Celebration of Life (COL)

Celebration of Life (COL): direct cremation in Great Britain

Celebration of Life (COL) is a British company dedicated exclusively to direct cremation, a type of funeral service without a ceremony at the crematorium. The firm presents itself as the only cremation brand in Great Britain offering this service both at the time of need and through a prepaid plan, without providing any other type of funeral service. Its stated coverage area is mainland Great Britain.

Direct cremation services

The company arranges direct cremations for deceased persons, as well as prepaid plans for those who wish to arrange and pay for the service in advance. The service includes collection from any point in mainland Great Britain, a simple coffin, the removal of electronic devices such as pacemakers, all disbursements including crematorium fees, unattended cremation at an associated crematorium, the return of ashes by hand or their scattering at the crematorium, and a donation to plant a tree in memory of the deceased.

The company informs the family of the date and time of the cremation so they can organise their own farewell event. The return of ashes is coordinated within 21 days of the cremation, delivered personally in a biodegradable scatter tube unless the client provides their own urn.

Prepaid plan and urgent care

Celebration of Life offers a prepaid direct cremation plan with a fixed price and full coverage. The urgent service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to attend to deaths occurring at any time. The company states that, once the death has been registered, collection from hospital takes place within five working days, while collection from a private address is carried out on the same day as the death.

Pricing and recognition

The website shows direct cremation prices from £1,095 and prepaid plans from £1,650. The company states it has obtained the highest rating for a direct cremation plan in 2026 awarded by Fairer Finance, and presents itself as a provider with a five-star rating for its prepaid plan.

Frequently asked questions about the service

The company uses simple medium-density fibreboard (MDF) coffins with responsibly and sustainably sourced materials, and rules out cardboard because crematoriums do not accept that material. The family receives notice of the date and time of the cremation as far in advance as possible. The urgent care team is operational continuously to organise urgent collections.

Head office and contact

The company operates from Enterprise House, Ocean Way, Southampton, Hampshire, with postcode SO14 3XB. General telephone opening hours are 8:00 to 18:00, Monday to Friday, with urgent care available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Enterprise House Ocean Way, Southampton, Hampshire, United Kingdom · Phone: 0800 150 3555 · Email: info@col.co.uk