The important choice between burial and cremation can be based on a number of factors: personal preference, family tradition, religious belief or otherwise.
If it is a matter on which you are undecided, the following pieces of information may be of assistance:
• The majority (70%) of British people are cremated
• A single cremation uses more gas than the average household does in one year
• Much of the mercury in the atmosphere comes from deceased people’s fillings
• A cremation does not have to be a final act; there will be cremated remains to be dealt with and whole host of options for commemoration
• Cremation is not necessarily cheaper than burial
• The coffin is always cremated with the body
• Cremated remains are barren and do not fertilise the ground
• You are not confined to the crematorium chapel time slots for a service
• Crematoria welcome questions and have a Code of Practice which is available upon request
• There does not have to have a religious service prior to burial or cremation
• You do not have to be buried in consecrated ground
• Human remains are protected by law and cannot be disturbed without a Home Office License. This rule applies irrespective of local church/cemetery regulations
• Any memorial is likely to be the family’s responsibility
• Maintenance of the burial ground area is usually the responsibility of the church/cemetery
• The human body, like any living creature, is organic and returns nutrients to the ground
• Rather than being a waste of land, burial grounds are deemed to preserve the ‘openness’ of the countryside; modern cemeteries often make use of under utilised land on the edge of conurbations and encourage planting rather than large amounts of memorial stone.
You may like to consider woodland burial or even burial at sea. If you are undecided or unsure on this important matter please do not hesitate to ask us any question that you have.