Recently, there seems to have been an increase in the number of direct cremations or unattended funerals. People are certainly talking about them more and there are a large number of adverts on the TV from firms offering ‘no frills’ direct cremations.
In addition, we’ve probably all spoken to people who seem to have already decided that they are not having a funeral when they die – seemingly due to the perceived cost or to spare their loved ones the upset of attending the service.
Families left behind don’t necessarily save money with such providers and it’s often the case that their loved one will be transported across the country to a remote crematorium, which can be distressing.
In a phone-in on the Jeremy Vine BBC Radio Two show last year, one caller explained that her father had ‘insisted that he wanted a direct cremation [organised with a national firm], with no service and nobody crying over him’.
She told Jeremy: “We had no say over when it [the cremation] would happen or where it would happen. He was literally sent to a crematorium somewhere up the M1, where I had to go and collect the ashes from afterwards.”
When you opt for one of the new online providers, they may offer low-cost funeral services, but lack the required funeral facilities and experience. Your loved-one will probably be handed to remote third-party providers and you won’t know where they’ve been sent.
If you are interested in finding out more about a direct cremation, you don’t need to opt for a national firm. In fact, you could use a SAIF-approved funeral director, such as Tester & Jones. Unlike many of the offers advertised on TV, we will look after your loved one here in Crowborough and also offer all the additional services you have come to expect from us.
As a SAIF-approved funeral director, we will never compromise on care, choice and standards.
To find out more about options for planning a funeral please feel free to contact us and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you might have.
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