Should I get buried or cremated?
A burial or a cremation can be a very tough decision. Once it’s been done it can’t be changed so deciding can be daunting. If you’re struggling to think which is best for you here we’ll run through all the pros and cons, as well as anything else that may affect what would be best for you.
Typically a cremation is less expensive than a burial. The average cost of a cremation in the UK is £823 whereas the average cost of a burial in the UK is £1968. So if you’re wanting to keep costs down, as a funeral can be expensive for some, a cremation would be the better option.
There are a few different beliefs on cremation for religion. Here’s a quick guide:
- Christianity: Most support cremation and burial equally but for some Christian groups there are rules. For example The Catholic Church, the ashes need to be buried or stored in a sacred place.
- Islam: Cremation is banned. Muslims believe the body should be left the way it was when alive
- Judaism: Most Jewish people are buried as soon as possible. However, there are still a small amount that do get cremated.
- Sikhism: Cremation is generally more popular. However, burial is okay if cremation isn’t possible.
- Hinduism: Hindus are normally cremated. They believe it helps the soul escape quickly from the body.
- Buddhism: Buddhists can either be cremated or buried. However, cremation is more popular because it is believed that Gautama Buddha was cremated.
The flexibility of burial vs cremation
In terms of flexibility, cremation is the better option. Some families like to share the ashes, especially if not all the family lives close by; it can be hard to visit a burial grave if you don’t live close. Having the ashes close to you can sometimes give comfort. With ashes, there’s also a lot more you can do with them such as scatter them, bury them, wear them in jewellery or even put them in fireworks. However, if you prefer a more traditional route then a burial is deemed as that.
Final decisions
What can help make your final decision is if you talk to your family and friends and see what their thoughts are. They’ll voice what would help them grieve which could give you comfort knowing it will be less painful for them once you have passed.
Whichever you choose, make sure you really take your time deciding and thinking about all the points above, and we hope that this blog has helped you to make that decision.
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