Serving families across Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire for generations.

What is Direct Cremation? What You Need to Know

What is Direct Cremation? What You Need to Know

Losing a loved one can be painful, but what is even more devastating is planning for a funeral service during the grief period. However, Gillotts’ main aim is to help you prepare for any necessary funeral arrangements by smoothing the process and making it easier for the bereaved family.

Although most prefer a more personal farewell, where loved ones have a chance to give the departed a more significant send-off, some do still opt for an option of minimum fuss. Until celebrities held in high regard by the public opted for direct cremation, such as David Bowie and John Lennon, direct cremations have often been seen as solely for those who could not afford a proper funeral proceeding. Thus, this celebrity influence has seen currently around 3-5% of people opting to be directly cremated.

Gillotts aims to respect the choices and wishes of bereaved families and the departed regarding their final goodbye ceremonies, whatever these choices may be. Gillotts’ direct cremation services make saying the last goodbyes easier for the bereaved by easing the process and making it more bearable.

But what is a direct cremation?

A direct cremation is a process where the deceased’s remains are cremated immediately following death without a funeral service beforehand. The remains are delivered to the family where a private dispersal of the ashes, a memorial ceremony, or a burial in a cemetery can be arranged.

Gillotts Funeral Directors provide direct cremation services alongside other services in a respectful, thought-out manner. The deceased’s remains are appropriately handled, and the funeral home ensures that all paperwork is streamlined, making the whole process easier and more convenient for the bereaved.

The direct cremation procedure

Your loved one’s cremation is done respectfully, and the cremation ashes are carefully wrapped and returned to you if desired. By doing this, Gillotts ensure that the deceased’s family and friends get to say goodbye on their terms.

The cremation procedure is quicker since there is no family coordination with the funeral director and the crematorium. So long as the legal papers are signed and approved, you can go ahead with the cremation without any hitches.

Direct cremation services are offered to those who don’t want to create a fuss. More people are requesting this type of cremation with the number of direct cremations set to reach or exceed 10% come 2030.

Delivery of cremation ashes

Picking up your loved one’s cremation ashes can be difficult. That’s the reason why Gillotts offer to deliver your loved one’s ashes to you at an appropriate date, set by you. Doing this could help give you more time to grieve your loss and receive your loved one’s ashes when you feel ready.

A memorial service can still be planned for at a later date

Grieving is still an essential part of the grief process. Performing a direct cremation may make some feel like they’ve missed out on an opportunity to say their final goodbyes. However, to honour these wishes, the family can still arrange for a memorial at a later date to allow family and friends a ceremony to grieve their loved one.

The family could still opt for a service in the crematorium’s chapel by booking a 25 to 30-minute session. You can also have it done in your local church or arrange for a private memorial service.

Gillotts crematorium services

Gillotts offers several crematorium services for you to choose from.

Direct cremation

Our Direct Cremation Services are designed especially for those who do not wish to hold a more traditional funeral service and wish to simply make the necessary arrangements for the cremation.

In the current climate, some people may be unable to travel due to restrictions or for other reasons. This service is a good option if you wished to arrange a memorial service or gathering at a later date.

By choosing Gillotts for direct cremation, you get the peace of mind of using a local funeral director along with the simplicity and lower cost of a direct cremation.

Pre-Paid Direct Cremation Plans

We also offer direct cremation plans, which allow you to offset your bills for the day you require the services. You can read more about this in our funeral arrangement and planning guides to get the perfect choice on a pre-paid direct cremation plan.

Cremation services

At Gillotts we offer traditional cremation services in six different crematoria for you to choose from.

Cremation is today’s preferred choice, accounting for almost 70% of funerals. The main choice for those considering a cremation is choosing a crematorium, whether that decision is based on personal preference or the location.

Chapel facilities

In our local area, there are six crematoria in and around Nottingham and Derby. The six different crematoria have chapel facilities with computer-based music systems from which the funeral service’s music is played. However, an organ is available in certain chapels, and an arrangement could be made for the organs to be played if requested.

Some crematoria also have the facilities for the funeral service to be webcast, to allow those who cannot attend to watch the proceedings. Our crematoria options offer Chapel Services led by a religious minister or an independent celebrant, but the service can also be a short commitment if you wish to hold the funeral service in a different venue.

Gillotts Funeral Directors offer a wide range of options to choose from. Whether you are interested in traditional cremation service, burial or our direct cremation service, we are here to help.