Unattended Cremation
What happens now?
An unattended cremation (sometimes called a direct or bare cremation) is a simple way to care for someone after they’ve died, without a funeral service at the time of the cremation.
It’s in no way less dignified, and no one should tell you how to say goodbye. There are still a few things that need to happen, but there’s no celebrant to find, no flowers to choose and none of the other decisions that come with a traditional funeral. Here’s what happens.
1. You confirm the arrangements
You accept the Service Proposal and give us the information and authorities we need to get started.
2. We bring your person into our care
Whether your person is in hospital, aged care, at home or somewhere else, we arrange collection. Every situation is a little different and there are procedures to follow, but that’s our job, not yours. Once they’re with us, we look after them until the cremation.
3. We arrange permission to cremate
We send the Application for Permission to Cremate (Form 1) to an independent doctor, who examines your person and completes the Permission to Cremate (Form 4). You don’t need to do anything here.
4. We book the cremation
Once the paperwork is in place, we book the cremation with the crematorium.
With an unattended cremation, the family doesn’t attend the cremation itself.
That can feel very different from a traditional funeral, but it doesn’t mean your person is treated with any less care or respect. It simply means there’s no ceremony at the time.
5. The cremation takes place
On the booked date, your person is cremated. The crematorium then prepares the cremated remains, usually called ashes.
6. The death is registered
We use the information in your Personal Details form to register the death with the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, who then issue the official Death Certificate. It’s posted to the address you’ve given us, usually around two weeks after the cremation.
7. The ashes come home
Once the ashes are ready, usually within about a week of the cremation, we return them to you by collection, delivery or registered post, whichever suits you.
What do I need to do?
Usually, very little:
- Accept the Service Proposal
- Give us authority to collect your person
- Fill in the Personal Details form
- Tell us where you’d like the ashes returned
- Let us know anything else you’d like us to know
We’ll guide you through the rest.
What if I don’t want a funeral?
That’s ok. A funeral isn’t the only way to say goodbye. Some families hold a memorial later, some gather at home or scatter the ashes together, and some don’t want a ceremony at all. You can still say goodbye in your own way, in your own time.
What happens to the ashes?
That’s entirely up to you. You might keep them at home, scatter them somewhere meaningful, bury them, place them in a memorial garden… or decide later. There’s no rush.
One last thing
Choosing an unattended cremation doesn’t mean everything has to feel clinical. The practical side can be simple while the loss is anything but. Sometimes what matters most is knowing your person is being cared for, the necessary things are being taken care of, and you can take your time working out what comes next.
Want to understand more?
If you’d like to know more about what happens after someone dies, and why, have a read of P is for PROCESS, POWER and PREPARATION.
Say Goodbye Your Way is also a useful resource that goes into more detail.