Budget cremations for under £1k launched by Farewill

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No thrills cremations for under £1,000 launched by online will writing and probate firm Farewill

  • A ‘direct cremation’ is much cheaper than a basic funeral, at an average £4,417
  • Ashes are returned to a family, who can then mark a death at an affordable price
  • Farewill also believes there is high demand for non-traditional send-offs

By Tanya Jefferies for Thisismoney.co.uk

Published: | Updated:

A £980 cremation service aimed at people wanting a budget or unconventional send-off for loved ones has been launched by online wills and probate specialist Farewill.

Ashes are returned to a family afterwards, and mourners are then free to arrange an event marking the death at a price within their budget.

A ‘direct cremation’ is much cheaper than a basic funeral, which costs around £4,417 on average, while a memorial, notices, limousines, flowers and wake can add a further £2,306 on average, according to a recent industry survey.

Marking a death: Farewill believes there is high demand for non-traditional and more personalised send-offs for loved ones (Stock image)

But just 4 per cent of families currently choose a direct cremation, probably because most are unaware of the option, said the annual cost of dying report by insurer SunLife.

Farewill, which This is Money’s parent company DMGT owns a stake in through its DMG Ventures arm, has run an online will writing service since 2015 and launched a fixed-fee probate service last year. 

The firm says its direct cremation service allows consumers to give loved ones a send-off for under £1,000.

The price includes bringing a deceased loved one into its care from anywhere in England and Wales, preparation of all necessary paperwork, the cremation fee, and hand delivery of ashes in an urn.

How do you cut funeral costs?

A list of ways to reduce the bill and details of how to claim financial help from the Government are here. 

Farewill adds that it assigns a dedicated person to help customers through the process.

If doctors’ fees apply, this costs an additional £164, an amount set by the government. 

Complex collections can cost an additional £250.

Meanwhile, Farewill can put relatives in touch with a celebrant, a qualified person who officiates at funeral services, if they wish.

Mourners can then organise a wake, memorial service or ‘celebration of life’ at a time, venue and price of their own choosing – see the box below.

Farewill believes there is high demand for non-traditional and more personalised send-offs for loved ones, while its new service can also help families avoid the risk of going into debt to pay for funerals.

Dan Garrett: 'As well as making every funeral personal, it’s important to do it at a price that includes everybody'

Dan Garrett: ‘As well as making every funeral personal, it’s important to do it at a price that includes everybody’

Dan Garrett, chief executive of Farewill, said: ‘We launched our cremation service for the thousands of families coping with the loss of someone they love, who don’t find the traditional options to be the right fit.

‘We help each family to focus on saying goodbye in a way that feels right for them. 

‘Most of the funerals we help with are completely unique – from favourite restaurants, to seaside memorials, to rugby club send-offs.

‘As well as making every funeral personal, it’s important to do it at a price that includes everybody.’

A probe into rip-off funeral costs was launched by competition watchdogs last year, while a clampdown on funeral plan providers is also in the works after the Government stepped in to say they should be regulated. 

SunLife’s survey found that 44 per cent of people who recently organised a funeral were unaware of the option to have a direct cremation, which is the cheapest type available.

However, once they were told what it involved, 19 per cent of this group said they would have considered it for their relative, and 42 percent said they would consider requesting it for their own funeral.

How do direct cremations work? 

 ‘Put simply, a direct cremation is a cremation with no funeral service,’ says Ian Atkinson, marketing director at SunLife.

‘The body goes straight to the crematorium to be cremated – usually in a plain coffin, at a time that’s suitable for the crematoria – and the ashes are returned to the family. 

‘There is no funeral service, but the family of the deceased can then choose to have a celebration of their life wherever and whenever they want to.

‘This type of send-off is gaining in popularity for a number of reasons, but mainly because there is no need for extra expenses, like hearses and limos, embalming, officiant’s fees, flowers and orders of service, making it considerably cheaper. 

‘Also, if someone dies abroad, a direct cremation can save the considerable cost of transporting the body home. But also because a direct cremation funeral can be so personal. 

‘When the service is not tied to the crematorium, it can be done exactly how the family wants at a time and a place that is right for them.

‘Our research shows that while the number of direct cremations is relatively low and there are probably a few reasons why. 

‘The main one is a lack of awareness, because, as we have shown in our report once people know about them many said they would have chosen it for the deceased and even more say they would have one themselves.

‘Another factor is that some funeral directors do not suggest it at all or only if they think the family is struggling with money.’

 

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