Detailed Co-op Direct Cremation Review
An Honest and Detailed Co-op Direct Cremation Review
As part of our commitment to helping families understand their choices, we have thoroughly researched the direct cremation market. This detailed Co-op Direct Cremation review will help you understand if the service the co op supply is the right choice for you and your lost one.
| Headline Price | |
| Inclusivity | |
| Flexibility | |
| Speed of Service | |
| Customer Satisfaction | |
| OVERALL |
*This review is of the direct cremation service provided by Co-op Funeralcare, a division of The Co-operative Group. The direct cremation services offered by other consumer cooperative societies trading in the UK may differ.
**Excludes Northern Ireland, Isle of Man, Isle of Wight, Channel Islands, Scottish Isles and the following Scottish postcodes: IV (Inverness), KW (Kirkwall), HS (Outer Hebrides) and PH15 through to PH50 (various Perth areas).
Co-op Direct Cremation Overview
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Well established – Taking pride in its ethical brand, Co-op Funeralcare is one of the oldest and most extensive funeral directors operating in the UK today.
Low price – Co-op Funeralcare’s direct cremation service may be the ideal option if you are looking for a high degree of inclusivity while also keeping an eye on your budget. Their starting price of £995* is towards the lower end of the scale, yet is inclusive of almost every service with the exception of doctors’ fees and delivery of the ashes.
Local – In addition to online and telephone options, all of Co-op Funeralcare’s direct cremations can be arranged through a local Co-op funeral home. With more than a thousand of these homes dotted throughout the UK, Co-op is likely to be the number one option if you are especially keen on keeping the funeral arrangements close to home. However, bear in mind that the cremation itself may not take place at the crematorium closest to you.
Option to attend – There is also an option to attend the cremation through Co-op’s “Essential Funeral” service. In addition to being able to visit the deceased in the chapel of rest, you can hold a service at a crematorium within a radius of twenty miles of the arranged funeral home. This offering is approximately halfway between an unattended direct cremation and a traditional funeral.
Extras – similar to most other providers, Co-op Funeralcare offers a basic, wood-composite coffin for each of its direct cremation funerals. Co-op does not include delivery of the ashes in its price, but you may collect the ashes from the crematorium at no extra cost. This may prove to be a viable option if Co-op is able to offer you a cremation that is more local compared to those providers which centralise their cremations in a handful of locations.
Ashes – Alternatively, you can opt to have the ashes scattered in the garden of remembrance at no extra charge or request for their delivery to your local Co-op funeral home for an additional £50.
Funeral plan – Although they offer an extensive range of pre-payment plans, Co-op has decided not to extend funeral planning to direct cremation services at this time. Customers interested in a prepayment plan for this kind of funeral are directed by Co-op to Memoria Funerals.
Co-op Funeralcare is a division of the Manchester-based Co-operative Group, the largest consumer co-operative society in the UK.
Co op Direct Cremation Cost
What’s Included in the £995 Co-op Direct Cremation?
Co-op Funeralcare will provide the following services in their direct cremation funeral. Everything is included in the headline price, except for the optional extras for which there will be an additional, specified charge:
Paid Extras Include
*Excludes Northern Ireland, Isle of Man, Isle of Wight, Channel Islands, Scottish Isles and the following Scottish postcodes: IV (Inverness), KW (Kirkwall), HS (Outer Hebrides) and PH15 through to PH50 (various Perth areas).
**This option is offered as part of a separately listed, Essential Funeral service which is an attended direct cremation service. The additional cost shown is the price differential between the Direct Cremation and the Essential Funeral services. Prices vary according to the precise service required and location.
THINGS TO REMEMBER ABOUT YOUR CREMATION SERVICE
1. Delivery of the ashes to a Co-op funeral home of your choice will be within twenty-one days of the date of cremation if you select this option. 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. Alternatively, you may collect the ashes directly from the crematorium within three months following the date of cremation.
2. Co-op Funeralcare offers an option for attendance of the cremation. In addition to all of the services included with direct cremation, their Essential Funeral allows for visiting the deceased in the chapel of rest followed by a service to be held at the crematorium (within a twenty mile radius of the arranging funeral home).
3. Please note that the Essential Funeral is not a traditional funeral service. There will be no hearse, limousines or procession. Co-op will not provide pall bearers to carry the coffin into the service, but will provide a movable bier if mourners prefer not to bear the coffin themselves.
4. If opting for delivery of the ashes, these will be returned in a biodegradable ashes box.
5. Payment for the cremation will be due in full within forty-eight hours of making the arrangements – there is no credit option or payment plan available. This is in line with the service offered by most other providers.
Co-op Direct Cremation vs Simplicity Cremation Vs Pure Cremation
Here’s how Co-op Funeralcare Direct Cremation Funeral Service compares to direct cremations offered by a selection of other providers:
| SERVICE | |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service | Co-op Funeralcare | Simplicity Cremations | Pure Cremation | Distinct Cremations |
| List Price | £995.00 | £995.00 | £1,295.00 | £895.00 |
| Coverage | Great Britain | Great Britain | UK | Great Britain |
| Hospital or Public Mortuary Collection | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Residential Address or Care Home Collection | Yes | £250.00 | £250.00 | £200.00 |
| Out-of-Hours Collection | Yes | 195 | £250.00 | £250.00 |
| Doctors’ Fees | £82.00 | Yes | Yes | £82.00 |
| Dress for the Deceased | Simple Gown | Simple Gown | Clothing worn by the deceased at the time of collection | Clothing worn by the deceased at the time of collection |
| Option for Own Clothes | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Removal of Medical Devices | Yes | Additional cost, subject to details | Yes | Yes |
| Removal of Jewellery | Yes, but advise removal prior to collection | No | Yes | £50.00 |
| Coffin | Basic | Dark Wood Effect | Solid Wood | Unvarnished Veneer Chipboard |
| Max. time between Collection and Cremation | Unspecified | Within a few days | 14 Days | Unspecified |
| Option to Attend | +£755-£1,145 | +£400-£900 | +£250-£400 | £400.00 |
| Option to be Informed of Cremation Date | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Choice of Crematorium | Attended Only, within 20 mile radius of funeral home. | Attended Only | No | Attended Only |
| Delivery of Ashes | Delivery to funeral home +£50 | £75.00 | Yes | Yes |
| Max. Time for Ashes Delivery following Cremation | 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 Co-op Funerals
| Competitor | Dignity Funerals |
| Service | Identical headline price & both operate through local funeral homes |
| Difference | Co-op is much more inclusive with regards to collection, medical devices and jewellery. Dignity offers delivery of the ashes – Co-op it’s an extra charge for delivery to funeral home only. Co-op has atrocious customer satisfaction according to Trustpilot, the lowest of any provider. |
| Review | Read our Dignity Funerals Review |
Co op Direct Cremation Plan
The co-op do not offer a direct cremation pre paid plan, they recommend Memoria.
We recommend visiting our pre-paid plan reviews in order to find the best plan for your needs.
Co op Customer Reviews
Below are the awards, customer reviews and our opinion of the Co-op direct cremations offering
Co-op Funeralcare has earned 2.7 out of a possible 5.0 star rating on Trustpilot.
While this is not a particularly high score, several aspects are worthy of note:
- The reviews seem to be evenly split between those awarding 5 stars (48%) and those awarding only 1 (43%), with very few falling in between these two extremes. This suggests that many of their customers are extremely satisfied, but there are an equal number of occasions on which the service falls far short of expectations.
- Co-op Funeralcare is a large funeral director offering many different types of funeral service, so very few of the reviews will refer to the direct cremation service specifically.
On the other hand, Co-op Funeralcare may be less suitable if
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a co op Paper Brochure Available?
Co-op Funeralcare offers no paper literature for their direct cremation service.
How do I Purchase a Co-op Direct Cremation Funeral?
A direct cremation funeral can be purchased online, over the phone or at your local Co-op funeral home.
What Type of Coffin does Co-op Funeralcare provide for their direct cremations?
A basic, wood-composite coffin is supplied with Co-op direct cremation services.
What Happens to Medical Devices and Jewellery?
Removal of medical devices is included in the cost of caring for the deceased.
While Co-op will endeavour to remove and care for jewellery and other valuables found on the deceased’s person, they recommend that such items be removed prior to the deceased being brought into their care.
Any items removed from the deceased may be collected within three months of the date of cremation.
Can I Choose where the Cremation Takes Place?
If you opt for an unattended cremation, you will have no choice over the particular crematorium that is used. Attended cremations should be within a twenty-mile radius of the Co-op funeral home making the arrangements.
Will co op Tell me the Date of Cremation?
Co-op Funeralcare does not indicate if they will inform you of the date of cremation.
How Can I Pay for My co op Funeral?
Co-op Funeralcare will accept cash, credit or debit card, as well as Apple Pay or Google Pay payments. For Co-op members, dividend points or other membership rewards may be used to contribute to the cost of a funeral.
Co-op is willing to accept payment from multiple family members to help spread the cost of the funeral, although the arranger remains responsible for settling the total amount payable.
Full payment must be made within forty-eight hours of making the arrangements.
Are Special Offers or co op Discounts Available?
If you are a Co-op member, you will be eligible for exclusive member prices and rewards when you purchase a direct cremation funeral. To take advantage of these offers, you must present your physical Co-op membership card at the time of making the arrangement.
Co-op Legal Services may be able to cover the cost of the funeral upfront if you instruct them to carry out probate. They will then reclaim the amount from the estate of the deceased at a later date.
How do I Make Enquiries?
Enquiries to Co-op Funeralcare can be made by email, by phone or at your local Co-op funeral home.
A direct cremation funeral can be arranged twenty-four hours, seven days a week on their free-phone number: 0800 088 4883.
A contact form is available on their website.
Co-op Funeralcare maintains an extensive and visible presence on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn, but it’s not clear if these accounts are monitored for the purpose of making enquiries.
Are there any Hidden Costs?
A Co-op direct cremation funeral should cover most of the basics required for carrying out a direct cremation service. The only regular services omitted are doctors’ fees and delivery of the ashes, for which there will be separate charges.
Note also that Co-op recommends that any valuable items are removed prior to the deceased being taken into their care, although they will endeavor to return these items to the arranger.
Can I Transfer Arrangements from another Provider?
Co-op Funeralcare should be able to accommodate the transfer of services from another funeral provider, but there may be an additional cost involved depending upon the precise arrangements that have to be made.
Do Co-op Offer a funeral Pre-Paid Plan?
Co-op Funeralcare is not offering a pre-payment plan for direct cremation services at this time.
For customers interested in a direct cremation funeral plan, they recommend the service offered by Memoria Funerals.
Are they Eco-Friendly?
Co-op Funeralcare’s parent, The Co-operative Group, prides itself on its environmental record, producing a detailed sustainability report each year.
One highlight from 2021 is that Co-operative Funeralcare marked ten years of carbon neutral operations.*
*Co-op Sustainability Report 2021, p. 79.
Who Owns Co-op Funeralcare?
Co-op Funeralcare is a division of The Co-operative Group. As a consumer co-operative, the Co-op is owned by its members, and abides by the co-operative values.