Why choose an unattended funeral?

We aim to make every funeral as unique as the person it’s for, so we understand that sometimes a service isn’t a preferred send-off. Our unattended funerals offer a modern, fuss-free alternative to a traditional funeral.

An unattended funeral is a cremation or burial without a service, allowing you to focus on your own way to remember and celebrate the life of your loved one.

For unattended burials, our dedicated, highly trained colleagues offer dignified, respectful care for your loved one at every step. We’ll take care of all the necessary arrangements for the burial, aside from any third-party costs which includes the purchase of the grave.

Unattended cremations, also referred to as pure or direct cremations, cost less than burials, as they don’t require a burial plot. So, if you’ve a budget in mind, a pure cremation is the cheaper option for a funeral.

We hold our direct cremations in our crematorium at Bretby, so we can guarantee the standard of service and care throughout. Unlike other providers, we care for people in our funeral homes until it’s time for them to go the crematorium, and we always take people through the service rooms, say their name out loud and bow before they go through the curtains.

Although direct cremations became a more consistent option during the Covid pandemic out of necessity, they continue to be a popular choice. According to SunLife, 20% of UK funerals were a direct cremation in 2023, increasing by 2% on the previous year.

Although pure cremations are less expensive than other funeral services, this isn’t necessarily the driving force for its increase. Both John Lennon and David Bowie had simple direct cremations, to ‘go without any fuss’. Having an unattended funeral gives friends and family the opportunity to pay their respects in their own way and in their own time.

If you’re undecided between a cremation or burial, we have helpful advice which can help you to decide which is best for you.

If you’d like to find out more about the services we provide, you can find a guide to funeral options here, along with lots more useful brochures.

And if you wish to buy a funeral plan with our partner, Central Co-op Funeral Plans*, whether it’s for an unattended funeral or a more traditional service, you can find out more here.

*Central Co-op Funeral Plans is a trading name of Central England Co-operative Funeral Plans Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Central England Co-operative Funeral Plans is registered on the Financial Services Register under number 963168. Registered Address: Central House, Queen Street, Lichfield, WS13 6QD. Telephone: 01543 414140. Calls may be recorded for monitoring and quality purposes.