Direct cremation from £1,199. Professional care from collection through to cremation and collection of the ashes.
BM Funeral Service provides a straightforward direct cremation service from our base in Charing, Kent, near Ashford. We focus on clear arrangements, dignified care and professional accountability rather than elaborate funeral packages.
A direct cremation is a cremation without a traditional attended funeral service. Families choose it for many reasons: simplicity, affordability, personal preference, or because they plan to hold a memorial separately.
What is included in our £1,199 direct cremation?
- Collection of your loved one within a 25-mile radius of our Charing base
- Arranging the cremation and necessary administration
- A basic coffin suitable for direct cremation
- Transportation to the crematorium
- The cremation itself
- Family collection of the ashes, or delivery within 25 miles of our Charing base if requested
Payment is required in full before the cremation arrangements proceed.
For collections over 25 miles and up to 50 miles from our Charing base, our Extended Area Direct Cremation price is £1,499. Collections beyond 50 miles may be possible, subject to confirmation, with mileage beyond 50 miles charged at £2.00 per additional mile. Delivery of ashes within 25 miles of our Charing base is included if requested. Delivery beyond 25 miles can be arranged, with the charge confirmed according to distance before booking. Out-of-hours services may also carry an additional charge depending on the time and whether the service is required on a bank holiday.
See our direct cremation prices and inclusions →
What happens after you contact us?
1. We explain what needs to happen next
You do not need to understand the whole process before you call. Tell us what has happened and we will explain the practical next steps clearly.
2. Your loved one is brought into our care
Our ambulance and healthcare background shapes the way we approach transportation, dignity, identification, documentation and professional handling.
3. We care for them before cremation
BM has refrigerated mortuary facilities at our Charing base, near Ashford in Kent. From the moment your loved one is entrusted to us, our focus is on respectful care, accurate identification and continuity of care.
4. We arrange the unattended cremation
There is no traditional attended funeral service at the crematorium. The cremation is arranged on your behalf and your family is free to hold a memorial, gathering or celebration separately if you wish.
5. The ashes can be collected
Once the ashes are available, the family can collect them. If you prefer, delivery within 25 miles of our Charing base is included; delivery further afield can be arranged and quoted according to distance.
Why BM is different
BM comes from an ambulance and healthcare background. Our teams are accustomed to transporting people when they are sick, vulnerable and dependent on professional care. That same culture of dignity, safe handling, confidentiality, documentation and accountability continues after death.
Simple arrangements should never mean less care
Every person entrusted to BM has a history, a family and people for whom they mattered. Choosing a direct cremation does not mean choosing a lower standard of care.
Is direct cremation right for you?
Direct cremation may be suitable if you want a simple cremation without an attended service at the crematorium, prefer to organise a memorial separately, or simply do not want a traditional funeral package.
Before deciding, it can help to think about what matters most to you and your family. For example:
- Do you want the opportunity to spend time with the person who has died before cremation?
- Is it important to know where your loved one is being cared for before the cremation?
- Would you prefer them to be cared for and cremated locally?
- Do you want family and friends to attend a ceremony at the crematorium itself?
- Would a separate memorial or gathering feel more appropriate?
- Are there any religious, cultural or family traditions that need to be considered?
There is no single right choice. If you are unsure, call us. We can explain what direct cremation involves without pressure and help you understand whether it fits what you and your family want.
A memorial can still be personal
Choosing direct cremation does not prevent you from holding a meaningful memorial. Some families choose to gather later at home, at a favourite place, in a restaurant, at a place of worship or somewhere that was important to the person who died. The cremation and the memorial do not have to happen at the same time.
Direct cremation in Ashford and across Kent
BM Funeral Service is based in Charing, Kent. Our £1,199 Local Direct Cremation includes collection within 25 miles of our Charing base. For collections over 25 miles and up to 50 miles, the price is £1,499. Beyond 50 miles, additional mileage is £2.00 per mile beyond the 50-mile radius, subject to BM confirming the arrangements.