When you are in the middle of grief, the last thing you need is to feel unsure about what you have agreed to. There is already so much to think about after someone dies, and funeral arrangements often have to be made quickly, while you are still trying to take in what has happened. So when a recent ASA ruling about a Pure Cremation advert raised questions around how clearly direct cremation plans are explained, it touched on something that matters to a lot of people.
The ruling centred on the difference between an unattended cremation and an attended funeral service, and whether that difference had been made clear enough in the advert. It may seem like a small detail on paper, but in real life, it can change what someone expects from those final and important arrangements.
Direct cremation may be exactly what someone asked for, and it may suit a family who wants something simple, private or separate from a traditional funeral service. But whatever someone chooses, they should be able to understand what it is clearly, without feeling as though they have to work out the details for themselves.
What Happened with the ASA Ruling?
The Advertising Standards Authority, often shortened to the ASA, is the UK’s independent advertising regulator and its role is to look at adverts shown across UK media to make sure they follow the advertising rules. In this case, the ASA investigated a TV advert by Pure Cremation after 12 people complained that it made the company’s standard funeral plan look as though it included an attended service.
The advert showed a woman at home after a celebration for her dad. She spoke about him choosing a Pure Cremation funeral plan because he did not want money spent on a traditional funeral, and said the family had used some of the money saved to remember him in their own way.
But there were a few details in the advert that were highlighted as misleading. Since the woman described the cremation as proper and dignified, spoke about Pure having its own crematorium, and said his ashes were hand-delivered in an urn, it left some viewers thinking that the standard plan included more than an unattended cremation.
The advert did include small print explaining that Pure cremations do not include a ceremony at the crematorium, but the ASA felt this was not clear enough when looked at alongside the rest of the advert. It was ruled that the advert was likely to mislead viewers, as it did not make the difference between an unattended cremation and an attended funeral service clear enough. The advert was upheld and Pure Cremation has been told not to show it again in the same form.
Why Clarity Matters When Families Are Grieving
Most people only arrange a funeral a handful of times in their entire lives and it’s not something most of us grow up understanding, and it is certainly not something we spend our spare time researching. So when the time comes to make those decisions, many families are coming to it with very little knowledge of what different options involve.
It’s why clarity matters in the funeral industry. If someone chooses direct cremation, they deserve to know exactly what it includes and what it does not so they can make an informed decision.
The recent ASA ruling highlighted just how easy that confusion can be. To someone working within the funeral industry, the difference between an attended funeral service and an unattended cremation may seem obvious but to someone arranging a funeral for the first time, it may not be obvious at all.
And that is really the point at the heart of this conversation. Whether a family chooses a traditional funeral, direct cremation or something in between, they should never be left trying to piece together what is included after the decision has already been made. The information should be clear from the beginning, allowing people to choose the option that best reflects the person they are saying goodbye to.
The Difference Between a Cremation and a Goodbye
For most of us, when we think of a funeral, we think of a room filled with people, stories being shared, and details chosen carefully to reflect the person who has died, whether that is music, colours, flowers or something else that felt like them. That’s why it can be helpful to think of a cremation and a goodbye as two separate things.
A cremation is the process that takes place after someone has died while the goodbye is the way family and friends choose to remember and celebrate that person’s life. In many cases those things happen together, but they don’t always have to.
A traditional funeral service will often bring everything together on the same day, with family and friends gathering before the burial or cremation takes place. Direct cremation works differently, with the cremation taking place first and any remembrance, gathering or celebration happening separately if the family wishes.
Direct cremation will usually include:
- Collection and care of the person who has died
- The cremation itself taking place without mourners present
- The ashes being returned to the family afterwards
- Depending on the provider and plan chosen, it may not include:
- A funeral service at the crematorium
- Family and friends attending the cremation
- Music, readings or tributes during the cremation
This is why it is always worth checking the details of any funeral plan carefully, as services can vary between providers and not every direct cremation package includes the same things.
Questions To Ask Before Choosing a Direct Cremation Plan
Direct cremation plans can vary between providers, so before making a decision, it can help to ask any questions you have and make sure you understand what the plan includes. If you are considering direct cremation yourself, these are a few things you may want to ask.
Can family attend the cremation?
In most cases, direct cremation takes place without family or friends present, which is one of the main differences between direct cremation and a traditional funeral service. Some providers may offer attended options or private farewells as an additional service, so make sure you ask what is available with the plan you are looking at.
Is a service included with a direct cremation?
Some plans cover the cremation itself but do not include a funeral service, while others may give you the option to add a service at an additional cost. It is better to ask this clearly at the beginning than assume a service forms part of the arrangement.
Where does the cremation take place?
The cremation may take place at the provider’s own crematorium or at a third-party crematorium they work with. If the location matters to you, ask where the cremation will happen and whether you have any choice over the crematorium used.
What happens to the ashes afterwards?
Most direct cremation providers will return the ashes to the family after the cremation has taken place, but the process can differ. Some providers hand-deliver ashes, while others may use a courier service or arrange collection.
Can we hold a memorial or celebration of life afterwards?
Yes, of course. You can arrange your own memorial gathering or informal get-together days, weeks or even months after the cremation. This is one of the reasons people choose direct cremation in the first place, as it gives family and friends the freedom to organise something in their own time, rather than being tied to a specific date or place.
Are there any additional costs?
If certain details matter to you, such as an attended farewell, a specific crematorium, upgraded ashes container or other personal touches, ask whether these are included in the price or charged separately. Knowing the full cost early on can help you compare providers more fairly and avoid being caught out later.
How Families Can Create Meaning Before & After a Direct Cremation
Choosing direct cremation does not mean the person’s life goes unmarked. Instead, it allows the family to choose how and when they do that in their own time. It can be done in whatever way feels best suited to you and your loved one.
That might mean:
- Inviting close relatives over for food and a few hours together
- Putting photographs, cards or old letters somewhere everyone can look through them
- Playing the songs they loved at home, in the garden or somewhere that meant something to them
- Scattering ashes in a place the family can return to
- Writing down the things people wish they could still tell them
- Keeping ashes safely at home in an urn
- Planting flowers, a tree or something that can be visited over time
- Creating a piece of memorial jewellery from their ashes, handwriting, fingerprint or photograph
Memorial jewellery can feel especially personal after a direct cremation because it gives the family another way to keep part of that person’s story with them after the cremation has taken place. Ashes can be set into jewellery, handwriting can be engraved from an old card or letter, fingerprints can be added to necklaces, rings and charms, and photographs can be turned into pieces that are worn or kept close.
These pieces are not there to replace a funeral or a goodbye, but they can become part of how someone remembers and carries their loved one with them into the future.
Every Family Deserves to Make an Informed Choice
If the recent ASA ruling makes anything clear, it is that clarity in the funeral and memorial space means everything. People should not have to guess what is included or what happens next when they’re saying goodbye to someone they love.
It’s also why clarity is at the heart of everything we do at Inscripture. We know how much these memorial keepsakes mean, and we know the details used to create them deserve to be cared for properly at every stage. From our Ashes Safeguard Promise to our Certificate of Authenticity, every part of our process has been put in place to give families the reassurance they deserve.
