A crematorium is the place where, once the paperwork is complete, a person’s coffin is placed in a purpose-built chamber heated to around 900 °C; two hours later only bone fragments remain, which are cooled, refined to fine ash and returned to the family in a sealed container. Some families gather for a short committal in the chapel first, others choose an unattended direct cremation with no mourners present – but whichever option is chosen, the body is always treated individually and with respect under strict UK regulations.
Many people feel uncertain about what actually happens behind the chapel curtains and after the hearse drives away. Knowing the steps can lift a weight from your shoulders, whether you are arranging a funeral now or simply planning ahead. This guide walks you through every stage, from parking the car to opening the ashes casket at home, so nothing comes as a surprise. Along the way we explain the legal safeguards, typical timings, costs, and the choices that let you shape a tribute that feels right for you. First, it helps to understand how cremation fits into modern British funerals and why four out of five families now choose it.
How Cremation Fits into Modern UK Funerals
Roughly four out of every five UK funerals now end in cremation. Rising land prices, tighter burial space and the wish for more flexible memorials have pushed the cremation rate from around 35 % in the 1960s to about 79 % in 2024 (Cremation Society figures). Yet the basic question—what happens at a crematorium—remains the same whether you choose a traditional service with mourners in the pews or the simpler direct option.
Broadly, families pick between two formats:
- An attended cremation service: a 20–45-minute slot in the chapel with readings, music and a committal, followed by the technical cremation behind the scenes.
- An unattended or “direct” cremation: no mourners present; the crematorium schedules the cremation at a quiet time and returns the ashes later.
Both routes operate under a strict legal framework. The Cremation (England and Wales) Regulations 2008 and the Scottish Cremation Regulations 2019 require at least 48–72 hours to pass after death (unless a coroner instructs otherwise) and insist that each coffin is cremated singly. Similar rules apply in Northern Ireland. These laws are backed up by environmental permits that dictate temperature controls, emissions limits and ID checks, all designed to guarantee dignity, safety and traceability.
Cultural and religious practices slot neatly into this system. Most Christian denominations, secular humanists, Sikhs and Buddhists permit cremation. Jewish and Muslim traditions still prefer burial, while Hindu families follow UK law by using an indoor cremator rather than the open-air pyres common overseas. Optional chapel space, webcast facilities and multi-faith rooms mean modern crematoria can accommodate almost any rite or none.
Key Documents and Permissions
Before a coffin can enter the cremator, the following paperwork must be in place:
- Medical Cause of Death Certificate (or coroner’s Form 6).
- Cremation Application Form 1 signed by the highest-ranking next of kin (spouse, adult children, parents, then siblings).
- Medical Examiner’s Confirmatory Certificate (England & Wales) or Form A/B equivalents in Scotland.
- Authorisation for pacemaker or implant removal if required.
Doctors’ fees for the medical certificates are typically £82 in England and Wales, though they vanish if the coroner is involved. Completing the bundle usually takes two working days; a good funeral director chases signatures to keep things moving.
Choosing a Service Type
- Attended service: ideal for families wanting a communal goodbye; costs include chapel hire (~£250), officiant (£200–£300) and extras like webcasts or photo tributes.
- Direct cremation: lowest overall cost (often under £1,000) and gives relatives the freedom to hold a memorial later.
- Hybrid options: many crematoria allow a handful of witnesses at the “charging” moment for a small fee, or live-stream the committal so distant friends can watch.
Select the format that suits your budget, timetable and emotional needs; the technical care the deceased receives is identical in every case.
Arrival at the Crematorium: What Happens Before the Service
The first moments on site set the tone, so it helps to know the choreography in advance. Most crematoria have clear road signs that funnel cars into a dedicated funeral car park; stewards will direct the hearse and any family limousines to reserved bays nearest the chapel doors. Mourners usually gather outside for a few minutes’ quiet before being ushered in, so a shower-proof jacket and a packet of tissues are never a bad idea. Traditional black is no longer compulsory—many families request bright scarves, football shirts or even fancy dress that reflects the person who has died.
If the coffin is travelling with the cortege it will arrive in a hearse or private ambulance. In other cases it may have been delivered at dawn and will already be resting in the chapel of repose. Either way, timekeeping matters: most UK chapels operate 20-, 30- or 45-minute slots and late running can shorten the service or incur an extra fee. Facilities typically include accessible toilets, a waiting lounge, a book of remembrance and screens for photo loops; crematorium staff can point you towards any of these on arrival.
Meeting the Chapel Attendant or Funeral Director
Just inside the porch you’ll meet the chapel attendant—sometimes called the verger—or your appointed funeral director. Their job is to:
- confirm the order of service and music playlist
- liaise with the officiant about readings and timing cues
- collect charity envelopes or contactless donations
- brief pallbearers and escort vulnerable guests to their seats
It’s the moment to mention any last-minute tweaks, such as adding a favourite song verse or checking the webcast link.
Placement of the Coffin on the Catafalque
When everyone is ready, six pallbearers (professional or family) lift the coffin and walk it down the aisle. It is placed on a raised platform called the catafalque, aligned with the nameplate facing the congregation. The attendant may bow or tip their hat as a mark of respect; mourners often stand, touch the coffin, or place a single flower. Once positioned, the lid remains closed—UK law forbids opening the coffin after it arrives at the crematorium—and the next phase of the service can begin.
Inside the Chapel: Typical Order of an Attended Cremation Service
Once everyone is seated and the coffin rests on the catafalque, the service proper begins. Most UK crematoria allocate a 30-minute slot, though you can pay for longer. Within that window you have complete freedom—religious liturgy, a secular celebration, or a quick three-song farewell all work. Below is a sample running order for a half-hour booking; adjust to suit the person you’re honouring:
- 00:00 – 00:02 Entrance music while mourners stand
- 00:02 – 00:04 Words of welcome
- 00:04 – 00:09 Opening reading or prayer
- 00:09 – 00:16 Eulogy and personal tributes
- 00:16 – 00:20 Reflection music / photo slideshow
- 00:20 – 00:23 Committal (curtains close, lights dim, or coffin lowered)
- 00:23 – 00:27 Quiet contemplation or communal prayer
- 00:27 – 00:29 Thanks, notices, charity details
- 00:29 – 00:30 Exit music as mourners leave the chapel
Timings are not policed to the second, but running over can delay the next family, so your officiant will keep an eye on the clock.
Role of the Officiant or Celebrant
The officiant—whether clergy, a humanist celebrant, or a confident friend—acts as master of ceremonies. They greet guests, weave together readings and music, deliver (or introduce) the eulogy, and lead the committal words such as “we now commit Name to be cremated.” A brief rehearsal beforehand helps them pronounce names correctly and confirm any faith requirements. If you’d rather keep things informal, a family member can assume the role; the chapel attendant will still cue music and manage tech.
Music, Readings and Visual Tributes
Crematoria hold blanket music licences, so your playlist can range from “Abide with Me” to Led Zeppelin. Many families choose:
- Entrance: gentle instrumental or favourite chart hit
- Reflection: meaningful lyric piece while photos scroll on the chapel screen
- Exit: upbeat number to lift spirits
Popular readings include Psalm 23, “Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep,” or a grandchild’s hand-written letter. Supply any media files 48 hours in advance to avoid glitches.
Participation by Family and Friends
Inviting mourners to speak keeps the occasion personal: a two-minute memory, a poem, or laying a single rose on the coffin. Crematorium safety rules mean no glass ornaments, pressurised cans, or lithium batteries in or on the coffin, but paper letters, fresh flowers and small wooden tokens are welcome. Let the attendant know who will be coming forward so they can cue microphones and keep the service flowing.
The Technical Cremation Process Explained Step-by-Step
The part most families never see takes place in the crematory hall behind the chapel wall. Every crematorium follows a near-identical workflow laid down by law, so whether it is an attended service or a direct cremation, the journey from coffin to ashes is the same. Below is the chronological sequence, so when people ask what happens at a crematorium once the curtains close? you have a clear answer.
Step 1: Identification and Final Checks
- An identity card bearing the deceased’s name and a unique barcode is attached to the coffin and logged in the computer system.
- The technician cross-references the coffin nameplate with Form 1 and medical certificates, then scans the barcode to open the cremator door allocated to that person.
- Anything that could explode or damage the machinery is removed:
- Pacemakers and ICDs (they contain lithium batteries)
- Radio-active implants or isotope seeds
- Pressurised spray cans or glass objects inadvertently placed in the coffin
The items are either returned to the family or safely recycled.
Step 2: Charging the Coffin into the Cremator
The cremator—a refractory-brick chamber pre-heated to about 850–900 °C—is ready. A mechanical loader pushes the entire coffin inside; it is not opened or emptied. UK law insists only one coffin may be charged at a time and the chamber door must shut within 60 seconds to keep heat loss to a minimum. Families who choose a witness charge can view this moment from a glazed screen.
Step 3: Primary Combustion Phase
For the first 30–60 minutes the intense heat vaporises soft tissue and dries bone. Contrary to persistent myths, bodies do not sit up or scream—muscle contractions happen before the coffin is inside the cremator, and there is no oxygen for vocal sound. Emissions pass into a secondary after-burner running at around 1,100 °C, which destroys smoke and odours before gases exit through filtration towers.
Step 4: Cooling and Removal of Remains
After roughly 90 minutes only calcified bone fragments and metal implants (hip joints, dental fillings) remain. The door is opened slightly to let the chamber cool; then the technician sweeps the remains into a heat-proof tray and places it in a sealed, labelled cooling cabinet for at least 30 minutes. This prevents cross-mixing of ashes from successive cremations.
Step 5: Separation of Metals and Cremulation
Once cool, the tray is tipped onto a magnetic table. Ferrous screws and nails, plus surgical metals, are lifted out and later recycled—many UK sites donate proceeds to charity via the ICCM Metal Recycling Scheme. The remaining bone fragments are fed into a cremulator: a sealed drum that grinds them for 30 seconds into a fine, pale ash measuring about 2–4 mm. The ID card travels with the ashes the whole time, ensuring they are returned only to the authorised family member, usually within 48 hours.
Total elapsed time from charging to ready-to-collect ashes: around two to three hours.
After the Cremation: Returning and Memorialising the Ashes
Once the technical side of what happens at a crematorium is finished, the refined bone ash (usually 1–3 kg) is tipped into a temporary container supplied by the crematorium. This may be a heavy-duty plastic tub with a tamper-evident lid, or a biodegradable cardboard urn—both labelled with the same ID number that followed the coffin through every stage. You are free to transfer the ashes into a decorative urn or keepsake later; the staff can demonstrate how to do this mess-free.
Families then decide what to do with the ashes. Popular choices include:
- Scattering them in the crematorium’s garden of remembrance (often free, though a plaque costs extra)
- Burying them in a family grave or dedicated ashes plot
- Keeping them at home in an urn, glass art piece or memorial teddy
- Turning a teaspoonful into jewellery, vinyl records or even fireworks
UK law is relaxed: no permit is needed to scatter on private land if you have the owner’s consent. For rivers or the sea, the Environment Agency simply asks that you avoid busy marinas and release ashes at least 3 km from drinking-water intakes. Always unwrap floral plastics and scatter the petals only.
Most crematoria have the ashes ready within 24–48 hours. They will store them free for about a month, after which a small weekly holding fee may apply.
Collecting or Having the Ashes Delivered
Only the person who signed the original cremation application (or someone they authorise in writing) may collect the ashes. Bring photo ID and expect to sign a receipt before the sealed container is handed over.
If you live far away, many providers offer:
- Hand delivery by a specialist courier (£60–£120 depending on distance)
- Royal Mail is not permitted, but trackable next-day couriers that meet “ASHES” labelling rules are
- International transport: airlines allow ashes in hand luggage inside a non-metal urn, plus a copy of the death certificate and cremation certificate; for some countries you’ll also need an ATA Carnet or customs declaration
Memorial Service Ideas After Direct Cremation
Because direct cremation separates the goodbye from the cremation date, you can hold a memorial whenever and wherever feels right:
- A garden gathering with a portable Bluetooth speaker and home-made canapés
- A favourite pub or football ground function room
- Tree-planting ceremony with friends streaming in via Zoom
- Sunrise dip and ash-scatter from a paddleboard or chartered river boat
- DIY candle-lit vigil at home, with each guest writing a memory on seeded paper to plant later
The absence of chapel time limits means you can shape something utterly personal—and often at a fraction of the cost of a traditional funeral tea.
Environmental Impact, Compliance and Future Alternatives
Modern UK crematoria are heavily regulated to limit their footprint. During combustion each adult cremation releases roughly 190–250 kg of CO₂ and a trace of mercury from dental fillings. To tackle this, 100 % of sites now fit secondary chambers and filtration that meet the Crematoria Abatement of Mercury Emissions Organisation (CAMEO) target of removing at least 50 % of mercury vapour nationwide. Energy use is comparable to a 500-mile car journey, yet still lower than the long-term maintenance and concrete associated with a burial plot.
Operators keep driving the numbers down. Many recover waste heat to warm offices or neighbouring leisure centres, and some run on renewable electricity tariffs. Families can help too by choosing:
- Eco coffins made from willow, cardboard or untreated pine
- Minimalist flower sprays that avoid plastic foam
- Recycled-paper scattering tubes instead of lacquered urns
Looking ahead, ‘water cremation’ (resomation or alkaline hydrolysis) and human composting promise cuts of up to 80 % in carbon output, although neither is yet legal in the UK. Campaigns are under way, so the options may widen within the decade—another reason to understand exactly what happens at a crematorium today.
Crematorium Rules That Protect the Environment and the Public
- 60-minute rule: after the service a coffin must be inside the cremator within an hour, or stored in a licensed cool room, preventing odour and decomposition gases.
- Continuous monitoring: temperature probes, opacity sensors and automatic shutdowns keep flue gases within legal limits.
- Random inspections by the Environment Agency and local councils check paperwork, emissions logs and maintenance records.
- Only one coffin per charge; chamber doors must close within 60 seconds to preserve heat and air quality.
These safeguards mean every cremation is safe, traceable and as eco-responsible as current technology allows.
Understanding Costs and the Rise of Direct Cremation
Money is often the last thing you want to think about when organising a farewell, yet price differences between cremation formats can run into thousands. Below is a snapshot of typical fees in mainland Britain (London and big cities lean towards the top end):
| Item | Traditional attended service | Unattended direct cremation |
|---|---|---|
| Crematorium fee | £700 – £1,100 | Included in package |
| Doctors’ cremation certificates | £82 | £0–£82 (may be waived) |
| Celebrant or minister | £200 – £300 | £0 |
| Chapel music/webcast | £70 | £0 |
| Hearse & limousines | £300 – £500 | £0 |
| Flowers & order-of-service | £150 – £300 | £0 (optional) |
| Funeral director professional fees | £1,200 – £1,800 | Included |
| Typical total | £2,700 – £4,000 | £800 – £1,400 |
The gulf comes mainly from staffing, vehicles and time-critical chapel hire. With a direct cremation you pay a single all-inclusive figure to the provider, who books a quiet weekday slot and uses a private ambulance rather than a cortege. Despite the lower headline cost, the same legal standards apply; the body is still cared for by licensed professionals and the ashes are returned with full paperwork.
Some families choose the middle ground: an attended service paid for directly to the crematorium (roughly £1,000) plus a DIY memorial at home. Either way, knowing every line item avoids surprises.
If you are planning ahead, prepaid cremation plans lock today’s prices and typically cover collection within mainland UK, doctor’s fees, an eco-coffin, the crematorium charge and return of ashes. Instalments start at around £20 a month, beating inflation and sparing relatives a sudden invoice.
Optional Extras and How to Avoid Unexpected Fees
- Priority time-slot surcharge (£200–£400)
- Oversized coffin (over 6′2″ or 30 stone) (£100–£250)
- Saturday or early-morning premium (up to £150)
- Memorial wall plaque or garden niche (£300 – £900)
Trim the bill by supplying a digital playlist instead of chapel organist, printing orders-of-service at home, and decorating the coffin with hand-written messages rather than expensive sprays. Always ask the funeral director for a Standardised Price List—by law they must provide one.
Who Direct Cremation Works Best For
- People who dislike formal ceremonies or wish to grieve privately
- Budget-conscious families keen to avoid debt
- Those planning a later celebration of life at a venue that feels personal
- Residents far from relatives, where live-streaming or postponed gatherings make sense
- Faiths or philosophies that do not mandate funeral rites
Pros: lowest cost, flexible timing, reduced stress.
Cons: no chance for mourners to view the coffin, less communal support on the day. Weigh these calmly against what matters most to you; understanding costs is as vital as knowing what happens at a crematorium behind the scenes.
Quick Answers to Common Crematorium Questions
-
Q: How long does a cremation service take in total?
A: The average attended slot is 30 minutes, with 5 minutes either side for arrival and exit. The unseen cremation itself lasts about 90 minutes, so mourners should allow roughly one hour on site. -
Q: Can I witness the coffin going into the cremator?
A: Yes. Most UK crematoria offer a “witness charge” for up to six people, usually free or for a small fee. You observe from behind a glass screen after signing safety and dignity guidelines. -
Q: What happens to jewellery left on the body?
A: Valuables are best removed beforehand. Items left on the deceased are cremated; surviving metals are later magnetically recovered and recycled for charity schemes—never resold for profit. -
Q: Can two people be cremated together?
A: UK law requires one coffin per cremation. The sole exception is a parent and infant, allowed only with written permission from the next of kin and the crematorium manager. -
Q: Do crematoriums keep part of the ashes?
A: No. An ID token stays with the remains from start to finish, ensuring every gram of ash is either returned to the authorised representative or scattered exactly as requested. -
Q: Is embalming required for cremation?
A: Not at all. Refrigeration meets legal standards. Embalming is purely optional for extended viewings and can be skipped to save both chemicals and cost.
Key Takeaways & Next Steps
- The journey is orderly and regulated: complete the paperwork, arrive at the crematorium, hold (or skip) a chapel service, let the professionals carry out the technical cremation, collect the ashes, then remember your loved one in your own way.
- Each stage is protected by strict ID checks, single-coffin laws and environmental controls, so you can be confident the process is dignified and transparent.
- Costs vary mainly with attendance choices; direct cremation strips away ceremony fees without compromising care.
- Flexible memorial options—anything from a back-garden gathering to scattering at sea—mean a “goodbye” can be as personal or as public as you wish.
Knowing what happens at a crematorium removes the fear of the unknown and helps families make calm, budget-wise decisions. If a simple, unattended farewell feels right for you, the team at Go Direct Cremations is on hand 24/7 with clear pricing, expert guidance and respectful care.