What is a Simple Cremation in the UK?
Last updated: 6 April 2026
Most people assume a cremation must come with a formal funeral service, hymns, and a packed crematorium chapel. The truth is far simpler—and far more flexible. A simple cremation is a direct cremation where your loved one is cremated without a preceding funeral ceremony, formal service, or public attendance. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the choices ahead, or if you’re grieving someone who wanted the absolute minimum fuss, this might be exactly what you need. In this guide, I’ll walk you through what it actually means, what happens step by step, what it costs, and how it differs from other cremation options available to families in Washington and across the UK.
Key Takeaways
- A simple cremation is a direct cremation without a preceding funeral service, ceremony, or formal attendance at the crematorium.
- The entire process typically takes 7–10 working days from the time your loved one passes until you receive the ashes.
- Simple cremation is usually the most affordable cremation option in the UK, often costing between £1,000 and £2,000 depending on your chosen provider.
- You can still hold a separate celebration of life, wake, or informal gathering after the cremation—many families do this at venues like pubs or community spaces to honour their loved one.
What Exactly is a Simple Cremation?
A simple cremation involves the direct cremation of the deceased’s body without any preceding funeral service, mourning attendance, or formal ceremony at the crematorium. The body is collected by funeral directors, kept in their care until the cremation appointment, and then cremated according to your wishes and the legal requirements. No one stands in the chapel. No readings are given. No music plays. It’s purely the cremation process itself, handled by the crematorium staff.
This is quite different from a traditional cremation, where families gather in a crematorium chapel for a service—often led by a celebrant, vicar, or humanist—before the coffin is committed to the cremators. With a simple cremation, that entire service element is removed.
I’ve spoken with many families in Washington NE38 over the years who’ve chosen simple cremation for a variety of reasons. Some had a loved one who was very private and didn’t want any fuss. Others were elderly relatives with small families and felt that a big service didn’t reflect their wishes. Some families faced financial pressure and needed the most affordable option. And some simply wanted to grieve privately, in their own time and space, rather than at a scheduled public event.
The key thing to understand is that choosing simple cremation doesn’t mean you’re choosing to forget your loved one or skip honouring them entirely. It just means the cremation itself happens quietly, without ceremony. What happens after—and how you celebrate their life—is entirely up to you.
How the Simple Cremation Process Works
When you instruct a funeral director to arrange a simple cremation, here’s what typically happens:
Step 1: Registration of Death and Medical Certificates
Your loved one’s death must first be registered with the local register office. A doctor will have issued a medical certificate confirming the cause of death. If the death was unexpected or unexplained, a coroner may need to be involved—this can add a few days to the timeline, but it’s an important safeguard. This initial phase usually takes 3–5 working days.
Step 2: Funeral Director Collection and Care
Once you’ve instructed your funeral director, they’ll collect your loved one from hospital, home, or another location and place them in their care. The body is kept at the funeral director’s premises in what’s called a mortuary or chapel of rest. You can ask to visit if you wish, or the directors will keep everything ready for the cremation appointment.
Step 3: Cremation Application and Documentation
Your funeral director will apply to the crematorium on your behalf. You’ll need to provide formal consent and sign the necessary paperwork. Most crematoriums require a completed cremation application form and the medical certificate. If you’re in Washington or nearby areas like Birtley, your local crematorium staff will process this paperwork, usually within 24–48 hours.
Step 4: The Cremation Appointment
On the appointed day, the crematorium staff will receive your loved one’s coffin and place it in the cremators. No service is held. No one attends. The cremation typically takes 60–90 minutes at a temperature of around 870°C. The remains are then cooled, any metal fixings (like coffin nails) are removed by staff, and the ashes are placed into a temporary cardboard container or, if you’ve chosen one, a permanent casket.
Step 5: Return of Ashes
The ashes are usually ready for collection or delivery within 5–7 working days after the cremation. Your funeral director will contact you to arrange collection or delivery to your home or another address of your choosing.
From the moment you contact the funeral director to the moment you receive the ashes, the whole process typically takes 10–15 working days. Understanding what happens in the first 24 hours after a death can help you feel more prepared for these next steps.
Legal Requirements and Documentation
Simple cremation is a legal process, and there are important regulations in place to protect your loved one and ensure everything is done with dignity and care.
Medical Certification
A doctor must issue a medical certificate of cause of death. This is issued by the doctor who treated your loved one during their final illness. If your loved one hadn’t seen a doctor recently and the cause of death isn’t clear, a coroner will investigate first. This is nothing to worry about—it’s a routine safeguard.
Death Registration
The death must be registered at the local register office within 5 days. Your funeral director will usually guide you through this, though you or a close relative may need to attend to sign the register. Once registered, you’ll receive a death certificate—you’ll need multiple copies for banks, insurance companies, solicitors, and other organisations.
Cremation Application Form
The crematorium will ask you to complete a cremation application form (sometimes called the Cremation Act Form). This confirms that you have the legal right to request cremation and that you understand what’s happening. Your funeral director will help you complete this.
Coroner’s Involvement
If the death was unexpected, violent, or occurred in unusual circumstances, the coroner may need to investigate. This delays cremation—sometimes by days or weeks—but it’s an important legal protection. Once the coroner has completed their investigation, they’ll release the body for cremation to proceed.
These legal steps aren’t bureaucratic obstacles—they protect everyone involved and ensure your loved one is treated with proper respect throughout the process.
The Cost of a Simple Cremation
One of the main reasons families choose simple cremation is cost. A simple cremation typically costs between £1,000 and £2,500 in 2026, making it one of the most affordable cremation options available in the UK.
What’s Included in the Price?
The funeral director’s fee usually covers:
- Collection and care of the body
- Documentation and cremation application
- Coffin (basic wooden coffin)
- Crematorium fees (set by each crematorium)
- Return of ashes
What Costs Extra?
Additional costs might include:
- A casket or urn for the ashes (from £50 to several hundred pounds)
- Flowers or floral tributes
- A guest book or order of service (though you may not have a service)
- Transfer of the body if the death occurred far away
- Coroner’s fees (if an investigation was needed—this is sometimes charged to the family)
How It Compares
A traditional cremation with a full funeral service, flowers, cars, and refreshments can easily cost £3,500–£6,000 or more. A burial is typically more expensive still. Simple cremation, by removing the service element, cuts costs significantly while still providing a dignified cremation.
Many families find that after simple cremation, they hold a more informal celebration—sometimes at a local pub or community space—where they can gather friends and family to share memories. This approach lets you celebrate your loved one in a way that feels right for your budget and circumstances, rather than having to fit your grief into an expensive formal service.
When planning a wake or celebration of life in Washington, you have flexible options. At The Teal Farm, we’ve supported many families who chose simple cremation and then held a warm, informal gathering afterwards. Our buffet packages start from just £8 per head, and we’re minutes from both Birtley and Sunderland crematoriums—so families can hold a memorial at a time and place that feels right for them, without the pressure of timing it around a formal funeral service.
Can You Still Hold a Ceremony Afterwards?
Absolutely. Choosing simple cremation doesn’t mean you can’t gather and honour your loved one. Many families do exactly this.
After the cremation is complete and you’ve received the ashes, you can hold:
- A celebration of life – an informal gathering where friends and family share memories, stories, and refreshments
- A memorial service – a more formal gathering, sometimes led by a celebrant or family member, held weeks or months later when everyone can attend
- A wake at a local pub or community venue – a warm, intimate space where people gather to eat, drink, and remember
- A scattering ceremony – a private or semi-private gathering where you scatter the ashes at a meaningful location
- A private family gathering – just you and a few close people, at home or somewhere special
The advantage of holding a ceremony after the cremation is that you’re not rushed. You can plan it properly, choose a venue you love, invite the people who mattered most, and hold it at a time when everyone’s available—not bound by the date of the cremation appointment.
I’ve seen this work beautifully at The Teal Farm. A local family came to us with just two days’ notice after a sudden bereavement. They’d chosen simple cremation, and when they came to arrange a wake for a week later, we had their loved one’s favourite drink already chilling at the head of the table before the first guest arrived. That’s the kind of warmth and personal touch you can bring to a celebration when you separate it from the cremation itself.
Is Simple Cremation the Right Choice?
Simple cremation is right for you if:
- Your loved one expressed a wish for no fuss or formal ceremony
- The family is small or scattered, making a big service impractical
- You want to keep costs as low as possible
- You prefer to grieve privately and celebrate later, on your own terms
- You want flexibility about where and when you gather people
Simple cremation might not be right if:
- Your loved one wanted a formal funeral service with friends attending the crematorium chapel
- Your faith or cultural tradition requires a formal service
- You feel you need the structure and support of a formal funeral to help you grieve
- Many people are expecting to attend a service together
There’s no wrong choice here. Some families need the formal structure. Others find it feels right to skip the ceremony and celebrate privately. The best choice is the one that honours both your loved one’s wishes and your family’s needs.
If you’re considering direct cremation in Washington, or you’ve already chosen simple cremation and want to plan a meaningful gathering afterwards, we’re here to help. The Teal Farm is a natural, welcoming space where many Washington families have held wakes and celebrations—it’s step-free, has plenty of free parking, and we can usually accommodate a gathering at just 48 hours’ notice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between simple cremation and direct cremation?
They’re the same thing. “Simple cremation” and “direct cremation” are two names for the same process—cremation without a preceding funeral service. “Simple cremation” is more commonly used in the UK, while “direct cremation” is the American term. Both mean the body is cremated without a ceremony at the crematorium.
How long does a simple cremation take from start to finish?
From the moment you contact a funeral director to the moment you receive the ashes, the process typically takes 10–15 working days. The cremation appointment itself—the actual burning—takes 60–90 minutes, but registration, documentation, and the crematorium schedule account for the longer timeline.
Can I attend the cremation with simple cremation, or is it closed?
With a simple cremation, no formal service is held at the crematorium chapel, and family attendance at the actual cremation is not typical. However, some crematoriums do allow family members to witness the coffin being placed into the cremators if you request it in advance. Ask your funeral director—they can arrange this with the crematorium if it’s important to you.
What happens to the ashes after simple cremation?
The ashes are collected by your funeral director and handed to you in a temporary or permanent container, depending on what you’ve chosen. You can then scatter them at a meaningful location, bury them, keep them at home, or divide them among family members. The choice is entirely yours.
Is simple cremation cheaper than a traditional cremation with a service?
Yes, significantly. A simple cremation typically costs £1,000–£2,500, while a full cremation service with chapel, flowers, cars, and refreshments often costs £3,500–£6,000 or more. The difference is the formal service and related costs; the cremation itself is the same process.
Planning a wake or celebration of life after simple cremation? You don’t need a formal venue—just a warm, welcoming space.
The Teal Farm in Washington NE38 is exactly that. We’ve hosted dozens of celebrations of life for local families who chose simple cremation and then gathered to share memories, food, and a drink in the person’s honour. Step-free access, free parking, dog friendly, and just minutes from Birtley and Sunderland crematoriums.
Our buffet packages start from £8 per head, and we can usually accommodate you at 48 hours’ notice.
Email TealFarm.Washington@phoenixpub.co.uk or call 0191 5800637—we respond personally, usually within a few hours, and we’re here to help however we can.
For more information, visit funeral directors north east.