Cremation only direct funeral plans

For some people, the idea of any religious connotations and ceremony associated with those final rites may also seem inappropriate. Pop star David Bowie and novelist Anita Brookner, for example, both chose a zero-fuss funeral and encouraged many more people to consider the option of direct cremation. More than 2,000 people a year now opt for this kind of no fuss funeral.

The cost

Many of those choosing direct cremation, without any funeral service, may have done so to save on the spiralling costs of traditional funerals – direct cremation may be arranged at a fraction of the cost.

Those savings, of course, represent an additional amount that may be passed on to surviving family, relatives and friends.

What is involved

So, whether it is for religious reasons, the opportunity to save a substantial sum of money, or simply because you don't like the idea of a funeral at all, what is likely to be involved in a cremation only direct funeral and how do you make arrangements for one?

Just as the term suggests, direct cremation means that you skip entirely any form of funeral service in a church or at the crematorium and instead go straight to the cremation process. It may not be for everyone, but the arrangements offer a perfectly dignified and respectful final journey.

Some essential matters still need to be taken care of, of course. If you are organising a cremation only direct funeral, you still need someone to collect the body from the place where death occurred, care for it until the deceased is ready for cremation, complete the legal paperwork that must be submitted, and transport the body to the crematorium.

The same company then arranges for the ashes to be returned to the family, who may opt to scatter them at the crematorium's garden of remembrance or elsewhere.

Prepaid direct funeral plans

Although the three-stage process of collecting the body, arranging its cremation and returning the ashes to the family seems entirely simple and straightforward, some companies might add in unexpected costs that you may be unaware of until it's too late.

To be certain of just what you are getting, therefore, you might want to consider a prepaid direct funeral plan, which sets out exactly what is involved, how much it is all going to cost, and allows you to pay that sum in advance – with payment for the services you have ordered guaranteed at today's prices.

Make a point of choosing a provider of direct cremation plans who is registered with the Funeral Planning Authority (FPA) and you also have a reassurance that the money you pay in advance is securely ringfenced and protected to cover the costs incurred when the time comes.

The money you pay is transferred by the direct cremation plan provider to a separate trust fund or used to purchase a whole of life insurance policy in your name, so that the full amount remains available to pay for your funeral costs when you die.