Funeral Consultant at Memoria Funerals
Funeral Operations Manager at Memoria Funerals
There is no single way to say goodbye. The right choice depends on what matters most to the person who has died and the family they leave behind. Some people want a full service with family and friends gathered together, while others prefer a simple, private farewell with no ceremony at all.
Understanding the funeral options available can make a difficult time a little easier, whether you are arranging a funeral for someone you love or planning ahead for yourself.
In the UK, most funeral options fall into two broad categories: cremation or burial. Within each, you can choose for it to be attended or unattended i.e. with a service at the crematorium or direct, with no service. There are also other types that fall outside of these categories, and it’s good to know what options are available beyond the traditional.
The main types of funeral in the UK are:
Each of these can be adapted, so two funerals of the same “type” can feel very different. The right choice usually comes down to what the person would have wanted, what brings comfort to those left behind, and the budget available.
An attended funeral or cremation is what most people picture, with mourners gathering for a service before the cremation or burial takes place.
An unattended funeral or direct cremation happens privately, with no service and no mourners present.
Choosing an unattended funeral or a direct cremation does not mean there is no goodbye. Many families hold their own memorial or celebration of life at a later date, in a place and style that suits them.
You can see the differences between direct and attended cremations in our comparison guide.
An attended cremation includes a funeral service at the crematorium, with family and friends present. The service can be religious, non-religious or a mix of both, and can include music, readings, photographs and personal tributes.
Afterwards, the ashes are returned to the family, who may keep them, scatter them or inter them (place them in a permanent resting place) in a memorial garden.
This is the most common type of funeral in the UK. 74% of all funerals involve cremation rather than burial*, and the majority of those include a service at the crematorium.
Attended cremations range from short, simple services with a small number of mourners to full celebrations of life with no limit on who can attend. Some providers offer a simpler version of this, sometimes called a simple attended cremation, which is a brief committal service for a small group.
A direct cremation is a cremation without a funeral service. There are no mourners present, no procession and no ceremony. The person is collected and cared for by the funeral provider, the cremation takes place at a time set by the crematorium, and the ashes are then returned to the family or scattered in a memorial garden.
You can read more in our guide to what direct cremation is and how it works.
Burial remains an important choice for many families, particularly for religious or personal reasons.
A traditional burial usually involves a funeral service, either at a place of worship, a cemetery chapel or the graveside, followed by the burial itself.
Families can mark the grave with a headstone and have a permanent place to visit. Burial tends to cost more than cremation, largely because of the price of the burial plot, which varies between regions.
A direct burial follows the same principle as a direct cremation. The burial takes place without a funeral service or mourners present. It is less common than direct cremation, but it offers a simpler, more affordable alternative for those who want a burial without a ceremony.
Woodland burials, sometimes called natural or green burials, take place in dedicated natural burial grounds, such as meadows or woodland.
Natural burial appeals to people who want a minimal environmental footprint. It avoids the use of embalming chemicals, non-biodegradable materials, and the energy consumption associated with cremation.
Coffins are made from biodegradable materials like wicker, bamboo or cardboard, and graves are usually marked with a tree, wildflowers or a simple wooden plaque rather than a headstone.
At a woodland burial, the service is often held outdoors at the graveside, and families can usually personalise it as they wish.
Any of the funeral types above can be shaped around religion.
A religious funeral follows the customs of a particular faith, whether Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist or another tradition. These often take place in a place of worship and may have specific requirements around timing, burial or cremation, and the format of the service.
A non-religious funeral does not include prayers, hymns, or references to faith. These services have become increasingly common as the proportion of the population identifying as non-religious has grown.
A humanist funeral is a common form of non-religious funeral, led by a trained celebrant and centred on the person’s life.
Many families also choose a semi-religious approach, such as a largely personal service that includes a hymn or a prayer.
A celebration of life is a gathering that focuses on remembering and celebrating the person.
Celebrations of life tend to feel more uplifting than traditional services. Families might choose favourite music, colourful clothing instead of black, personal tributes, or a venue that meant something to the person. Because there are no rules, it can be as big or as small, and as formal or informal, as feels right.
Some families want a farewell that reflects who the person really was, and choose an alternative funeral outside the more common routes.
Burial at sea is possible but rare. It requires a license and has to be held at a designated coastal site.
Some people choose to donate their body to medical science, which is arranged directly with a medical school in advance, and the school usually arranges a cremation afterwards.
Themed funerals, built around a passion such as football or music, are a growing choice too.
Newer methods such as water cremation (also known as alkaline hydrolysis or resomation) are not yet widely available in the UK. Scotland became the first part of the UK to legalise the process in 2026.
A memorial service is held without the body or ashes present. It can take place days, weeks, or even months after the death. This makes it a popular choice for families who choose a direct cremation first and then hold a gathering later.
The format is entirely flexible. A memorial could be a formal event in a church or function room, a casual gathering at someone’s home, or an outdoor event at a place that was meaningful to the person who has died. There are no rules about timing, location, or structure.
For many, the separation of the cremation from the farewell is a benefit rather than a compromise. It removes the time pressure and gives the family space to plan something personal when they feel ready.
Cost varies widely by funeral type. A direct cremation is the most affordable option at an average of £1,628*, while a traditional attended burial, usually the most expensive option, averages £5,410.*
Extras such as hearses, limousines, officiants and a wake can all increase the overall price.
For a full breakdown, see our guide on how much does a funeral cost?
Start with what you know about the person. Any wishes they shared, a will, or a prepaid funeral plan should guide the arrangements. If nothing was set out, it helps to think about a few questions:
If you already know which type of funeral you would want, a prepaid funeral plan lets you set your wishes in advance and fix the cost of the services included at today’s prices.
Our Direct Cremation Plan, Personal Plan and Celebration of Life Plan cover the main cremation options in this guide.
If you need to arrange a funeral for someone now, visit our arrange a funeral page and our team will guide you through every step.
There is no right or wrong answer, only the one that brings your family the most comfort. If it would help to talk anything through, call Memoria Funerals free on 0800 007 3620, with no pressure or obligation to buy.
For more information, see our guide on how to choose the right funeral plan.
Whether you are looking for an attended service or a direct cremation, Memoria Funerals can help. We hold a Trustpilot rating of 4.9 from over 4,100 reviews.
Memoria offers three prepaid funeral plans, each designed to fix the cost at today’s price and remove the financial burden from your family when the time comes:
| Plan | Price from | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Direct Cremation Plan | £1,595 | A simple cremation with no service and no mourners present. |
| Personal Plan | £2,495 | A cremation with a service for a small gathering of your closest family and friends, and at an off-peak time to be more cost-efficient. |
| Celebration of Life Plan | £3,095 | The perfect choice for those who want a personalised funeral with a service, at any time of day, at any crematorium in mainland UK, without any restriction on the number of people who can attend. |
If someone has already died and you need to arrange a funeral now, Memoria Funerals offer at-need services starting from £1,195 for a direct cremation.
All Memoria crematoria accommodate funeral services for people of all faiths. Read more in our guide to religious funerals at Memoria crematoria.
No, the body must be either buried or cremated, but there is no legal requirement to hold a funeral service or ceremony. If you do not want a funeral service, a direct cremation or direct burial takes place without one, and many families choose to hold their own gathering to remember or celebrate the person who has passed away separately.
A funeral takes place with the body or coffin present and usually leads to burial or cremation. A memorial service is held without the body present and can take place at any time after the death. Many families combine a direct cremation with a memorial service at a later date.
A direct cremation is generally the most affordable type of funeral. There is no service, no procession and no mourners present, so there is less to organise, and the costs associated with a service, such as the hearse, limousines and officiant, are removed.
Yes. Non-religious and humanist funerals are increasingly popular. These focus on the life of the person who has died, with readings, music, and personal tributes. A trained celebrant can lead the service, or a family member can take the lead. There are no fixed rules about format or content.
A celebration of life is a funeral or memorial event that focuses on positive memories and the personality of the person who has died, rather than on grief and loss. It is often less formal than a traditional funeral. Guests may wear bright colours, share stories, and listen to the person’s favourite music.
A humanist funeral is a non-religious ceremony led by a trained humanist celebrant. Instead of hymns and prayers, the service centres on the person’s life, character and relationships, with personal tributes, music and readings chosen by the family. It can be held at a crematorium, a burial ground or another venue.
Yes. Many families who choose direct cremation hold a memorial or celebration of life afterwards. This can take any form you like, from scattering the ashes somewhere meaningful with close family to a larger gathering at a favourite venue, and there is no time pressure to arrange it.
*Industry statistics sourced from the SunLife Cost of Dying Report 2026 (www.sunlife.co.uk/funeral-costs).
Last updated: July 2026
