Cremation

Most popular funerals

Which Service Is Right For You

There are no ‘rules’ for funeral arrangements, but instead, you can choose the type of funeral ceremony you would like. We emphasise our company slogan “for every life is unique, so is every funeral and are proud to be a genuinely Independent business.

 Families choose Yorkshire Cremation because

• All staff are fully qualified funeral directors Dip. FD - Dip,FS - MBIE
• Every detail is taken care of
• Personal attention
• We listen and respect your requirements 
• Our team is professionally trained to offer guidance and support 
• You will receive the highest possible standard of care
• Recommendations
• Five star rated
• No hidden fees
• Members of the National Association of Funeral Directors  
• Every family we serve is treated like our own family

We can provide completely bespoke services, being responsive to individual needs, whether it’s a traditional cremation or burial, which may be led by Minister, or a more alternative funeral service, that may be led by one of our trained celebrants – where the emphasis is more on the ‘celebration of life’. Or indeed it might be that your loved one has stated that they wish to avoid all the fuss and opt instead for a less expensive approach, for example our straightforward, no-fuss and low cost ‘direct cremation’ or ‘direct to grave’, or somewhere in the middle perhaps!

We will always present you with choices, and we certainly will never recommend the expensive coffins or flower arrangements either! We can help guide you to consider the various choices available, without being rushed and without over-spending.

Cremations are now the most popular form of funeral. Most people will want a ceremony at the crematorium – using their chapel – but you can also hold the service in a church or other venue of your choice prior to the cremation. It is entirely up to you if you want the service to be religious or non-religious. A religious service will be conducted by an ordained minister or clergy from a specific faith or religion whereas a non-religious ceremony can have a civil celebrant or officiant from the humanist society.

Unless you have asked for extra time for your service, a cremation funeral service usually lasts 20 minutes. The service can include a number of hymns or non-religious songs that mean something to you, eulogies and readings. At the end of the service you can chose to have the curtains open or closed for mourners to pay their final respects before the cremation.

Most crematoriums are able to return a loved one’s ashes one working day after the cremation, and sometimes even the same day. At this stage you can think about what you would like to do with the ashes.

Direct Cremation, often known as Non-attended Cremation or Pure Cremation, has become more common in recent years.  This may be for personal, financial or religious reasons.  Often it is simply because someone does not want what they consider to be a "fuss" around their funeral.  It may be that family wish to sperate the funeral ceremony or celebration of life from the actual time and place of cremation. 

At Yorkshire cremations, we were early to see this change and have always provided a cost effective simple cremation service for those who wish direct cremation. There is of course no legal requirement to have any funeral ceremony.  For some families it is a way to separate the practical role of cremation, perhaps from a family farewell on another occasion in a suitable location. 

Upon request from our client, direct cremation involves our transferring someone from their place of death to our funeral home, care and dressing, documentation for the crematorium, advice on registration, provision of a simple coffin and transfer to York or Leeds Crematorium at the appointed time.  Cremated remains (ashes) can be available from the following day either from the crematorium, one of our offices or as otherwise arranged.  All aspects of this service are provided with all our usual levels of care and dignity using our regular vehicle fleet and mortuary facilities here in York. 

Should you wish to choose an urn, casket, scatter tube, or "ashes into glass" item for the ashes, we can arrange this. 

Some points we feel are important about our approach to direct cremation and the service we offer. 

1.  We carry out all our cremations here locally at York and Leeds Crematorium,  This may not be the case with some nationally advertised providers.  We can have ashes available from the following day onwards. 

2.  We will tell you when the cremation is due to take place.  Family may well wish even to pause and take time to reflect at the agreed time, even though no funeral ceremony is being held. 

3.  Although you may not wish any ceremony, it can be particularly important for family to have an opportunity to say their own goodbye at our funeral home / rest rooms if this is agreed. 

4.  You may still have some personal wishes.  Perhaps to be dressed in your own clothes, choosing a specific coffin, taken on a specific route to the crematorium, remain in the family home for a time, or anything else that is important to you.
 

5.  As local funeral directors, we provide a full 24 hour service.  Should you pass away at home, perhaps at night or the weekend, a firm providing direct cremation but not operating in Yorkshire is unlikely to be able to respond and remove you from your home.

6.  If at any point during the arranging process you feel that Direct Cremation is not the right option, you are free to ask us to change arrangements should you wish.
 

To arrange a direct cremation, the death must be registered in the usual way.  We can meet you by appointment in our office to complete the cremation application document and discuss any other wishes you have. Should you so wish, the cremation application form can be posted or emailed for your completion, signatures and return to us. 

Our standard at need direct-cremation fee is from £1,425.00  This includes the crematorium charge, provision of a simple coffin, documentation, care and transfer of deceased.  Where viewing, out of hours response or any other variations are required, we will advise of any cost implications.  We ask that all direct cremation services are paid for in advance of final confirmation. 

On the day of the funeral, the deceased will be transported to Leeds crematorium with a Funeral director with pallbearers accompanying them on their final journey. This normally takes place between 8:30am - 9:00am on a day of our choosing.  An unattended cremation has no formal funeral service and is usually unattended leaving you to say goodbye to your loved one in your own way rather than with a traditional funeral ceremony and mourners present at the crematorium.

With an unattended cremation you can still have a private memorial service or celebration of life that you feel best reflects the wishes of your loved one at an alternative or unusual venue before or after the cremation takes place.

                                            We choose to charge less so you can do more for your loved one