08/07/2025
Direct ‘No fuss direct cremation' from National Companies
You can't watch a television programme, read a newspaper or listen to the radio without being bombarded by the mass marketing campaign of the many national direct cremation companies.
Its big business and they allocate a significant amount of money to target anyone who is willing to listen.
It is absolutely true that most people do not plan their funerals, it is also true that we often have difficulty speaking about death.
These companies cite that the main reason why simple cremation plans are becoming more popular is because they are cheaper than a basic funeral.
I believe the main reason that these services have grown in popularity is because of their clever ‘blanket marketing’, scare tactics and the suggestion that you are somehow ‘saving your loved ones the stress and emotional strain’.
But here is where I think the argument often falls down...
When a loved one passes away we are left with a vacuum, a void that we have to work through – they were a significant part of our lives and to be there one minute and gone the next is a difficult and challenging time for us all.
Whilst a full ‘whistles and bells’ service is not for everyone, having something to mark their passing, celebrate their life with family, friends and colleagues is actually part of the healing process, without it, we often feel that their life has not been marked or acknowledged and their incredible story has not been told.
For proof of this, think back to the pandemic – when we couldn’t give our loved ones the send off that we would have wanted, it was a terrible time with families having to choose who could and who couldn’t go to pay their respects and play a part in telling their story.
Some of the companies have listed the ‘Top reasons’ for choosing ‘no fuss simple cremation’s’
Save money
It is true that you will pay less for an unattended service, like most things in life – you get what you pay for, but speak to your local funeral director and you will be surprised what you can get for a lot less than these companies are claiming.
Don't want family going through an upsetting service
Whilst a cremation can be emotional, it should also be a celebration and an acknowledgement of a wonderful life filled with much happiness and many memories. With the right funeral director and an experienced celebrant the whole process can be incredibly healing and cathartic.
Family dispute would make a funeral service difficult to attend
Yes, (though rare) sometimes there are family disputes – however, funerals often create a great opportunity for people to set aside their differences and rebuild broken relationships.
Family live abroad so unable to attend a funeral
With the vast improvement of media services at crematoriums, the world has become a much smaller place! By using high quality streaming services, anyone with access to the internet can watch a service anywhere in the world.
Few people or no one to attend a funeral
In my opinion, this is the only time where a direct cremation can be a sensible option – and even then I would use a local funeral director (all offer the same service as the national companies, but have that local knowledge and personal touch).
If you are conscidering a direct cremation, speak to your loved ones first - we sometimes lose sight of the fact that a funeral is often as much for those left behind as it is for those who have passed...
