Independent Cremation Funeral
The majority of funerals are completed by funeral directors who,
will provide the coffin, hearse and following cars. This is often
referred to as the "package" funeral, and it is designed for people
who wish to leave everything to the funeral director. The funeral
director must cover his or her operating cost and a typical
cremation based funeral will cost about £2,500.
You may not be aware that you can arrange cremation (and burial)
direct with Bereavement Services, and limit your use of a funeral
director or not use one at all. This enables you to control the
funeral and make it more personal and meaningful. If you do not use
a funeral director at all then you also ensure that no strangers
handle the body of the deceased.
This approach will require you to spend time making the
arrangements, and where you do not use a funeral director, you will
need a vehicle to collect and transfer the coffin, and people to
act as bearers. If this type of funeral appeals to you contact
Bereavement Services for more information.
The cost of the Independent option is set out below. The
cremation fee includes all forms, administration, the use of the
crematorium chapel, electronic music, the cremation and placing of
the remains in the Garden of Remembrance. If you prefer to take the
cremated remains elsewhere, there are various inexpensive
containers available.
The total cost, if you do not use a funeral director, will
be:
| Independent Funeral |
Cost |
| Cremation Fee |
£600.00 |
| Doctors Fees for Medical Certificates (approx.) |
£200.00 |
| Coffin supplied by Funeral Director (approx) |
£600.00 |
| Minister or Secular Officiants fee |
£120.00 |
| Total |
£1520.00 |
The doctor's fee shown above will not apply if the death is
reported to the Coroner, and a certificate for cremation is issued.
This avoids the need for doctors' forms. The minister or secular
officiant's fee will not apply if you take the service yourself, or
do not require a service.
Transporting the Deceased
The above costs assume you will provide your own transport and
bearers, and keep the deceased at home or in the hospital mortuary
(which is free of charge).
If you prefer to use a funeral director to complete this part of
the funeral, then the following information may be helpful.
In February 2005, a family telephoned six funeral directors in
Carlisle for quotations. This was to pick up a coffin purchased
from Bereavement Services, collect the body of their deceased
father from the mortuary at the Infirmary, and travel directly to
Carlisle cemetery at the time the family had arranged the funeral.
The family asked the funeral director to quote for using either an
estate car or a hearse, and for the driver to act as a bearer at
the cemetery. They obtained prices varying from £60.00 to £150.00
for this work. This gives you a guideline figure, which enables you
to complete a funeral without the need for a vehicle to carry the
coffin. Transporting the coffin directly to the crematorium is, in
fact, slightly easier as it can be done in advance of the funeral,
using our overnight chapel, which is described below.
Flowers, funeral teas and obituaries will increase this cost. If
you use a coffin supplied by the funeral director, or request
cosmetic treatment (embalming) or the use of their Chapel of Rest,
then you need to confirm these costs before you proceed.
It is important to note that pure wood coffins are rarely
used these days and can cost in the region of £1,000-£1,500.
Overnight Chapel
The deceased's body can be retained in our overnight chapel.
This is a small room near the entrance to the crematorium, which
you can also use for viewing. In addition, we also have a
refrigerated unit at the crematorium for retaining bodies. The
deceased's body can be retained for any period leading up to the
funeral. This enables you to use your own vehicle, a hired vehicle
or a funeral director as described above, to convey the deceased to
the crematorium prior to the funeral. You can then meet at the
crematorium chapel for the service at a time you arrange.
The fee for this service is: -
- Up to 24 hours £14.00
- Up to 48 hours £27.00
- Up to 72 hours £40.50
Bearers
We can supply bearers at the service for £14.00 each, if you do
not have enough family members to carry the coffin.
Keeping the Deceased at Home
A leaflet is available about keeping the deceased's body at
home. Please contact us for a copy.