collects the deceased using our specialised funeral ambulances. Once collected, they are respectfully transported to our purpose-built mortuary facility, where they’re washed, dressed and placed in a coffin.
Our customer service specialists are here for you.
In the meantime, our customer service specialist guides the family through the arrangements and supports them with all the paperwork. The customer service specialist will let the family know when and where the cremation will be taking place and they will give them a call after the cremation.
The cremation takes place.
The cremation without a funeral service will then take place at one of our national network of crematoria. Even though the cremation will not have any attendees or a funeral service, the coffin is brought through the front chapel entrance by our trained professional staff, and then placed on the catafalque. The chapel attendant and staff bow before the coffin, while a selected piece of music chosen by the family is played.
The ashes are scattered or hand delivered.
Once the cremation has taken place, ashes are either gently scattered in our landscaped garden of remembrance or personally delivered to the family so they can remember the deceased in the way they wish.
A memorial service is organised.
Although there’s no ceremony or funeral service on the day of the cremation, this doesn’t mean a memorial service can’t take place at a different time. In fact, many families who choose a cremation without a funeral service decide to hold a memorial service at a later date, often with ashes present.
Every cremation only funeral with Distinct Cremations can be purchased as a prepaid funeral plan.
All of our fuss-free funeral plans include:
A cremation without a ceremony is the cheapest funeral option. However, the cheaper cost doesn't mean compromising on dignity or care for your loved one.
At Distinct Cremations, our professional teams personally deliver all of our own services so we can ensure quality of care throughout. A cremation only funeral plan starts from just £1,899 and can be paid in a single payment or in monthly instalments over 12 months, 5 years or 10 years.
If you need to arrange a cremation without a funeral today, the price starts from just £1,299.
Our comparison tables let you compare direct cremation costs and compare funeral plan costs and what we include against other providers.
Arranging a cremation without a funeral service with Distinct Cremations is straightforward. If you need any help, our customer service specialists are available 24/7 for any of your questions.
You can call us any time of the day, 365 days a year, and we will collect the deceased from the place of death and bring them into our care.
Call on 01543 212 000
Whilst we care for the deceased, our customer service specialists will contact the family to book the cremation and complete all the paperwork.
Our care for the deceased
We will tell you the unattended cremation date. The deceased's ashes then can then be returned or scattered in our garden of remembrance.
Hand delivery of the ashesNot only are our low cost funerals carried out with love and care, but we also offer one of the UK’s best value services.
From your very first phone call, right through to the hand delivery of the ashes, you can rest assured that you will be in the most caring and attentive hands with Distinct Cremations.
Our caring team are here 24/7 to support you through the most difficult of times
Rhiannon Pearson
Team Leader
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.
Distinct Cremations office: Oak Tree Court, Brookfield Drive, Cannock, WS11 0JN
‘Distinct Cremations’ is a trading style of Distinct Funeral Plans Limited (DPFL) and Distinct Cremations Limited (DCL). DFPL is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Financial Services Register No. 965289. DCL provides ‘at need’ funeral and cremation services and is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Both companies are registered in England. DFPL No. 13366327 and DCL No. 13366310. Registered office: Head Office Westerleigh Crematorium, Westerleigh Road, Westerleigh, Bristol, BS37 8QP. Part of the Westerleigh Group.
