Coffins, Urns & Shrouds

You may be interested to know that there is no UK law requiring that a coffin be used. (If the person is to be cremated most crematoria expect a coffin to be used, although there are some that now allow shroud cremations.)

Contrary to popular belief, it is not a legal requirement that a coffin or casket always be used to house a dead body. The only legal stipulation is that 'It is an offence to expose a dead body near a public highway as this would outrage public decency'.

A body should therefore be covered in public, but the method of doing so is entirely up to the individual responsible for the disposal of the body.

In the UK most families currently choose to use a coffin rather than a shroud; if you prefer to source your own coffin or shroud rather than choosing from the selection offered by a funeral director, then you are entirely within your rights to do so.

In addition to the suppliers below, some of the Funeral Directors in our Recommended list will also supply coffins to the public.