When someone dies, you need to arrange a funeral quickly while managing grief and often tight finances. Traditional funerals in the UK cost an average of £4,285, but many families simply cannot afford this amount or prefer a simpler send off without the formality and expense.
A simple funeral arrangement strips away unnecessary costs and complexity. You focus on the essentials like collection, preparation, and cremation or burial. This approach saves thousands of pounds and gives you freedom to hold a memorial later, on your own terms.
This guide walks you through arranging a simple funeral in the UK. You’ll learn what counts as simple, how to confirm wishes and meet legal requirements, which providers and funeral types to choose from, what everything costs, and how to plan or prepay ahead. By the end, you’ll know exactly how to arrange a dignified, affordable funeral without the stress.
What is a simple funeral arrangement
A simple funeral arrangement covers only the essential services needed to manage the death legally and respectfully. You get collection of the deceased, preparation and care, a basic coffin, and either cremation or burial at the nearest available facility. This type of funeral usually happens without any ceremony or attendees, which is why it costs significantly less than a traditional funeral with a service, flowers, and a wake.
What a simple funeral includes
Your simple funeral arrangements typically provide the collection of the deceased from a hospital, care home, or private residence within mainland England, Scotland, or Wales. The funeral director handles all paperwork and legal requirements, including the death certificate and cremation or burial permits. They prepare and care for the body, provide a simple coffin (often eco-friendly), and transport the deceased to the crematorium or burial ground. After cremation, you receive the ashes in a basic container, which you can scatter, keep, or have delivered. The entire process happens without a formal ceremony, giving you freedom to arrange a memorial later if you wish.
Simple funerals let you honour your loved one with dignity while keeping costs down and stress manageable.
What’s not included
Simple funeral arrangements exclude many traditional elements. You won’t get embalming unless you specifically request and pay for it. There’s no viewing, wake, or formal service at the crematorium. Flowers, memorial books, and printed orders of service don’t come as standard. You won’t have limousines, pallbearers carrying the coffin into a chapel, or a celebrant conducting a ceremony. Additional costs apply if you need a larger coffin, urgent collection from home, or removal of medical devices like pacemakers before cremation.
Step 1. Confirm wishes and legal basics
Before you book any simple funeral arrangements, you need to check if the deceased left instructions and complete the legal requirements. This step prevents disputes later and ensures you follow the correct process. You’ll need to register the death, confirm who has the legal right to arrange the funeral, and gather any documents that show the deceased’s preferences.
Check for funeral wishes
Look for any written instructions the deceased left about their funeral. Check their Will, any advance care plans, or letters they may have stored with important documents. Some people share their wishes with family members verbally, so speak to close relatives and friends. If the deceased bought a prepaid funeral plan, you’ll find details in their paperwork, and the provider will already have their instructions on file. These wishes aren’t legally binding, but most families choose to respect them.
You should also check if the deceased wanted to be buried or cremated. They may have specified a particular cemetery, crematorium, or place to scatter ashes. Religious or cultural preferences matter too, so confirm if any faith leader or celebrant should be involved, even for a simple arrangement.
Register the death
You must register the death within five days in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, or within eight days in Scotland. Contact the local register office where the person died, not where they lived. You’ll need the medical certificate of cause of death from the doctor or coroner. The registrar will issue the death certificate and other documents required for burial or cremation.
You cannot arrange any funeral until you register the death and receive the necessary legal documents.
Confirm who arranges the funeral
The executor named in the Will has the first legal right to arrange the funeral. If there’s no Will, the responsibility falls to the next of kin in this order: spouse or civil partner, children, parents, siblings, then other relatives. Close friends can arrange the funeral if no family members are available or willing. You may need to sign a contract with the funeral director, so make sure the correct person takes legal responsibility for the arrangements and costs.
Step 2. Choose the type of funeral and provider
Once you’ve confirmed wishes and completed the legal basics, you need to decide between the main types of simple funeral arrangements and find a provider. Your choice depends on personal preference, budget, and whether you want burial or cremation. Most simple funerals in the UK use direct cremation because it offers the lowest cost and maximum flexibility, but simple burial remains an option if that suits your family better.
Direct cremation
Direct cremation provides the simplest and most affordable option for simple funeral arrangements. The funeral director collects the deceased, handles all paperwork, provides a basic coffin, and takes them to the nearest available crematorium. The cremation happens without a ceremony or attendees, usually within a few weeks. You receive the ashes afterwards, which you can scatter, keep, or bury in a location of your choice. This option starts from around £1,149 with many providers and lets you hold a memorial service later at a time and place that suits your family.
Simple burial
Simple burial costs more than direct cremation but gives you a permanent resting place if that matters to you or the deceased. The funeral director provides a basic coffin and buries the deceased at the nearest available cemetery or natural burial ground without a formal service. You pay separate fees for the burial plot and any headstone or memorial plaque. Natural burial grounds offer an eco-friendly option where you can bury the deceased in a biodegradable coffin among trees or meadows. Burial costs vary significantly by location, with plots in London costing far more than rural areas.
Finding a funeral director
Search for funeral directors who belong to the National Association of Funeral Directors or the Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors. These organisations enforce codes of practice and handle complaints. Most funeral directors now publish standard price lists on their websites, which makes comparing costs straightforward. You can contact two or three local providers to request written estimates before you decide. Check online reviews and ask if they handle simple, unattended funerals regularly, as some traditional firms focus mainly on full-service funerals.
Always request a written estimate that breaks down each cost clearly before you agree to any funeral arrangements.
What to ask providers
When you contact funeral directors, ask specific questions to understand what you’re paying for. Confirm if their price includes collection from any location or only from hospitals and care homes, as urgent home collection often costs extra. Check if they provide a basic coffin and ashes container as standard or charge separately. Ask how long the cremation typically takes to arrange and whether you can choose where ashes are scattered. Verify if their quote covers all required medical certificates and cremation fees, or if you need to pay these separately. Request details of any additional costs for circumstances like medical device removal or oversized coffins, so you avoid surprises later.
Step 3. Understand costs and ways to save
Knowing exactly what simple funeral arrangements cost helps you budget and spot ways to reduce expenses. Direct cremation costs £1,149 or more depending on your location and provider, while simple burial typically costs £2,000 to £3,000 once you include the plot fee. Understanding which costs are essential and which you can avoid lets you make informed choices that respect both your budget and the deceased.
Typical cost breakdown
Simple funeral arrangements include several standard charges that you’ll see on most providers’ quotes. The collection and transportation of the deceased from a hospital or care home forms part of the base price, but urgent collection from a private residence often adds £200 to £300 extra. You pay for the basic coffin, which ranges from £150 to £400 depending on materials and whether you choose eco-friendly options. The cremation or burial itself carries separate fees set by the crematorium or cemetery, typically £700 to £1,000 for cremation and £1,500 to £2,500 for burial including the plot. Medical certificates required for cremation add another £82 for the standard fee, though coroner-referred deaths don’t incur this charge. Additional costs apply if the deceased had a pacemaker or other medical device that needs removal before cremation, usually £100 to £150, or if they require a larger coffin, which adds £200 or more.
| Service | Typical Cost |
|---|---|
| Direct cremation (base) | £1,149-£1,500 |
| Cremation fee | £700-£1,000 |
| Simple burial (base) | £800-£1,200 |
| Burial plot | £1,000-£2,000+ |
| Medical certificate | £82 |
| Urgent home collection | £200-£300 |
| Large coffin | £200+ |
Ways to reduce costs further
You can lower costs by making strategic choices during your simple funeral arrangements. Choose direct cremation over burial to save at least £1,000 on the plot and interment fees. Request collection from a hospital or care home rather than a private residence to avoid the urgent collection charge. Accept the most basic coffin the provider offers instead of upgrading to more expensive materials or designs. Ask if you can collect the ashes yourself instead of paying for delivery or special urns, as basic containers come free with most services. Compare quotes from at least three providers before you decide, as prices vary significantly between funeral directors even for identical services.
Shopping around saves you hundreds of pounds, so don’t accept the first quote you receive.
Skip any extras the funeral director suggests unless you genuinely need them. You don’t require embalming for direct cremation or burial that happens quickly. Avoid designer urns, memorial books, or flowers unless they matter to you personally. Consider holding a memorial service at home or in a free venue like a park or community centre rather than booking expensive facilities. If several family members want to attend a remembrance, organize this yourselves after receiving the ashes rather than paying for a formal wake with catering.
Help with payment
Financial support exists if you struggle to afford simple funeral arrangements. The Funeral Expenses Payment provides help if you receive certain benefits like Universal Credit, Income Support, or Pension Credit, though you must apply within six months of the funeral. This payment covers some costs but rarely the full amount, so check what you’ll still need to pay. The Children’s Funeral Fund helps with funeral costs for anyone under 18 or babies stillborn after 24 weeks, regardless of whether you receive benefits. Veterans UK can assist with funeral costs if the deceased received a war disablement pension. Your local council arranges a simple public health funeral at no cost to you if the deceased left no money and no one can pay, though you’ll have no control over the arrangements or timing.
Step 4. Plan ahead and prepay if you wish
Planning simple funeral arrangements in advance removes stress from your family when you die and fixes costs at today’s prices. You can prepay for your funeral through a regulated funeral plan or leave money in your bank account with clear instructions. This step is optional but gives you control over your send off and protects loved ones from financial worry during grief.
Prepaid funeral plans
Prepaid funeral plans let you pay for your simple funeral arrangements now and lock in current prices, protecting against inflation. You choose a provider, select the type of funeral you want (usually direct cremation), and pay either a lump sum or monthly instalments. The Financial Conduct Authority regulates these plans, so your money stays protected if the provider goes bust. Plans typically cover the core funeral director’s services and cremation, but check exactly what’s included. Most exclude third-party costs like doctor’s fees for medical certificates or urgent home collection charges, so you’ll need to leave extra money for these.
Prepaid plans fix most funeral costs but rarely cover everything, so read the terms carefully before you commit.
How to set up a plan
Contact funeral directors who offer prepaid plans and request their full terms and conditions before you sign anything. Compare at least three providers to check coverage, payment options, and what happens if you move house or die abroad. You’ll need to provide basic personal details and choose your funeral preferences, such as cremation or burial and where you want ashes scattered. Pay by lump sum if you can afford it, or spread payments over 12 to 60 months with no interest. The provider holds your money in a trust or backs it with insurance, so your family receives the funeral you paid for when the time comes.
Writing down your wishes
Write your funeral preferences in a separate document and store it with your Will and other important papers. List whether you want cremation or burial, where you’d like ashes scattered, and if you want any specific music or readings at a memorial. Tell your executor, next of kin, or a trusted friend where you’ve kept this document, as your Will might not be read until after the funeral. If you haven’t bought a prepaid plan, note how much money you’ve set aside and where the funds are kept, so your family knows what budget they have for simple funeral arrangements.
Next steps
You now understand how to arrange simple funeral arrangements in the UK, from confirming wishes and choosing providers to managing costs and planning ahead. Start by deciding whether you need to arrange a funeral immediately or want to plan for the future. If someone has just died, register the death first, then contact two or three funeral directors for written quotes on direct cremation or simple burial. Compare what each provider includes and ask about any extra charges that might apply to your situation.
Planning ahead gives you more time to research and fix costs. Review prepaid funeral plans if you want to lock in today’s prices, or write down your preferences and tell your family where you’ve stored the document. Either way, you take control and reduce stress for those you leave behind.
Go Direct Cremations offers transparent, affordable direct cremation across mainland England, Scotland, and Wales, with 24/7 support when you need it most. Contact them to discuss your requirements and receive a clear, honest quote with no hidden costs.