According to a five-year-long study conducted by the University of Bath, direct funeral arrangements have become more and more famous in the UK in recent times for three main reasons. In short, these are compromise, control, and consistency. Of course, all of these driving factors in the growth of direct funerals could also be said of traditional services. However, it seems that British people now associate these factors more solidly than ever before with natural funerals, especially direct cremations. Read on to find out about direct cremations in the UK today and the three Cs behind their growing popularity.
What Is a Direct Cremation?
To begin with, it is worth pointing out that a direct cremation is one of the simplest and least costly ways of legally dealing with the body of a deceased person in the country. The body will still be cremated in an approved crematorium, so the funeral meets all of the hygiene standards that are in place to protect public health. However, no service will be held. This means that no mourners will gather ahead of the cremation, and no officiant will speak about the departed either. With direct cremation, there will be no funeral cortège and no flowers. More often than not, a very simple coffin is chosen to convey the body. Usually, the deceased’s ashes are handed over to a family member after completion of the cremation. Because this is a no-frills service, only a simple container will be used rather than an ornate urn.
Now you know what direct cremation involves, let’s examine the three Cs identified in the academic research that help to explain the popularity of this sort of funeral service.
Compromise
For many, direct cremation is a compromise solution that allows the deceased’s body to be dealt with while respecting the wishes of the departed. Some people don’t want a funeral service after they pass on. However, the body must still be handled in a way that meets public health guidance. If you know someone who doesn’t want songs to be sung or a lot of limousines to be hired in the event of their death, for example, then a direct cremation would make a lot of sense.
Control
Some people don’t want a traditional funeral service because they associate them with sadness and grief. According to Newrest Funerals, a company that arranges many direct cremations for clients all over the UK, abandoning a traditional funeral means people can take control to celebrate the life of the person they’ve lost at a later date. Typically, this will mean organizing a memorial service or, for non-religious people, a celebration of life service.
Consistency
For some, the real driver behind choosing a direct cremation is that it sits with their values and beliefs. Being consistent or accurate to oneself in death is essential for many people. A direct cremation helps because it won’t include a eulogy, religious readings, or even hymns. For some, this is very much a good reason to plan for one in the event of their death.