Who is Funeral Care Direct?
Funeral Care Direct provides a simple direct cremation service that you can arrange online or over the phone. No funeral home visit is required. We promise a simple process, transparent prices, and exceptional care.
We offer the best value direct cremation service in England and Wales
What is direct cremation?
Direct cremation is the simplest funeral option, where the cremation takes place in the days immediately following the passing, and without a viewing or funeral service beforehand.
Is a funeral/memorial service included?
No, but many of our families will hold a memorial, service of thanksgiving or celebration of life service at a later date. By choosing a direct cremation provider like Funeral Care Direct you are able to arrange a much more personalised service for your loved one, and without the cost and time-pressure of a traditional funeral director.
How can you offer such affordable prices?
We have a different business model to traditional funeral directors. By offering one simple service that can be arranged online or over the phone, we don’t have the same high overheads. We don’t require expensive high street premises to provide a high-quality service.
How do you guarantee high-quality service?
Our team consists of highly experienced funeral professionals and Funeral Care Direct was born out of a traditional funeral director’s that was founded in 1930. We take great pride in offering services with respect dignity and exceptional care, to the same standards we have for the past 90 years.
What areas do you serve?
We currently serve the whole of Yorkshire. We want to ensure the families we serve are supported by our own staff and not rely upon third party companies to support us, as many of the other Direct Cremation companies do, nor do we want to transport the deceased from one end of the country to the other. Everyone who comes into our care is brought into care by our staff, they remain within Yorkshire whilst we care for them and the cremation will always be in Yorkshire.
Who do I contact if I have further questions?
Our Professional Care Team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by phone or email 0800 015 8080 of info@funeralcaredirect.co.uk
Time of need cremation (immediate or imminent need)
What do I do when a loved one dies?
This depends on a number of factors. If you call our Professional Care Team on 0800 015 8080 they’ll be able to help.
How do I go about registering a loved one’s death?
The Medical Examiner will generate a MCCD (Medical Certificate of Cause of Death) and send the document to the local Registry Office.
A family member either telephones or makes an appointment online to attend the local Registry Office to formally register the death. The registrar will already be in receipt of the MCCD and will provide the family member with documents, an Authority to Conduct a Cremation or Burial, known as the “Green Form” and the death certificate, the first certificate and subsequent copies cost £12.50 each.
The funeral director will contact the family to discuss the funeral arrangements and complete an Application for Cremation.
The funeral director will ensure the Green Form, and the Application for Cremation is received by the crematorium of choice in advance of the direct cremation.
If the coroner has ordered a post-mortem examination, the coroner will issue a Crem 6 document to the funeral director by email.
How is the final price I pay calculated?
The final price you pay is based on your requirements. You’ll never pay for what you don’t need, there are no hidden costs, and we promise never to upsell you. Our pricing model is very simple:
Base service price: £1,149.00
Add £250.00 if your loved one is at a private residence, hospice or care home, we’ll send additional staff to help bring your loved one into our care as there are no hospital or mortuary staff to assist.
Add £125.00 if your loved one is at a private residence, hospice or care home and we attend between the hours of 5.00pm and 09.00am Monday to Friday, or on Saturday, Sunday or Public Holidays.
When do I pay?
We will respond to your needs immediately, we will produce an estimate for the services you instruct us to perform and draft all of the documents to enable the cremation to proceed. We will provide you with an invoice for our services, this will need to be paid no later than 48 hours prior to your loved one being transferred to the crematorium.
Can I pay by debit or credit card?
We accept all major credit and debit cards, so yes it’s possible to pay for your loved one’s direct cremation in this way. Please call our Professional Care Team on 0800 015 8080 for further details or to make a payment.
Do you offer finance facilities?
We are able to provide finance for direct cremation through third-party finance companies. For further information our Professional Care Team will be able to assist you on 0800 015 8080.
Are there any grants or allowances available to help pay for the direct cremation?
The Department for Work and Pensions can assist in many circumstances. Our Professional Care Team can advise and guide you through the various options and assist you to secure the government funding. Please call 0800 015 8080 for assistance.
Where can I get the ashes returned to?
Families are welcome to visit one of our chapels to collect the ashes free of charge. If we return your loved one’s ashes to you personally by hand delivery, there will be a delivery fee of £75.00. If you choose to have the ashes delivered to you, we will contact you and one of our uniformed representatives will visit you at the appointed time to bring your loved one’s ashes to you.
We can return your loved one’s ashes to any postal address in Yorkshire. If you’d like to have them sent abroad, our Professional Care Team will be happy to advise. The laws on sending ashes to foreign countries vary.
How are the ashes packaged?
You’ll receive your loved one’s ashes back in a simple biodegradable ashes container.
How can I be certain that I get the correct ashes back?
This forms an important part of our care procedures. When your loved one is brought into our care, they are fitted with an identity bracelet and the ID is carried forward throughout each step of the process through to the final cremation and transferring of the ashes into the container that will be handed to you. You are guaranteed to receive your loved one’s ashes back.
When can I collect the ashes or have them delivered?
You are welcome to contact us at anytime to make an appointment to collect the ashes.
If you prefer to have the ashes delivered to you we will contact you in the days immediately following cremation, to make an appointment to visit you and personally deliver your loved one’s ashes.
Funeral Care Direct provides a simple direct cremation service that you can arrange online or over the phone. No funeral home visit is required. We promise a simple process, transparent prices, and exceptional care.
We offer the best value direct cremation service in England and Wales
Direct cremation is the simplest funeral option, where the cremation takes place in the days immediately following the passing, and without a viewing or funeral service beforehand.
When will my loved one’s ashes be hand-delivered?
We will contact you in the days immediately following cremation, to make an appointment to visit you and personally deliver your loved one’s ashes.
Does someone need to be present to take delivery?
Yes, an adult at the delivery address will need to be present with photo-identification to accept and sign for the ashes.
Pre-Paid Cremation
How do I know my money is safe?
We put your money into a whole of life insurance policy for safekeeping. We work with Ecclesiastical Planning Services (Hyperlink) who are a specialist provider of pre-paid funeral plans and part of Ecclesiastical a UK based financial services group which has been protecting people, property and funds since 1887. Ecclesiastical’s values of honesty, integrity, fairness and financial security mean that you are in safe hands. You may download a brochure from here.
What happens if I move?
If you move within England and Wales, you will continue to be covered by your pre-paid plan. If you move, we can transfer your Plan to another funeral director of your choosing. Just let us know if you move address.
What happens if I die outside your service area or overseas?
If you purchase travel insurance you may be fully covered anywhere in the world. Without travel protection, your family may have to pay domestic or international transport fees. We will charge these at cost.
Can I cancel my prepaid plan?
Yes. But when you cancel determines the level of refund you are eligible for. If you cancel within 30 days of purchase, you will receive a full refund. If you cancel after 30 days, it will only be a partial refund. All cancellations should be coordinated through Ecclesiastical Planning Services.
What does my family do when they require Funeral Care Direct’s services?
Your family simply calls our 24/7 Professional Care Team and we will help your family through the next steps.
Can I transfer to another provider?
Yes. Your money is kept in an insurance policy and can be transferred at anytime. We can’t however guarantee that other providers will honour the value that we offer.
Payment Plans
What if I’m partially through a payment plan and I stop paying?
The money you paid into the trust still belongs to you, even if you stop payments.
How is the price calculated?
You have the choice to either pay the full amount upfront, or to split the payment over 12, 24, 36, 48 or 60 months. If you choose to pay upfront, it is the same price every time. If you choose to split the payments over monthly payments, the price will depend based on your age. It is ultimately more expensive to pay in instalments due to greater costs in administering this type of plan. It is also possible to take out a plan where you can pay a lower monthly payment on a continuing basis up to your 90th birthday.
What happens if I pass before I have paid off my payment plan?
If you pass before you have paid all of the funds due on a payment plan running from between 12 – 60 months, your family may be required to provide additional funds to cover the cost of our services. The level of additional funds required depends on how far into your payment plan you are.
If you opt for the continuing monthly payment scheme and pass after month 13 but prior to paying off your plan in full, we will provide our services at no additional cost to your family.
Can I pay my payment plan off early?
Yes. You will need to contact our professional care team on 0800 015 8080 who will discuss how it will be possible to pay your plan off early.
Can I pay off the remaining balance at any time?
Yes. Please call our Professional Care Team on 0800 015 8080 and we can help you complete the final payment.
Can I put a partial amount as a down payment and then pay the remainder over time?
Yes, this is something you will need to discuss with our Professional Care Team on 0800 015 8080 who will provide a detailed quotation to ensure the proposal is right for you.
Can I pay by credit or debit card?
Yes, we are able to take payment for your pre-paid plan by most major credit and debit cards. Our Professional Care Team will be able to help you with this on 0800 015 8080.