Direct Cremation
Direct Cremation
Direct cremation is a cremation that takes place without a funeral service or ceremony and without family or friends being present at the cremation. It is also commonly called no service, no attendance (NSNA) cremation, unattended cremation, no-service cremation, cremation only or, in some contexts, a bare cremation.
No opportunity to attend. The defining feature of a direct cremation is that there is no opportunity for family or friends to attend the cremation, regardless of which crematorium or cremation facility is used. The person is transferred into care, the necessary arrangements and paperwork are completed, and the cremation takes place without mourners present.
No funeral service. A direct cremation does not include a funeral ceremony at the time of cremation. This does not mean that a family cannot hold a funeral, memorial or celebration of life. They may choose to gather before or after the cremation, at a place and time that suits them.
Simple and private. Direct cremation removes many of the traditional elements of a funeral, such as a chapel service, procession, viewing and attendance at the crematorium. For some families, that simplicity and privacy is exactly what they want.
Generally the lowest-cost option. Because there is no attended funeral service and fewer products and services are required, direct cremation is generally the least expensive form of cremation. The Queensland Government describes cremation without an official service as the cheapest funeral option.
The farewell can happen later. Choosing direct cremation does not mean choosing not to say goodbye. Families can receive the ashes and then decide what feels right, whether that is a private gathering, a memorial service, scattering the ashes, keeping them at home or simply taking time before deciding.
Direct cremation is therefore not a lesser form of funeral. It is a different approach: the cremation happens without attendance, while the family’s farewell can happen in whatever way and whenever they choose.