Cremation is a process that uses intense heat to reduce a person’s body to bone fragments, which are then ground into ashes. The procedure takes place in a specially designed chamber called a cremator, where temperatures reach between 760 and 1150 degrees Celsius. Unlike burial, cremation offers families flexibility in how and when they choose to remember their loved one, and it requires less space and resources.
If you’re considering cremation for yourself or someone close to you, you probably have questions about what actually happens. This article walks you through every stage of the cremation process, from the initial arrangements and paperwork through to collecting the ashes. You’ll learn about the equipment used, how long each step takes, what temperatures are involved, and the procedures that keep everything dignified and properly identified. We’ve also included practical details about arranging a cremation in the UK, so you know exactly what to expect when the time comes.
Why understanding cremation matters
Knowing what is the cremation process helps you make confident decisions during what can be an overwhelming time. When you understand each step, you feel more in control and less anxious about what happens to your loved one’s body. Many people find that uncertainty about cremation procedures adds unnecessary stress to an already difficult situation, leaving them with unanswered questions and worries.
Making informed decisions
Understanding the process lets you prepare proper questions for funeral directors and compare services effectively across different providers. You’ll know which elements matter most to you, whether that’s witnessing the coffin being placed in the cremator, choosing specific urns, or understanding exactly how ashes are collected and handled throughout the process.
Clear information about cremation removes the fear that often comes from not knowing what happens behind the scenes.
Planning ahead becomes much simpler when you understand the practicalities involved. If you’re arranging your own future cremation, this knowledge means you can communicate your wishes clearly to family members and avoid leaving difficult decisions to your relatives during their time of grief.
How to arrange a cremation in the UK
Arranging a cremation involves several straightforward steps that typically take between three and five days to complete. You’ll need to register the death, obtain the necessary certificates, and work with a funeral director or cremation provider to handle the practical arrangements. The process follows legal requirements designed to ensure everything is done properly and respectfully.
Choose a funeral director or cremation provider
Your first decision is whether you want a traditional funeral with cremation or a direct cremation without a ceremony. Traditional funerals include a service at a crematorium chapel with mourners present, while direct cremations happen unattended, allowing you to hold a memorial service later if you wish. Direct cremations typically cost less because they eliminate venue hire, officiant fees, and time-specific scheduling.
Contact several providers to compare their services and prices before making your choice. Ask specific questions about what their quoted price includes, such as collection of the deceased, coffin type, crematorium fees, and return of ashes. Some companies offer transparent pricing online, while others require you to call for details.
Register the death and obtain certificates
You must register the death within five days in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, or within eight days in Scotland. Visit the local register office where the person died, or where they lived if they passed away at home. Take the medical certificate of cause of death that a doctor will have provided, along with any relevant identification documents for the deceased.
The registrar will issue you a green certificate (form 14) that authorizes cremation, plus copies of the death certificate you’ll need for administrative tasks like closing bank accounts. You’ll need to give the green certificate to your chosen funeral director or cremation provider before they can proceed.
Complete the cremation paperwork
Your funeral director handles most of the paperwork, but you’ll need to complete an application form that confirms your relationship to the deceased and your authority to arrange the cremation. This form asks about any pacemakers or radioactive implants that need removing before cremation can proceed safely.
Two independent doctors must examine the deceased and complete cremation certificates (forms 4 and 5) confirming the cause of death. These certificates ensure no suspicious circumstances exist and that cremation is safe to carry out. If a coroner has been involved in the death, you won’t need these doctor’s certificates because the coroner’s authorization replaces them.
Understanding what is the cremation process from start to finish helps you navigate these administrative requirements with confidence.
Your cremation provider will also ask you to specify what should happen to the ashes after the cremation. You can choose to collect them personally, have them delivered to your home, or arrange for the crematorium to scatter them in their garden of remembrance.
What happens before the cremation
Several important steps take place before the actual cremation begins, each designed to ensure proper identification and respectful handling of the deceased. Your chosen provider will collect the person from the place of death, complete necessary checks, and prepare everything according to your instructions and legal requirements. These preliminary stages typically happen within 24 to 48 hours of being notified, though timing can vary depending on when the paperwork arrives and whether any medical devices need removing.
Collection and identification procedures
The funeral director or cremation provider sends a private ambulance to collect the deceased from the hospital, care home, or residence where they died. Staff immediately attach identification tags with unique reference numbers to the body and all accompanying paperwork, creating a chain of custody that continues throughout the entire process. This identification system ensures no mix-ups can occur.
Once at the mortuary facility, staff conduct a thorough verification check against the death certificate and cremation authorization documents. They record the deceased’s details in their system, photograph the identification tags, and store the body in secure refrigerated storage until the cremation date arrives. Temperature-controlled storage preserves the body’s condition while you finalize arrangements and wait for all necessary permissions to be granted.
Preparation of the body
Staff wash and prepare the deceased according to your religious or cultural requirements if you’ve specified any particular customs. They place the body in the coffin you’ve selected, which must be made from combustible materials like wood, cardboard, or wicker. Metal coffins cannot be used because they don’t burn in the cremator.
Understanding what is the cremation process involves knowing that certain items must be removed for safety reasons before cremation proceeds.
Any pacemakers, defibrillators, or radioactive implants get removed by qualified personnel because these devices can explode or release harmful substances during cremation. Jewelry and personal items are typically removed and returned to you unless you specifically request they remain with the deceased. The coffin is then sealed and a final identification check confirms everything matches the cremation authorization paperwork before moving forward.
What happens during and after cremation
The cremation itself involves placing the coffin into a heated chamber where intense temperatures reduce the body to bone fragments over approximately 90 minutes to two hours. Staff monitor the entire process through viewing windows or control systems, adjusting temperatures and airflow to ensure complete and respectful cremation. Once finished, the remains cool down before being processed into the fine ashes you’ll eventually receive.
The cremation procedure
Staff wheel the sealed coffin to the cremator on a mechanized trolley and conduct a final identification check against the paperwork and reference number. They open the cremator door and carefully place the coffin inside the primary chamber, positioning it so heat circulates evenly around it. The stainless steel identification disc goes into the cremator alongside the coffin, staying with the remains throughout the entire process.
The cremator heats to between 760 and 1150 degrees Celsius, with most facilities operating around 800 to 900 degrees for optimal results. Combustion happens in two stages: the body and coffin burn first in the primary chamber, while gases move to a secondary chamber for further combustion before being filtered and released through the chimney. This two-stage system ensures complete breakdown and meets environmental regulations for emissions.
When you ask what is the cremation process, the actual burning phase represents just one part of a carefully managed sequence of steps.
Operators monitor temperatures, oxygen levels, and combustion progress through computerized control systems that log every detail. Larger bodies naturally take longer to cremate, while smaller individuals or children require less time. Throughout the procedure, the cremator maintains consistent heat to ensure thorough reduction to bone fragments.
Processing and cooling the ashes
After cremation completes, staff open the cremator and rake the bone fragments into a cooling tray beneath the main chamber. Metal items like surgical implants, joint replacements, and any remaining coffin fixtures get separated using magnets and manual inspection during this stage. Crematoria typically recycle this metal through specialist companies, with many donating the proceeds to charity.
Cooling takes approximately 30 to 60 minutes depending on the crematorium’s equipment and procedures. Once cool enough to handle safely, staff transfer the bone fragments to a machine called a cremulator or processor, which uses rotating blades to grind them into uniform particles. This processing ensures the ashes you receive are fine and consistent in texture, typically no larger than one-eighth of an inch.
Storage and collection
The processed ashes go into a plastic inner bag inside a simple container, clearly labeled with the deceased’s name and reference number. Staff check the identification one final time before placing the container in secure storage until you collect it or request delivery. Most crematoria keep ashes safe for several months, though policies vary between facilities.
You can collect the ashes yourself by showing photographic identification at the crematorium reception, or your funeral director can deliver them to your home. Alternatively, you can authorize the crematorium to scatter the ashes in their garden of remembrance if you prefer not to keep them. The entire process from cremation to ashes being ready for collection typically takes 24 to 48 hours.
Key facts about ashes, timing and temperatures
Several practical details about cremation help you plan arrangements and know what to expect when you receive the ashes. Understanding what is the cremation process includes knowing how much ash you’ll receive, what it looks like, and the timeframes involved from start to finish. These facts give you realistic expectations and help you make informed decisions about urns, memorials, and how you’ll handle the ashes once you collect them.
Volume and appearance of ashes
Adult cremated remains typically weigh between 1.8 and 3.6 kilograms, depending on the person’s bone density and body size. You’ll receive ashes that are white to grey in colour, with a texture similar to coarse sand or fine gravel. Taller individuals and those with larger frames produce more ashes, while smaller people yield less material.
The amount of ash you receive has no connection to the person’s weight during life, as soft tissues burn away completely and only bone fragments remain.
Cremated remains fill a volume roughly equivalent to a large shoebox or small carrier bag. Standard urns hold around 200 cubic inches, which accommodates most adults comfortably. If you plan to divide ashes between family members or create memorial jewelry, you’ll still have plenty of material for a primary urn plus several keepsakes.
Temperature ranges and timing
Cremators operate at temperatures between 760 and 1150 degrees Celsius, with most facilities maintaining around 800 to 900 degrees throughout the process. The actual cremation takes 60 to 120 minutes depending on body size, with larger individuals requiring the longer timeframe. After cremation completes, cooling and processing add another 90 minutes to two hours before the ashes are ready for collection.
Next steps and support
Now that you understand what is the cremation process, you can make informed decisions about arrangements for yourself or a loved one. You know the steps involved, the timeframes to expect, and the procedures that ensure everything happens with dignity and proper identification throughout the entire journey from collection to receiving the ashes.
If you’re considering direct cremation without a traditional ceremony, Go Direct Cremations provides a compassionate service that handles all paperwork, collection, and formalities across mainland England, Scotland, and Wales. You receive the same level of care and respect while avoiding the stress and expense of a formal funeral service, giving you freedom to remember your loved one in your own way and time.