Britons are being urged to scrutinise the small print when arranging funeral plans to prevent loved ones being transported vast distances and held in large-scale mortuaries. Funeral provider Simplicity Cremations says families should not have to settle for care far from home or surrender control over the cremation location merely to reduce expenses.
The appeal follows claims by Simplicity Cremations that some firms are moving bodies hundreds of miles to be kept in mass mortuaries. The company is encouraging anyone purchasing a funeral plan to pose three straightforward questions, and is urging those who have already arranged a plan to put the same questions to their provider.
What to ask your funeral provider
Simplicity Cremations is also recommending people verify whether their arrangements still align with their wishes, particularly regarding local care, crematorium selection and the opportunity for relatives to pay their respects.
The company has now introduced a new plan prioritising care close to home called The Simple Celebration. It expands upon the original direct cremation service by offering families the opportunity to gather for a brief, personal farewell as well.
The Simple Celebration plan
The plan includes a separate 20-minute, family-led celebration with the coffin present, accommodating up to 25 guests with music, readings and tributes. Through the Life Services Group's network of 545 funeral directors, 200 care centres and 45 crematoria, families also maintain care close to home and retain choice of crematorium.
The introduction comes after discoveries disclosed in Simplicity's Great British Send-Off Report, which revealed that 71% of Britons desire greater choice beyond the two arrangements most are familiar with - an unattended direct cremation or a complete traditional funeral. The study discovered that a third (33%) would opt for a brief, family-led celebration such as Simplicity's new offering, rather than a traditional funeral (24%) or an unattended direct cremation (19%).
Industry response
Being part of the Life Services Group, Simplicity Cremations states it has access to one of Britain's most extensive crematorium networks, enabling it to manage every aspect of the procedure and deliver care locally.
Zack Sullivan, Managing Director of Simplicity Cremations, said: "Direct cremation helped make funerals more affordable. Its next chapter should give people more control. Affordability shouldn't come at the expense of choice, connection or the chance to say goodbye. Some people want an unattended cremation, and that choice should be respected."
"Others want a few people together, a favourite song and the chance to say something about the person they love. The Simple Celebration gives them that without losing local care. Someone may spend their whole life in one community. Their final journey should still feel connected to it. These are the details that matter most when someone dies, so they should be clear when the plan is bought, not discovered when it's needed."
