Just Cremation, No Funeral

Just cremation, no funerals have become increasingly popular in recent times. But what is just cremation, no funeral? And how much does it cost? We explain more below.

Over 74,000 cremations a year 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
Over 74,000 cremations a year 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

What is just cremation, no funeral?

There are several options available when arranging a funeral, with traditional cremations and burials two common, popular choices. However, with the cost of a basic funeral now costing £4,285*, many more families are opting for just cremation, no funeral.

Just cremation, no funeral is a funeral without mourners and a service. Instead, the cremation provider will collect the deceased, care for them, prepare them for the cremation and then carry out the cremation itself.

With Distinct Cremations, regardless of whether a service is being held before the cremation or not, each individual in our care is treated with the utmost dignity. Before the cremation, the deceased is brought into the crematorium via the chapel and laid atop of the raised platform for a moment of quiet contemplation. Then the cremation takes place.

From there, our team will then scatter the ashes in our garden of remembrance or personally hand deliver the ashes to the family within 14 days of the cremation. Then the family may like to host a memorial service to commemorate their loved one.

* The cost of a basic funeral at £4,285 (SunLife Cost of Dying Report 2025, sunlife.co.uk/funeral-costs)

Choosing just cremation, no funeral 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 just cremation, no funeral and a traditional funeral in more detail below.

Cremation with Distinct

Just cremation, no funeral with Distinct Cremations

The contemporary, simple, fuss-free farewell, free of tradition

  • An unattended cremation with no mourners and no service
  • A compassionate, attentive team there 24/7 for your questions and support with paperwork
  • You can organise a separate memorial service that's personal and unique to your loved one
  • On average 69%* cheaper than a traditional funeral, with prices starting from just £1,350


* 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.

Traditional Funeral

Traditional funeral

A fixed format funeral, with a set service

  • A set format 20-50 minute service held in a traditional setting like a church or chapel with mourners present
  • Traditionally less personal and flexible
  • Option to have a procession with a hearse and limousines
  • Funeral and service coordination from a funeral director
  • Costs on average £4,285# for a basic funeral



    # The average cost of a basic funeral in 2024 (SunLife Cost of Dying Report 2025, sunlife.co.uk/funeral-costs)

What is included in just cremation, no funeral?

  • An unattended cremation
  • Collection of the deceased from a hospital or coroner's mortuary in office hours, weekdays
  • Care at our professional mortuary
  • 24/7 support
  • Help with all legal and cremation paperwork
  • Prepare the deceased for cremation
  • A classic coffin and urn
  • Removal of artificial mechanisms & pacemakers
  • Respectful cremation only at one of our crematoria
  • Ashes scattered in the garden of remembrance

What isn't included in no funeral, just cremation?

  • Attendance of mourners
  • A funeral service or procession
  • Choice of crematorium
  • Choice of time
  • Embalming
  • Viewing of the deceased
  • Special requests such as memorials, flowers, catering or obituaries
Distinct Cremations

Whether your loved one has died or you’re planning just cremation, no funeral 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.

Arrange a funeral

From £1,350

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.

 

Just cremation funeral plans

From £1,999 or £20.74** per month

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 is for a 50 year old paying over a 10 year period. Total cost is £2,488.80 and includes admin fees.

Get in touch with us today

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 212 000

Can I just be cremated?

You can just be cremated without a funeral. The only legal obligation that exists is that a body must be disposed of, whether that's via cremation or a burial. There is no legal obligation for a service.

However, before going ahead with no funeral, just cremation, there are a few things that you should think about before making your decision. Tradition and religion are two common reasons why a family may not choose to have just cremation, and if this is important to you, or the deceased, then a cremation without a funeral may not be the choice for you.

But if tradition and religion aren't things standing in your way, then it's worth noting that just cremation is a much more affordable option. If someone you know has died and you need to arrange a funeral shortly after their death, our direct cremations start from just £1,350.

Although just cremation, no funeral is significantly cheaper than a traditional funeral, your loved one is treated with dignity and respect and given all the proper accommodations. Our no fuss funeral services include the provision of a simple coffin, collection and care by Distinct Cremations’ experienced funeral team. We also offer the choice to have the deceased’s ashes scattered in our garden of remembrance or personally hand delivered at no extra charge.

If you’re thinking of just cremation, no funeral for your own funeral, planning one in advance is easy. Our funeral plans start from just £1,999 with guaranteed acceptance ensuring you have peace of mind knowing your cremation will be carried out the way you want it to.

Distinct Cremations

Arranging no funeral, just cremation with Distinct Cremations is straightforward. If you need any help, our customer service specialists are available 24/7 for any of your questions.

1. Call us

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

2. Paperwork guidance

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

3. Cremation and ashes

We will tell you the cremation date. Your loved one's ashes can then be scattered in our garden of remembrance or personally hand returned to you.

Hand delivery of the ashes

One of the UK’s best value direct cremation services, delivered with a caring and compassionate heart

Not 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 or scattering 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

Rhiannon P v3

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.

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Anonymous, on Feefo 1 Dec 2025
Absolutely amazing from start to finish at the most difficult time for our family. Maxine is an absolute credit to the company and nothing was too much trouble.
Anonymous, on Feefo 23 Nov 2025
Excellent service very respects caring staff from start to finish. Thank you.
Anonymous, on Feefo 23 Nov 2025
Great service from start to finish. Very caring staff I couldn’t have asked for more during this extremely difficult time.
Karen Foster, on Google 19 Nov 2025
Felt very reassured and cared for by everyone we spoke to when using this service recently. Especially Kerry who was just so understanding and respectful. Thank you for helping us through a tough time with kindness and compassion
Caroline Jones, on Feefo 19 Nov 2025
Arranging a cremation for oneself is not the easiest of tasks and Tracy was most patient and understanding in her dealings with me. Even though I was pretty certain which plan I wanted Tracy took the trouble to go through the details of the other options as well. I never felt under any pressure to make a decision. In fact, Tracy suggested I mull it over for a few days. I chose the Direct Cremation. This is the kind of end I had wanted for some time and the plan that Distinct Cremations is ideal for me. And, Tracy has arranged that my cremation will be at Westerleigh. This is a crematorium that I am familiar with and it is a comfort to me to know where I will end. I cannot recommend the product or the service more highly
Gregory Mako, on Google 18 Nov 2025
Maxine went above and beyond to help us with all things needed for a beautiful service. We requested some things outside of the norm and she produced everything with class and ease. I am so impressed with how she organized and reorganized the music, provided more than one box for transporting ashes along with the casket for permanent holding. There were so many gentle and supportive moments on the phone with her. She definitely really cared about us and our service. That is amazing. We felt cared for and provided for. Thank you, Maxine.
Caroline Jones, on Feefo 18 Nov 2025
Tracy was excellent. Arranging and buying a cremation for yourself is quite an emotional act and Tracy was so understanding and patient. I thought I knew what option I wanted from the start but she was willing to explain other options to me. I never felt that I was being coerced into making a decision. In fact she suggested I mull over it for a few days first. Once I had confirmed my choice Tracy was kind enough to arrange that my cremation will be held at Westerleigh. I know the place and it is comforting to me now to know where I will end up. Tracy agreed to send me a hard copy of my cremation details as well as the email confirmation and to call me ten days after my payment, which she did. Excellent service and thank you very much.
Jane Morris, on Feefo 18 Nov 2025
Can't fault them in any way. Everything explained and delt with total respect and understanding. Special thanks to Monica your help and advice through my desperate grief has helped more than you know, thank you all concerned. J morris
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