10 Frequently Asked Cremation Questions
Quick answer: A cremation urn holds a person's ashes after cremation. You can fill and seal an urn yourself or ask a funeral director to do it, then keep it at home, bury it, or scatter the ashes. In the UK scattering is legal with the landowner's permission, and a buried urn should sit about three feet deep.
Frequently asked questions
What are urns for ashes used for?
A cremation urn is a vessel that holds a person's ashes after cremation. Urns come in a range of materials, shapes, sizes and colors, so you can choose one that suits the person and the place it will rest.
Do cremation urns need to be sealed?
It depends on the urn. Some, such as certain ceramics, are sealed with a strong adhesive like super glue gel, available in our accessories. Others have a threaded screw lid that closes securely on its own and needs no glue.
Can you put ashes in an urn yourself?
Yes. You can transfer the ashes into the urn yourself, or ask a funeral director to place them in the urn for you.
Do you have to keep ashes in an urn?
No. There is no single right way to keep ashes. You can keep them in an urn, scatter them, bury them, or divide them between small keepsake urns, whatever feels right for your family.
Is it illegal to scatter ashes?
In the UK it is legal to scatter ashes in most places. On private land you need the landowner's permission, and near rivers or the sea it is best to check with the Environment Agency first.
Are ashes loose in a cremation urn?
Not usually. After cremation the ashes are placed in a bag inside a temporary urn, which makes it easy to transfer them into your chosen permanent urn. You can pour them in directly or place the sealed bag inside.
How do you scatter ashes on land?
Get the landowner's permission first if the land is private, and avoid a windy day. Many families use a scattering tube and let the wind carry the ashes gently into nature.
What do you do with the urn after scattering the ashes?
You can keep an empty urn as a keepsake or reuse it within the family. A biodegradable land burial urn can be buried to break down naturally, and a water burial urn can be released into a body of water to disperse slowly.
How deep does an urn need to be buried?
Three feet, about 90 cm, is the usual recommendation. Where that is not possible, bury the urn at least 12 inches deep.
Where do you bury cremated remains?
Options include a cemetery plot, your own garden, a place that was special to the person, or a columbarium. There are no laws against burying human ashes.
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