Given that many funerals cost over £4,500 in the UK these days, it is entirely understandable why so many people want to lower their expenditure. Although it is fair to say that – generally speaking – cremations are cheaper than burials, there is no need to spend huge sums on burying someone who has recently passed on. This is because low-cost direct burials are now available which are designed to offer the essentials but nothing more. If you think that a direct burial might be for you but wonder about what you might be missing out on, read on.
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What Is a Direct Burial
A direct burial has no service. There will be no officiant – secular or religious – to oversee proceedings. Simply, the appointed funeral directors will convey the encoffined body of the deceased from the funeral home to the burial plot and lower it into the ground. There will be no graveside committal, eulogy, hymns, prayers or flowers. Even the coffin chosen will be a low-cost one, usually a sturdy cardboard or veneered.
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How Do Direct Burials Differ From Traditional Funerals
Essentially, direct burials are slimmed-down versions of traditional funerals that only have the elements that are required under British law for the proper disposal of human remains. Although they tend to be defined by what they do not contain, they cover all the essentials. Many people prefer them because of the lack of fuss and ceremony. Some people even specify them in their wills saying the money saved should be spent on a family party instead. Please note that certain cemeteries will have rules about grave markers. Usually, a direct funeral will result in a very simple grave marker with nothing fancy or ornate being allowed.
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How Much Do Direct Burials Cost
This is hard to say exactly because the costs associated with all funeral services, direct burials included, differ from service provider to service provider. What’s more, they tend to go up in price over time due to inflation. What it is possible to say is that a typical direct burial will cost less than a quarter of the average sum spent on a traditional burial. In other words, they are considerably less expensive.
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Can I Pay For My Own Direct Burial in Advance
Yes, you can. According to a professional funeral planning service, Newrest Funerals, more and more people throughout the UK are deciding to pay for their own direct funeral in advance these days. Typically, this is because they don’t want the estate they leave behind to be eaten into by funeral service fees. If you would like to leave more to those you leave behind when you pass on, then a direct burial plan that splits the cost up into monthly installments may be of benefit to you. Of course, this very much depends on whether you are willing to dispense with some of the more traditional elements of a typical burial. Nonetheless, it is worth noting that pre-payment plans for traditional funerals are also available today.