Aura Funerals Review: An Honest and Detailed Direct Cremation Review
An Honest and Detailed Aura Funerals Review
As part of our commitment to helping families understand their choices, we have thoroughly researched the Direct Cremation market. This detailed Simplicity Cremations review will help you understand if the service Simplicity supply is the right choice for you and your lost one.
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Aura Funerals & Cremations Overview
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Simple & affordable – If you are looking for a simple, affordable funeral option offered within a wider network of support, then you may like to consider Aura as your funeral provider.
End of life services beyond cremation – Aura was founded in 2019 with the aim of making end of life affairs a more open, approachable subject for discussion. As such, Aura offers far more than just a funeral service. Through their “Aura Angels” and the “Aura Circle”, you can receive the support of a wide number of end of life services, from planning and legacy facilities through to bereavement support and help with organising a celebration of life.
Low cost – The starting price for an Aura funeral service is a modest £995, covering the majority of services required for a direct cremation funeral – including the removal of medical devices and delivery of the ashes (within twenty-one days).
Added extras – For additional prices, there are also two options to attend the cremation: an Intimate Farewell for up to twelve mourners, or a Crematorium Ceremony for a more extensive service. Offering a choice of up to eighty crematoria, Aura should be able to assure you a relatively local service.
Aura partners with Distinct Cremations to provide its direct cremation funeral service, a funeral provider which has earned an impressive reputation for its customer service.
Aura Funeral Cost
What’s Included in the £995 Aura Direct Cremation Funeral?
Aura will provide the following services in their single, direct cremation funeral. Everything indicated is included in the headline price, with no additional charges.
Paid Extras Include
**Price is dependent upon the number of mourners, please see further details below.
THINGS TO REMEMBER ABOUT YOUR CREMATION SERVICE
1.Aura will arrange for hand delivery of the ashes within twenty-one days following the cremation. You will need to bear this timescale in mind if you wish to have the ashes present at a separate memorial service of your choosing.
2. Aura offers two options to attend the cremation for additional fees. The simplest option, for up to twelve mourners, is an “Intimate Farewell”, or you can host a “Crematorium Ceremony” inviting as many mourners as you wish.
3. Even if you opt for an unattended cremation service, Aura offers you the opportunity to have a piece of music of your choice played as the deceased is brought through the crematorium’s chapel. The chapel attendants may also say a few words in memory of the deceased before the cremation takes place. Most other providers do not offer this service for unattended cremations.
4. The ashes will be returned in a scatter tube designed for easy access either for scattering or for transfer to a more permanent urn.
5. Payment for the cremation service will be due in full at the time of making the funeral arrangements – there is no credit option or payment plan available. This is in line with the service offered by most other providers.
Aura Cremations Vs Simplicity Vs Pure Cremation
Here’s how the Aura Direct Cremation Funeral Service compares to direct cremations offered by a selection of other providers:
| SERVICE |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LIST PRICE | £995 | £995 | £1,295 | £795 | £995 | £895 |
| AREA | GB | GB | UK | GB | GB | GB |
| HOSPITAL/PUBLIC MORTUARY COLLECTION | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS / CARE HOME COLLECTION | £195 | £250 | £250 | £250 | yes | £200 |
| OUT-OF-HOURS COLLECTION | £195 | £195 | £250 | £250 | ? | £250 |
| DOCTORS FEE | £82 | yes | yes | £82 | £82 | £82 |
| DRESS THE DECEASED | Simple gown | Simple Gown | only clothing worn by the deceased at time of collection | Simple Gown | Simple Gown | only clothing worn by the deceased at time of collection |
| OPTION FOR OWN CLOTHES | yes | No | They will drape clothes over the body but not dress them | £50 | No | yes |
| REMOVAL OF MEDICAL DEVICES | yes | Subject to details | yes | yes | ? | yes |
| REMOVAL OF JEWELLERY | yes | no | yes | no | ? | £50 |
| COFFIN | Wood effect | Dark Wood Effect | solid wood | Medium Density Fibreboard | Basic | Veneer Chipboard |
| MAX. TIME BETWEEN COLLECTION & CREMATION | unspecified | ‘within a few days’ | 14 days | Unspecified | Unspecified | Unspecified |
| OPTION TO ATTEND | £400-£1000 | £400-£900 | £250-£400 | no | no | £300 |
| OPTION TO BE INFORMED OF CREMATION DATE | yes | no | Yes | yes | no | yes |
| CHOICE OF CREMATORIUM | with attended option only | attended only option | No | Fee depends on location | no | Attended option only |
| DELIVERY OF ASHES | yes | £75 | Yes | £100 | £50 to funeral home | yes |
| MAX. TIME FOR ASHES DELIVERY AFTER CREMATION | 21 days | 28 days | 21 days | 28 days | 21 days | 14 days |
Closest Competitor Service
Below we have listed the closest comparable product to the direct cremation service offered by Aura Cremation
| Competitor | Farewill Cremations |
| Service | Each is a relatively new company specialising in an array of end of life services in addition to Direct Cremation funerals eg Farewill: will writing and probate & Aura: legacy facilities, bereavement support, celebration of life planning |
| Difference | Farewill is quite a bit cheaper, but the charges for extras are higher and they don’t include free delivery of the ashes Aura has an option to attend, Farewill does not |
| Review | Read our Farewill DirectCremations Review |
Aura Cremation Customer Reviews
Below are the awards, customer reviews and our opinion of the Simplicity Cremation offering
Aura has earned 4.5 out of a possible 5.0 star rating on Trustpilot, with not a single negative review recorded. However, to date, the number of reviews is relatively small.
Note also that some of the reviews will refer to Aura’s other end-of-life services in addition to the direct cremation.
On the other hand, Aura may be less suitable if:
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there an Aura Paper Brochure Available?
Aura offers a brochure downloadable in PDF from their website. We recommend that you view the brochure as it offers a little more information than is available on the website.
How do I Purchase an Aura Direct Cremation Funeral?
A direct cremation funeral can be purchased by phone after the death of the deceased.
What Type of Coffin does Aura provide?
A high quality, wood-effect coffin is supplied with Aura cremation services.
What Happens to Medical Devices and Jewellery?
Removal of medical devices is included in the cost of caring for the deceased.
Jewellery and other valuables can either remain with the deceased or be returned with delivery of the ashes at no extra charge.
Can I Choose where the Cremation Takes Place?
If you opt for an unattended cremation, you will not be offered a choice as to where the cremation takes place.
If you opt for either an Intimate Farewell or a Crematorium Ceremony you can choose from up to eighty partner crematoriums around the country, a full list of which is available in Aura’s PDF brochure.
Will Aura Tell me the Date of Cremation?
You have the option to be told of the date of cremation if you are purchasing a direct cremation funeral.
How Can I Pay for My Aura Funeral?
Full payment can be made by debit or credit card at the time of booking the funeral arrangements.
Are Special Offers or Aura Discounts Available?
Aura does not appear to be running any promotional offers at this time, nor do they offer discounts to selected groups.
They have, however, published a number of articles on financial matters at the time of death, while the “Aura Circle” should be able to offer you further advice and support.
How do I Make Enquiries?
Enquiries can be made by email or by phone. There are also online contact and online chat options available.
To arrange a direct cremation funeral twenty-four hours, seven days a week, their free-phone number is 0808 239 8898. For all other enquiries, lines are staffed from Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm.
Aura’s email address is hello@aura.life.
The company also has a social media presence on Twitter and Facebook, but it’s not clear if these accounts are monitored for the purpose of making enquiries.
Can Aura Take Over from Another Funeral Director?
Aura should be able to take over arrangements made with another funeral director, although there may be an additional cost involved depending upon the precise circumstances.
Are there any Hidden Costs?
An Aura direct cremation funeral should cover the majority of cremation services between collection of the deceased and delivery of the ashes. However, additional provision will need to be made for contingencies such as doctors’ fees and collection of the deceased from a private residence.
Are they Eco-Friendly?
Aura offers very little direct information concerning their green credentials.
However, their partner for providing the direct cremation service is Distinct Cremations, a part of the Westerleigh Group, which publishes information on the environmental impact of their network of crematoria.
According to a press release, Westerleigh was the first cremation authority in the UK to officially adopt the new Environmental Policy Statement introduced by the Federation of Burial and Cremation Authorities (FBCA) in 2021.
Who Owns Aura?
Founded in 2019, Aura is a UK private limited company owned by a large number of small investors. The founder serves as chairman of the company.
The cremation service is provided by Distinct Cremations, part of the Westerleigh Group.
Which Crematoriums does Aura Use?
| Scotland | North England |
| Borders Crematorium | Carlisle Crematorium |
| Clyde Coast & Garnock Valley Crematorium | Darlington Crematorium |
| Edinburgh Crematorium | Distington Hall Crematorium |
| Glasgow Crematorium | Durham Crematorium |
| Inverness Crematorium | Newcastle West Road Crematorium |
| Kirkcaldy Crematorium | Scarborough – Woodlands Crematorium |
| Perth Crematorium | Stockton Crematorium |
| Stirling Crematorium | Sunderland Crematorium |
| West Lothian Crematorium | Thorncliffe Crematorium |
| York Crematorium | |
| Central England | |
| Babworth Crematorium | Midlands |
| Bradford Crematorium | Birmingham Crematorium |
| Great Grimsby Crematorium | Cam Valley Crematorium |
| Howe Bridge Crematorium | Cannock Chase Crematorium |
| Hull Crematorium | Coventry – Canley Crematorium |
| Leeds Cottingley Hall Crematorium | Gedling Crematorium |
| Sheffield – Hutcliffe Wood Crematorium | Great Glen Crematorium |
| West Lancashire Crematorium | Leamington Spa – Oakley Wood Crematorium |
| Lincoln Crematorium | |
| Norfolk and Suffolk | Milton Keynes – Crownhill Crematorium |
| Cromer Crematorium | Stafford Crematorium |
| Great Yarmouth Crematorium | Vale Royal Crematorium |
| Ipswich – Seven Hills Crematorium | |
| West Suffolk Crematorium | South West |
| Bournemouth Crematorium | |
| London & South East England | Bristol Crematorium |
| Aylesbury Crematorium | Forest of Dean Crematorium |
| Barham Crematorium | Langstone Vale Crematorium |
| Basildon Crematorium | North Devon Crematorium |
| Brighton – Woodvale Crematorium | North Wiltshire Crematorium |
| Charing Crematorium | Pershore – Vale Crematorium |
| City of London Crematorium | Sedgemoor Crematorium |
| Forest Park Crematorium | The Weymouth Crematorium |
| Hastings Crematorium | Torbay Crematorium |
| Hendon Crematorium | Treswithian Downs Crematorium |
| Lambeth Crematorium | West Wiltshire Crematorium |
| New Southgate Crematorium | Worthing Crematorium |
| North East Surrey Crematorium | |
| Parndon Wood Crematorium | Wales & North Cheshire |
| Test Valley Crematorium | Aberystwyth Crematorium |
| Wessex Vale Crematorium | Bridgend – Coychurch Crematorium |
| West Berkshire Crematorium | Chester Crematorium |
| Woollensbrook Crematorium | Colwyn Bay Crematorium |
| Llanelli Crematorium | |
| Sirhowy Valley Crematorium | |
| Springwood Crematorium | |
| Wrexham – Pentrebychan Crematorium |