Farewill to launch direct cremation service

According to a recent report, the cost of dying in the UK is now £9,493, three times the value of the average British person’s debt.

Farewill, the London-based will writing service, is launching its direct cremation service to the public.

The company was recently backed by venture capital firm Augmentum Fintech who lead a £7.5m fundraising round for the online will writing and probate service. 

Farewill “aims to be the first major consumer brand in death services” and is one of the first firms to digitalise death services.

The company’s newest product launch will enable families to send their loved ones off in a personalised ceremony for less than £1,000. 

Over the past ten years, the cost of dying in the UK has more than doubled and one in five people have spent over £10,000 on funerals for their loved ones.

90 per cent of consumers no longer want traditional or religious funerals, according to Farewill, yet still pay an average of £4,400 for the ceremony of a loved one. 

Farewill’s service will allow consumers, who don’t want traditional funerals, to effectively manage and personalise funerals and provide more personal touches. 

Dan Garrett, CEO of Farewill, said: “We help each family to focus on saying goodbye in a way that feels right for them. Most of the funerals we help with are completely unique - from favourite restaurants, to seaside memorials, to rugby club send-offs. 

“As well as making every funeral personal, it’s important to do it at a price that includes everybody. In the last year alone prices have soared by 9 per cent - putting 1 in 8 families into debt to cover a funeral.”

Following their launch in 2015, Farewill became the UK’s fifth-largest funeral director just 30 days after their beta launch despite there being an estimated 4,000 funeral directors in the UK.