Exploring Alternative Funeral Choices
In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the UK towards more personal, meaningful, and environmentally-friendly funeral options. Traditional funerals, with their emphasis on embalming, elaborate caskets, and cemetery burials, are increasingly being reconsidered. Many are now exploring alternatives that reflect a more personal ethos, potentially reduce costs, and are kinder to the planet. Here, we delve into options such as home funerals, natural burials, and cremation, comparing their costs and environmental considerations.
Home Funerals
What they are:
Home funerals allow families to care for the deceased, including washing and dressing the body, holding a vigil, all within the comfort of their own home providing they have followed all the legal procedures for registering the death, a person can be buried at home or on private land. This practice offers a deeply personal and intimate way to say goodbye. There are a few legal requirements for home burials but we can advise you on these.
Costs:
Conducting a funeral at home can significantly reduce expenses. Without the need for professional funeral services, costs can be limited to basic legal requirements, a coffin (or alternative), and burial or cremation fees. However, it’s essential to consult with a funeral professional to ensure all legalities are observed.
Environmental considerations:
Home funerals can be more environmentally friendly, especially if combined with natural burial. The absence of chemical embalming and the potential use of biodegradable coffins or shrouds reduce the environmental impact.
Natural Burials
What they are:
Natural burials involve burying the body in a way that allows it to decompose naturally, without embalming fluids, and often in a biodegradable coffin or shroud. These burials usually take place in a woodland or meadow, specially designated for this purpose.
Costs:
The cost of a natural burial can vary but is often comparable to, or slightly cheaper than traditional burials. Expenses include the purchase of a plot in a natural burial ground and the cost of a biodegradable coffin or shroud.
Environmental considerations:
Natural burials are considered highly environmentally friendly. They encourage the growth of native flora and fauna, do not use polluting chemicals, and conserve natural landscapes.
Cremation
What it is:
Cremation is the process of reducing the body to ashes using high heat. It is a popular choice for its simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and flexibility in memorial options post-cremation.
Costs:
Cremation is generally less expensive than traditional burial, with costs including the cremation process and any chosen urn or memorial. Direct cremation, where there is no service before the cremation, offers the lowest cost option. The adverts for Pure Cremation are prime time viewing on TV but check with your local independent funeral director as their prices are often much lower, plus your loved one is not driven halfway around the country.
Environmental considerations:
Traditional cremation uses fossil fuels and releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. However, modern crematoriums in the UK are increasingly adopting greener technologies to reduce emissions. Furthermore, ashes can be scattered in a favourite place, buried in a biodegradable urn, or even used to grow a memorial tree, offering environmentally conscious memorial options.
The landscape of funeral choices in the UK is evolving, with more people seeking alternatives that offer personal significance, cost savings, and reduced environmental impact. Whether it’s a home funeral, natural burial, or cremation, each option offers unique benefits and considerations. As our society continues to embrace diverse and meaningful ways to say goodbye, these alternative funeral choices offer a way to honour our loved ones in alignment with our values and beliefs.