Direct cremations have become increasingly popular during the Covid-19 pandemic. Laura Richardson explains why this has proved to be the case . . .

Direct cremation takes place with no funeral service and no attending family, friends or loved ones. Why then, are these scaled back, no-frills cremations becoming more popular during the Covid-19 pandemic?

  1. By removing the associated costs of elements such as flower arrangements, an expensive coffin, limousine hire, orders of service and post-funeral expenses such as venue hire and catering, a direct cremation is a much more affordable alternative. The cost of a direct cremation does vary across the UK, starting at around £1,000. With funeral costs continuing to rise on an annual basis, it is no surprise that some families will be choosing this far more affordable option.
  2. Financial strain. Many families have been faced with financial difficulties since March 2019, due to redundancies, job losses, furlough, pay cuts and dramatic falls in income for many business owners or self-employed people. A report by insurer SunLife found that 86% of families had to scale down and remove many elements from a loved one’s funeral due to the impact of Covid-19 with items such as car hire, venue hire and large scale catering no longer feasible.
  3. Rise in the number of deaths. According to the Office for National Statistics, during 2020 just under 697,000 deaths were registered in the UK which is an increase of over 90,000 compared to the average annual deaths between the years of 2015 and 2019. Sadly some families have therefore been faced with having to fund unexpected or even multiple funerals in a short time.
  4. Government restrictions. With strict restrictions on how funerals and commemorative events can be held during the Covid-19 pandemic, many families have had to plan dramatically different funerals to what they would have preferred for their loved one. This has led to some families making the decision to hold a direct cremation now before looking to hold a more traditional commemorative event at a later date when restrictions are lifted.

Even with direct cremation as a much more affordable alternative to a traditional funeral, a bill of upwards of £1,000 is still a huge sum of money to have to spend, especially if a loved one died unexpectedly and without making any financial plans for their own funeral. You may therefore wish to consider making financial provisions for your funeral to avoid leaving this financial burden to your family and loved ones.

At Andrew Douglas Wills & Legal Services we proudly work alongside trusted partners to enable us to offer our clients a bespoke Pre-Payment Funeral Plan tailored to your financial needs. For further information, call Andrew Douglas Wills & Legal Services today, and secure the peace of mind that your loved ones will be free of the financial burden of your funeral costs.

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