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Cremation and Ash Interment in the United Kingdom
Understanding Cremation
Cremation is a method of body disposition that serves as an alternative to traditional burial in the United Kingdom. This process involves the incineration of the deceased's body at a high temperature until it is reduced to ashes, also known as cremains. It is widely chosen for various personal, environmental, and economic reasons. Approximately 75% of funerals in the UK result in cremation, making it a common choice for many families regardless of religious or cultural background.
The Cremation Process
The cremation process begins with the placement of the deceased in a cremation chamber, also known as a retort, where intense heat reduces the body to bone fragments over several hours. These fragments are then cooled and processed into finer particles, earning them the term 'ashes' or 'cremains.' Each cremation is individual, ensuring respect and integrity for the deceased's remains. The cremated remains are then placed in an urn selected by the family.
Options for Ash Interment
After cremation, families have several options for ash interment, allowing for personalisation in memorialisation. Ashes can be buried in a cemetery plot, placed in a columbarium, or scattered in a meaningful location. Some families choose memorial gardens in crematoria, where the ashes can be interred with a plaque or monument. Others opt for biodegradable urns that allow ashes to integrate naturally into the soil, contributing to a greener environment. Scattering laws in the UK permit ashes to be dispersed on private land with permission or in designated spaces in certain public parks and grounds.
Legal and Practical Considerations
In the UK, cremation is regulated to ensure respectful practice and public health standards. Families must obtain a cremation certificate and adhere to legal guidelines for ash handling and disposition. It is advisable to consult with local authorities or a funeral director to ensure compliance with any regional regulations, particularly concerning scattering ashes. Additionally, families should consider logistics such as the location, urn selection, and any memorial services planned, to create a fitting tribute for their loved one.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is cremation?
Cremation is the process of reducing a body to ashes through burning. It takes place in a specially designed furnace called a cremator at a crematorium.
Is cremation more affordable than burial in the UK?
Cremation often costs less than burial due to the lack of expenses such as purchasing a burial plot, headstone, and grave maintenance.
How long does the cremation process take?
The actual cremation process takes about 1.5 to 3 hours, but the entire service at the crematorium typically lasts around 45 minutes to an hour.
What are the environmental impacts of cremation?
Cremation can have environmental impacts due to CO2 emissions and the release of other pollutants; however, many crematoriums now use filtration systems to minimise this.
Can you keep the ashes at home in the UK?
Yes, you can legally keep the ashes at home, scatter them, or inter them in a cemetery or garden of remembrance.
Are you allowed to scatter ashes anywhere?
In the UK, you can scatter ashes on private land with the landowner's permission, and in public places like parks or the sea, as long as you follow local rules.
What are the options for interring ashes?
Ashes can be interred in a special section for cremated remains in a cemetery, in a churchyard, or in a garden of remembrance.
Do all religions allow cremation?
Views on cremation vary by religion. In the UK, many Christian denominations accept cremation, while traditional Judaism and Islam typically prefer burial.
Is it possible to have a religious service at the crematorium?
Yes, you can have a religious or non-religious service at the crematorium chapel before the cremation takes place.
How are ashes returned to the family?
After cremation, ashes are placed in a sealed container or urn and returned to the family by the funeral director or crematorium.
Can you personalise a cremation urn?
Yes, urns can be personalised in terms of design, material, size, and engraving, to reflect the personality of the deceased.
Is it possible to exhumate interred ashes?
Exhumation of ashes is possible but requires a license from the Ministry of Justice and permission from the relevant burial authority.
What should be done with remaining jewellery during cremation?
It is advised to remove any jewellery before cremation, but if left on, it will be melted down and cannot be recovered after the process.
Can cremation ashes be divided among family members?
Yes, ashes can be divided into several urns or keepsake containers to be shared among family members or friends.
How soon after the funeral can the cremation take place?
Cremation usually occurs a day or two after the funeral service, once all necessary paperwork is completed.
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