Not that long ago, direct funerals were only very rarely chosen by British people who tended to prefer traditional services. However, all of the most recent funeral industry surveys reveal that direct funeral services are becoming increasingly popular nowadays. This is the case with both direct cremations and direct burial services. Why have British people started to opt for direct funerals in greater numbers instead of arranging more traditional services?
Low-Cost Funerals
One of the reasons people cite for having chosen a direct funeral for a friend or family member who has passed on is that it will cost them very little compared to a traditional service. With a direct burial, no mourners will be in attendance when the coffin is placed into the grave. There won’t be a service beforehand or the need to hire an officiant to oversee things. The same goes for direct cremations. As such, direct funerals cost a fraction of the average service which now stands at around £4,500 in the UK.
No-Fuss Funerals
Some people say that they want a direct funeral because they simply don’t want a big fuss being made of them when they pass on. People who didn’t seek attention from others in life often don’t see any good reason to ask lots of people to turn up to mourn them when they pass on. As such, they will sometimes specify they want a direct funeral in their will so that the money saved can be passed on to those they leave behind. If some of the traditions surrounding a typical funeral service don’t mean that much to you, then why wouldn’t you opt for something more straightforward instead?
Celebrations of Life
For some, the rites associated with a traditional funeral service are carried out too close to the death of their loved one. Consequently, they would prefer a simple burial or cremation to deal with the body of the deceased and then to stage a memorial service or a celebration of life ceremony a month or so down the line. This way, many people agree they can grieve meaningfully but still give thanks for the life and legacy of the person who has died in a way they feel they can’t at a traditional service.
Pre-Paid Funerals
Finally, many people want to pay for their own funeral in advance nowadays. According to Newrest Funerals, a funeral planning company that offers direct funeral prepayment plans, most customers who subscribe to such a scheme do so because it locks in their costs at today’s prices. In other words, by paying for a direct funeral in instalments, it is possible to settle the bill in advance without worrying about rising costs as inflation takes hold. Many in the industry would agree that this is a factor that is likely to make direct funerals even more popular in the coming years.
