Direct cremation is a contemporary option for people who do not want a traditional funeral service, it is simple, fuss-free, and low-cost, allowing you to say your final goodbye in a respectful manner and in memory of a loved one who has sadly passed away, many families hold a separate memorial or celebration of life. There are typically fewer costs involved with direct cremation than with traditional funeral services, such as embalming, viewing the deceased, and the funeral service. There is no minister, procession, limousines, or pallbearers in this service, however, this does not mean that the quality of care that your loved one receives is compromised and is instead a more lowkey option for families.

The benefits of direct cremation

• A direct cremation is perfect for families who are on a tighter budget or are not in a position to pay for the expenses that a full scale funeral entails.
• You can give your loved one a service that suits you – without being tied to the traditions of a standard ceremony.
• Your loved one will still receive a dignified and professionally planned cremation without compromising quality.

What do direct cremations include?

• A doctor will be organised to put together all the necessary paperwork
• Your loved one will be cared for from the moment they are picked up with preparations being carried out by your funeral director
• A funeral vehicle will transport your loved one to the crematorium
• Scattering of ashes in a location of choice or the return of ashes to the family upon request

In the case of family-led funerals, a direct cremation can include a gathering of mourners even though there is no formal funeral service and usually price packages are provided depending on numbers. This can be an ideal option if you want a small funeral, either because of cost or due to the wishes of your loved one.

Just like every industry, the way funerals operate and organisations operate changes with the times and it would be naïve to think that funerals aren’t a part of our culture that is ever-changing and adapting along with the generations of human beings. Indeed, there is a huge sense of traditionalism in different cultures, religions and countries, however, with people adapting every single day there are subtle changes and trends that emerge in the funeral industry despite traditional values still being a massive part of the modern funeral service. With that in mind, we’re sharing some of the trends we are expecting to see incorporated into funerals in 2023 and how services will adapt for the future.

VIRTUAL FUNERAL SERVICES

In 2020, screening funerals online and delivering virtual services became a necessity for many families across the UK and although it initially felt like a massive shift in how we come together to mourn and celebrate the life of our loved ones, it has ultimately become something that has been a welcome opportunity to deliver a service to a wider audience. It is no secret that it can be extremely difficult to travel to funeral services in the times we are living in with a cost of living crisis plaguing the UK, so providing a virtual option for those who have a further distance to travel can be hugely beneficial to those wanting to pay their respects from afar. Not only that, virtual funeral services allow families to reduce the size of the services altogether which can really bring down the costs of providing a setting that can fit everybody in along with a wake to follow. As a result, we expect to see virtual funeral services to continue to thrive in 2023 for numerous reasons to create an inclusive service for everybody to attend.

GOING GREENER

Collectively as human beings we are becoming more and more conscious of our affect on the environment around us and how we can improve it, which has now filtered into the way we hold our funeral services too and we expect this to only increase in 2023. Sustainable options are becoming more and more popular in the UK with a rise in greener burials, eco-friendly urns and caskets and more environmentally friendly cremations. Sourcing the resources needed for your funeral service will also help, by employing local services like florists and funeral directors you are minimising the carbon footprint deliveries can leave behind.

INCREASED PERSONALISED TOUCHES

Traditional funeral services continue to be a popular option for many families, however, the increase in more personalised and tailored services to really meet the final wishes of the deceased have been championed more than ever and the beauty of creating a more personalised service is that it can be very subtle or full-scale. When it comes to funeral planning the versatility and flexibility in your options is rapidly increasing and will continue to do so in 2023, so with just a little research you can find exactly what you’re looking for without having to compromise on the service you and your family want to host for your loved one.

Whilst a smaller funeral may suit some families who would prefer a more intimate gathering, for others the limit on numbers set during the pandemic presented a devastating blow, particularly when close friends and family members aren’t able to attend. If you are looking to have a smaller funeral there are many benefits and if you do want to continue to extend that further to a wider audience there are ways you can expand the occasion to anyone not able to attend in person.

Creating an intimate occasion

One of the biggest benefits of putting on a small funeral is how intimate the occasion can be for your family. Indeed, you can still include all the traditional formalities of a traditional funeral, however, there is much more informality and intimacy in knowing that those attending are the people who were closest to the lost loved one. This can be a much more comforting way to orchestrate the celebration of life and make families much more comfortable when dealing with their grief during the occasion.

Providing a sense of privacy

Something many families find comforting is the greater sense of privacy for you to grieve and opportunity to say goodbye to your loved one openly and honestly that smaller funerals provide. Of course, the camaraderie of larger funerals can offer a source of strength to grieving loved ones, though it may be more difficult to express your emotions properly in the way you would like in front of a larger crowd. Holding a more intimate service will provide you with the space you may need to express yourself comfortably and say goodbye without concern about any emotions that may naturally come to you.

Offering more flexibility

Despite Covid-19 limiting certain funeral choices, it has created a much larger sense of flexibility and choice for smaller funerals. The choices available for large funerals are usually pinpointed by how many people are attending, and you may find some of your choices are limited due to the size of your attendance. These issues would be eliminated for smaller funerals, and you will likely have a wider choice on availability for the different types of funerals you can arrange, the venues you want, and the type of wake you can put on.

A more affordable choice

Did you know that the average price of a funeral in the UK costing around £3500 – £4500? Funerals are becoming an increasingly expensive occasions, although many funeral costs aren’t dictated by the size of the funeral, holding a smaller funeral is the most cost-effective option. This is particularly true if you are holding a wake – a small private wake will mean that venue hire and catering costs can be kept to a minimum and you aren’t overwhelmed with catering for large numbers of people. Whilst not everyone can attend the service in person, there are several ways for people who can’t attend the funeral to say goodbye to a loved one. Here are just some of the options available to you.

Live-streaming

Since the Covid-19 restrictions came into effect, many people are now choosing to film or live-stream the funeral of a loved one. Large numbers of crematoriums and places of worship now offer facilities to live-stream the service via an online platform so that people can attend the funeral from the comfort of their homes. Alternatively some families are choosing to hire a videographer to film the service and send it to anyone who wasn’t able to attend on the day.

Memorial service

Sometimes it’s not possible for all family members and friends to attend the funeral, so many families choose to host a memorial service at a more convenient date to accommodate that and allow people to pay their respects collectively. Memorial services’ sole focus is on celebrating a person’s life, allowing family and friends the opportunity to remember the deceased together, share stories and comfort one another, this can assist with creating a heartfelt experience for those that were not able to attend the original funeral service.

Typically you may not feel like returning to work after the death of a loved one. While some people resume their daily routine, many grieving men and women find it difficult to resume their daily routine professionally. We are sharing some of the key considerations when resuming work after loss.

Informing co-workers

Usually you will take leave due to the death, and the Human resources (HR) department or manager will be informed. Before returning to the workplace, it is advisable to discuss whether the co-workers should be informed about the death. Informing the co-workers may help prevent them from asking questions which may upset you. You could ask the manager or HR to inform your co-workers whether they should or should not mention the death, based on how it has affected you. This could make it easier to handle the death when you resume working, so that you are less likely to feel upset.

Handling small talk

At most workplaces there is a lot of small talk as colleagues inquire about each other, especially if a person is on leave. If you are mourning the death of a person you loved, you may find it difficult to answer these questions, they may bring back painful memories. To handle this it is better to note down some replies to these questions to change the topic. It is better to ask people about their own life, so that you do not have to answer questions about yourself.

Remaining focused at work

A person who is grieving often finds it difficult to concentrate on his work. In some cases, it may be difficult to complete even simple tasks and projects. You may become forgetful, get easily distracted since your attention span is greatly reduced. It is advisable to use personal organisers, make lists of work to be done, items required, to remain productive. For better time management, it is advisable to divide the work assigned to smaller tasks, which will take less time, and ensure that these tasks are completed. It is also better to take a short break from work periodically, typically hourly so that you feel refreshed and do not feel distracted

Find a place where you can be alone

In some cases, the memories of the bereavement may make you panic or cry. Instead of disturbing others, it is recommended that you find a place where you are alone. If you do not have a private office, you may find an empty meeting or other room, go to the bathroom or spend time outdoors. If these options are not available, you may ask your manager for help.

Some mistakes are expected

Even under the best working conditions, it is difficult for a person who is grieving to remain productive. The emotional trauma caused by the death can adversely affect your concentration, quality of the work you do and additional stress may result in mistakes. So you as well as your manager should be prepared for the mistakes, decline in productivity, and it is advisable to ask a coworker to cross-check the work you do.

Communicate with your manager

It is advisable to communicate regularly with your manager, employer, HR to let them know if you require any additional assistance.

Arranging a funeral can be a huge expense with the average funeral costing an estimated £4,000 in the UK in 2020, which can be a massive headache for low income families if there isn’t a funeral plan already in place. Although burial and cremation costs are difficult to bargain, optional extras can be tailored to the budget you need to stick to without compromising the ability to put on a funeral and celebration of your loved one’s life that is deserved. We’re sharing some of our top tips for reducing funeral costs.

CREMATION OR BURIAL?

If you’re looking for a way to reduce funeral costs, one of the first options to consider is the type of funeral service you would like to hold. On most occasions, you will discover that a cremation will cost less than a burial service, although, of course, this will depend on the extras you choose alongside the two basic options.

CHEAPER COFFIN MATERIALS

One of the most expensive elements in funeral arrangements is the coffin. There are many different options and depending on your budget there are many ways to make the coffin expense fit into your budget with some minimal research, cardboard coffins can cost as little as just £100 for those on the tightest of budgets.

CUTTING BACK ON FLOWERS

Cutting back on flowers can be a massive investment of money saved, many modern funerals don’t use large flower arrangements and instead invite charitable donations to organisations that are close to the loved one’s heart.

PERSONALISE THE WAKE

One of the easiest ways to cut back on the expense of funeral costs is personalising the wake by holding it at home, in a garden or a park to save on hiring somewhere out, making your own food can be another great way to save money but still offer guests an opportunity to come together to reminisce.  

When someone we love loses someone close to them you can almost feel their pain through their grieving process and many of us want to do anything we can to ease that pain and heartbreak for the people we love, luckily there are many ways you can help them during this difficult time. Often the support from friends and family can really help the healing process of grief  progress and make an isolating time much less lonely.

LISTENING

Simply just listening to how your loved one is feeling and how they are taking the loss can be a really good way to understand what you can do to help and give them the freedom to express their grief by leaning on someone who will let them just get it out of their system. Grief is a very different experience for every individual and listening for key indicators in how they communicate with you is essential to making sure you can provide the best support to them during this time where they may be struggling.

SMALL THING MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE

Offering to help with the day to day in your loved ones life whilst they grieve can have a massive positive impact on their journey and even the smallest of gesture can make a big difference. Cooking meals, running errands and helping with details of funeral arrangements can be extremely helpful to them and really ease the process they are going through by eliminating some of the daily stresses they may face during their time of grief.

REMINISCE WITH THEM

If communication and talking openly is something your loved one responds well to during their grieving process don’t be afraid to ask questions and try to trigger happy memories about the deceased, as it could be a great healing strategy to help them remember the great times they had. Keeping memories alive, and openly talking about the person your loved one has lost can really keep them alive in their heart and give them some positivity in a time of negative emotion.

GIVE THEM SPACE

During the grieving process your loved one may go through a number of emotions and knowing when to give them space is an absolute must and can be more helpful than you may realise. Giving somebody space is not leaving them alone, it’s important for someone who is grieving to face their emotions and go through the healing process successfully by reflecting on their own thoughts and feelings, so giving them space during this time can be really helpful.  

Funeral flowers are one of the sentimental factors that go into a funeral and are often well thought out when making a choice on what to use when a loved one passes away. With that being said, it’s not often that we look to flowers to symbolise things in our everyday life so when it comes to picking the right funeral flowers the prospect can be daunting with so many different options available, we’re sharing some of the popular options and the meaning behind each one to make your choices a little easier.

Lilies

Lilies are one of the most common and popular flowers at  funeral services, this particular flower is said to represent the soul of the loved one returning to a place of peace. White lilies are the most common colour used at funerals as white is associated with purity and innocence.

Carnations

Carnations are another choice popular at funeral services , these flowers often are known to represent remembrance especially red carnations that further symbolise, pure love and innocence and admiration. Carnations are often used as a funeral flow owing to the fact that they are one of the most long-lasting as well as fragrant flowers.

Roses

Roses are one of the most recognised flowers and are universally used at funerals, roses come in a large range of colour of which have many different meanings:

• White roses – innocence and humility
• Red roses – respect and love
• Pink roses – appreciation and grace
• Dark red roses – grief and sympathy

Orchids

Although orchids are more of a gifted flower, some people like to use them in funerals too, and considering the meaning of the colour orchid when giving it as a gift of sympathy. Colours such as pink or white orchids traditionally symbolise sympathy , particularly the phalaenopsis orchid and dendrobium orchid are often suggested by florists as the best plants to symbolise sympathy.