An Honest and Detailed Simplicity Cremation Review
An Honest and Detailed Simplicity Cremations 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.
| Price | |
| Inclusivity | |
| Flexibility | |
| Speed of Service | |
| Overall |
*Excludes Northern Ireland, Scottish Isles, Isle of Man, Isle of Wight, Isles of Scilly and the Channel Islands
Simplicity Cremation Overview
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Flexible & Affordable Cremations -specialising in direct cremations, Simplicity Cremations direct cremation service achieves a measure of both flexibility and affordability.
Prices start at £995 – it is possible to tailor your funeral to meet the majority of your requirements while keeping an eye on your budget. For instance, out-of-hours collection and delivery of the ashes are each available as an optional extra. Compared to more inclusive providers, this means that you shouldn’t end up paying for a service that you prefer not to use.
Excluded services – For the especially cost-conscious, items such as storage of jewellery and dressing the deceased in their own clothes are excluded, helping to bring down the headline price.
Options to attend – On the other hand, Simplicity offers generous options to attend the cremation for an additional fee. You may select either an intimate attendance for up to twelve people or a family-led option in which you can invite as many mourners as you wish up to the capacity of the particular crematorium. Either option, should you choose them, will deliver you a service that is approximately halfway between an unattended, direct cremation and a traditional funeral.
Coffin & Urn – Simplicity Cremations offers a dark wood-effect coffin, fully lined and fitted for each of its direct cremation funerals. For an additional price, they also offer the option for you to receive the ashes in a wooden urn. Most other providers will deliver the ashes only in a simple container.
45 Locations – Cremations will be carried out at one of around forty-five crematoria operated by the Cremations and Memorial Group (CMG). With these facilities located around the country, you should be assured of a relatively local cremation.
One of UKs Largest Providers – Simplicity Cremations is a trading name of Dignity Funerals Ltd., one of the largest providers of funeral services and funeral planning in the UK. Dignity also owns CMG, the firm which operates the crematoria on behalf of Simplicity. This means that every stage of your direct cremation service should be handled by the same group.
Simplicity Cremation Cost
What’s Included in the £995 Simplicity Direct Cremation Price?
Simplicity Cremations will provide the following services in their unattended 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, Scottish Isles, Isle of Man, Isle of Wight, Isles of Scilly and the Channel Islands
** These options are offered as part of separately listed, attended direct cremation services. The additional cost shown is the price differential between the unattended cremation and the attended cremation services.
THINGS TO REMEMBER ABOUT YOUR CREMATION SERVICE
1. Simplicity will aim to carry out the cremation within a few days of bringing the deceased into their care. Delivery of the ashes will be within a further four weeks, should 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.
2. There are two options for attendance of the cremation.
First, the Intimate Funeral allows for up to twelve mourners to attend, during which music of your choice may be played.
The second, more comprehensive option, is the Family Led Funeral. Offering the opportunity to invite any level of attendance up to the capacity of the particular crematorium, you may also conduct a family led ceremony of around thirty minutes duration (including entry and exit time). You may include music, readings and eulogies of your choice, while also inviting a minister or celebrant to lead the occasion if you so wish.
3. Please note that neither of the attended cremations is a traditional funeral service. There will be no hearse, limousines or procession. The content of the Family Led Funeral must be arranged independently by the mourners.
4. If opting for delivery of the ashes, these will be returned in a simple container. However there is the option to upgrade to a wooden urn for a further £50.
5. Payment for the cremation will be due in full prior to the delivery of any services – there is no credit option or payment plan available. This is in line with the service offered by most other providers.
Simplicity Cremation Vs Co-op Funerals Vs Pure Cremation
Here’s how Simplicity Cremations Unattended Direct Cremation Funeral Service compares to direct cremations offered by a selection of other providers:
| SERVICE |  |  |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LIST PRICE | £995 | £1,295 | £795 | £995 | £895 |
| AREA | GB | UK | GB | GB | GB |
| HOSPITAL/PUBLIC MORTUARY COLLECTION | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS / CARE HOME COLLECTION | £250 | £250 | £250 | yes | £200 |
| OUT-OF-HOURS COLLECTION | £195 | £250 | £250 | ? | £250 |
| DOCTORS FEE | yes | yes | £82 | £82 | £82 |
| DRESS THE DECEASED | 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 | No | They will drape clothes over the body but not dress them | £50 | No | yes |
| REMOVAL OF MEDICAL DEVICES | Subject to details | yes | yes | ? | yes |
| REMOVAL OF JEWELLERY | no | yes | no | ? | £50 |
| COFFIN | Dark Wood Effect | solid wood | Medium Density Fibreboard | Basic | Veneer Chipboard |
| MAX. TIME BETWEEN COLLECTION & CREMATION | ‘within a few days’ | 14 days | Unspecified | Unspecified | Unspecified |
| OPTION TO ATTEND | £400-£900 | £250-£400 | no | no | £300 |
| OPTION TO BE INFORMED OF CREMATION DATE | no | Yes | yes | no | yes |
| CHOICE OF CREMATORIUM | attended only option | No | Fee depends on location | no | Attended option only |
| DELIVERY OF ASHES | £75 | Yes | £100 | £50 to funeral home | yes |
| MAX. TIME FOR ASHES DELIVERY AFTER CREMATION | 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 Simplicity Cremations
| Competitor | Distinct Cremations |
| Service | Very similar package of services with a few variations in terms of inclusion e.g. Simplicity charges extra for ashes delivery, Distinct it’s inclusive; Simplicity includes doctors fee, Distinct does not |
| Difference | CMG (Simplicity) and Westerleigh Group (Distinct) have approximately the same number of crematoriums dotted around the country |
| Review | Read our Distinct Cremations Review |
Simplicity Cremation Customer Reviews
Below are the awards, customer reviews and our opinion of the Simplicity Cremation offering
Simplicity Cremations has earned 4.7 out of a possible 5.0 star rating on feefo.com based upon 188 reviews within the last year. The score on Trustpilot ranks somewhat lower at 2.8. However, this is based upon a mere thirty reviews, and so is unlikely to be formed from a representative sample.
The few negative reviews tend to focus mostly on customer service, as well as delays to both the cremation and return of the ashes. A recurring theme appears to be logistical problems of the larger, parent company resulting in some clients perceiving a lack of personal and sympathetic service.
On the other hand, Simplicity Cremation may be less suitable if:
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a Paper Brochure Available?
Simplicity Cremations offers no paper literature at this time. With their aim to keep costs down, all of their service is conducted online or over the phone.
How do I Purchase a Direct Cremation Funeral?
A direct cremation funeral can be purchased over the phone after the death of the deceased on Simplicity’s free-phone number.
What Type of Coffin does Simplicity Cremations provide?
A dark wood effect coffin is supplied with Simplicity direct cremation services.
What Happens to Medical Devices and Jewellery?
Removal of medical devices and items of jewellery is not included in the cost of caring for the deceased.
Any jewellery that you wish to retain should be removed carefully from the deceased’s person prior to collection.
The handling of medical devices prior to cremation will be subject to an additional charge, tailored to the precise nature of the removal work required.
Can I Choose where the Cremation Takes Place?
A Simplicity direct cremation will be carried out in one of forty-five crematoria operated by their group partner, The Cremations and Memorial Group.
If you opt for an unattended cremation, you will have no choice over the particular crematorium that is used. Attended cremations should be in one of the forty-five CMG venues local to you.
Will they Tell me the Date of Cremation?
There is no option to be informed of the cremation date in advance, but Simplicity will offer to contact you after the cremation has taken place.
How Can I Pay for My Funeral?
Payment for Simplicity Cremations funerals is made by debit or credit card over the phone. Please note that Simplicity will require payment in full before any service is delivered.
Are Special Offers or Discounts Available?
Simplicity Cremations does not appear to be running any promotional offers at this time, nor do they offer discounts to selected groups.
They have, however, published detailed advice on how to claim support with meeting funeral costs, and how to keep costs low.
How do I contact Simplicity cremations?
Enquiries to Simplicity can be made by email or by phone.
A direct cremation funeral can be arranged twenty-four hours, seven days a week on their free-phone number: 0800 484 0260.
Their email address is enquiries@simplicity.co.uk.
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.
Are there any Hidden Costs?
A Simplicity funeral should cover most of the basics required for carrying out a direct cremation service.
However, extra provision will have to be made for contingencies. For instance, removal of medical devices is available only for an additional fee, as is collection of the deceased from anywhere other than a hospital or public mortuary.
Note also that Simplicity offers no option to remove and return jewellery on the deceased’s person. You should take care to ensure that any valuable items are removed prior to the deceased being taken into Simplicity’s care.
Can I Transfer Arrangements to/from another Provider?
Simplicity Cremations 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.
Does Simplicity Offer a Pre-Payment Plan?
Simplicity Cremations is not offering a pre-payment plan for the direct cremation funeral service at this time. However, they hope to do so in the near future, and you are able to register your interest on their website.
Are they Eco-Friendly?
Simplicity’s parent company, Dignity, has published a detailed report on its environmental impact, including waste management and greenhouse gas emissions.
Who Owns Simplicity Cremations?
Simplicity Cremations is a trading name of Dignity Funerals Ltd., one of the largest providers of funerals and funeral planning in the UK, with a turnover of £281.6m in 2021. The ultimate parent, Dignity plc, is traded on the London Stock Exchange.The Cremations and Memorial Group, which owns the crematoria used by Simplicity, is also a member of the Dignity group.