Losing someone is one of the hardest experiences a family can face. At Harwood Cremations, we believe arranging a cremation should bring relief, not add to your burden.
We offer a respectful, professionally managed direct cremation service across Hertfordshire and the surrounding area. There is no funeral service, no viewing, and no embalming, just careful, dignified care for your loved one at every step.
Harwood Cremations is owned and managed by Austin’s Funeral Directors, who have served bereaved families across Hertfordshire for over 300 years. Our fixed price of £1,550 is fully inclusive, roughly a third of the average UK funeral cost, and there is nothing more to pay.
Register and pay securely online:
Choose a time that suits you, then complete your secure one-off payment of £1,550. Once payment is confirmed, you will receive three simple forms to complete and we’ll guide you through each one.
We collect your loved one:
Our team will carefully collect and transport your loved one to Harwood Park Crematorium during business hours. We cover a 25-mile radius from the crematorium, including most of Hertfordshire.
We handle all the paperwork:
We take care of every form required, including doctor’s fees and all legal documentation. You don’t need to visit any offices or manage any bureaucracy.
The cremation takes place with dignity:
Your loved one is cremated at Harwood Park Crematorium, a beautiful and peaceful venue in Stevenage, with the same care and respect we would wish for our own families.
The ashes are returned to you:
You can choose to collect the ashes from Harwood Park, or have them scattered in our peaceful Memorial Gardens, whichever feels right for your family. There is no additional charge for either option.
A direct cremation is a simple, dignified alternative to a traditional funeral. It involves a respectful, unattended cremation without a formal chapel service, allowing you to say goodbye without the pressure of a traditional schedule.
This approach gives you the freedom to celebrate your loved one’s life in your own time, in your own unique way, while keeping costs manageable.
There is no embalming or viewing. We respectfully collect your loved one, care for them, arrange the cremation, and safely return the ashes to you.
By removing expensive additions like elaborate caskets, viewings, and hearse processions, direct cremation is one of the most low-cost funeral options available.
Without a strict funeral schedule to rush into, families have the time to plan a personalized memorial service or celebration of life whenever and wherever suits them best.
Without the need for embalming fluids, heavy varnished coffins, or burial vaults, it is often considered a more environmentally conscious choice.
Just like any traditional service, certain legal steps must be followed. The compassionate team at Harwood Cremations handles all the necessary paperwork and legalities on your behalf, giving you peace of mind.
Harwood Park Crematorium in Stevenage is owned and managed by the Austin Family, who have served as funeral directors in Hertfordshire for over three centuries. Ten generations of care, experience, and quiet professionalism are behind every arrangement we make. With simplified direct cremation plan and transparent pricing, you know you’re in safe and professional hands.
We have made the entire process as straightforward as possible. You can start, manage, and complete your arrangement from home.
After your secure online payment, you will receive three simple forms. Complete them in your own time and return them to us. We handle everything else from that point forward.
We aim to make the whole direct cremation process as transparent as possible. Our direct cremation prices start at £1,550 with no hidden extras further down the line.
A direct cremation is becoming a widely preferred alternative to a traditional funeral. Instead of gathering at the crematorium, friends and family can select the ideal time, place, and style for their farewell event.
Below are additional Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and answers related to direct cremation.
A direct cremation is a cremation that takes place without a funeral service, viewing, or wake beforehand. Your loved one is collected, cared for, and cremated with full dignity, and afterwards, your family can choose to hold a memorial or celebration of life in your own time, at a place and in a style that is meaningful to you.
Our price is £1,550, fixed and all-inclusive. There are no hidden charges. Doctor’s fees, all paperwork, collection within 25 miles of Harwood Park, the coffin, the cremation itself, and the return or scattering of ashes are all included. This is typically less than a third of the cost of a traditional UK funeral.
A direct cremation does not include an attended ceremony at the crematorium. However, you are welcome to hold a private gathering or memorial service separately, in a church, a family home, a local venue, or even our Chapel at Harwood Park at a later date. Many families find this gives them more flexibility and time to plan a farewell that truly reflects their loved one.
Yes, many families choose direct cremation precisely because it gives them the freedom to arrange a personal tribute in their own time. You could scatter the ashes at a meaningful location, hold a gathering at home, or organise a formal memorial whenever you are ready, with no time pressure.
You have two options. You can collect the ashes from Harwood Park Crematorium at a time that suits you, many families then scatter them at a location that held meaning for their loved one. Alternatively, we can scatter the ashes on your behalf in our beautiful Memorial Gardens at Harwood Park, at no additional cost. If you are not ready to decide immediately, we can hold the ashes for up to three months while you consider.
Yes. A quality coffin is provided as part of our standard service. There is no need to purchase one separately.
We collect within a 25-mile radius of Harwood Park Crematorium in Stevenage, covering most of Hertfordshire and parts of surrounding counties. This includes Watford, Luton, Harlow, Enfield, Hitchin, Hatfield, St Albans, Harpenden, Hertford, Ware, Welwyn Garden City, and more. If you are unsure whether we cover your area, please call us.
Once we have collected your loved one and received the completed paperwork, the cremation typically takes place within a few days. The exact timescale can vary depending on when paperwork is issued by the relevant authorities, but we will keep you informed at every stage and aim to complete the process as smoothly and swiftly as possible.
