Woodvale Cemetery and Crematorium
Lewes Road, Brighton BN2 3QB
Opened in 1930, Woodvale is Brighton's principal crematorium. Operated by Brighton & Hove City Council, set on the South Downs scarp.
Brighton · England
Basic Cremation in Brighton
A simple, dignified cremation arranged across Brighton and East Sussex & the South Coast — handled by trusted local funeral directors and local crematoria, never centralised hundreds of miles away.
0333 242 1405Available 24 hours a day, every day of the year
Trusted across the UK
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NAFD & SAIF accredited network
24/7 phone support
£1,499 all-inclusive
About our service in Brighton
A local cremation, arranged with care.
If you’ve lost someone in Brighton or anywhere across East Sussex & the South Coast, we can help you arrange a basic cremation — also called a direct or unattended cremation. The whole process happens locally: an independent funeral director near you brings your loved one into care at their own funeral home, and the cremation takes place at one of the established East Sussex & the South Coast crematoria.
Brighton & Hove is served by the historic Woodvale Cemetery and Crematorium and the Downs Crematorium, both close to the city centre. The wider East Sussex coast and the Downs are covered by additional facilities.
The price is £1,499 — a single all-inclusive figure covering everything that needs to happen. The team is available 24 hours a day, every day of the year. If you’re unsure where to start, the most useful thing is to pick up the phone.
Pricing in Brighton
A single price. No hidden extras.
£1,499complete
- Collection from a hospital or coroner's mortuary
- Professional care in a local mortuary
- A suitable coffin
- All paperwork and arrangements
- Cremation at a local East Sussex & the South Coast crematorium
- Ashes returned to you, or scattered with care
The £1,499 price covers collection from a hospital or coroner’s mortuary. Collection from a home, care home or hospice in Brighton or anywhere in East Sussex & the South Coast requires a £250 Priority Care collection fee — making the total £1,749. Always explained on the phone before anything happens, never added afterwards.
Local crematoria
The crematoria we use across East Sussex & the South Coast
We work with Woodvale, Downs, Worthing — alongside other crematoria across the wider East Sussex & the South Coast region. Your local funeral director arranges the cremation at the appropriate facility for your area; you’ll know the date and time in advance.
Downs Crematorium
Bear Road, Brighton BN2 3PL
Opposite Woodvale on Bear Road. Privately operated, serving the Brighton conurbation.
Worthing Crematorium
Horsham Road, Findon Valley, Worthing BN14 0RG
Worthing Borough Council crematorium serving the western South Coast.
The exact crematorium used depends on the area of East Sussex & the South Coast you’re in, and on availability. The local funeral director arranges this directly and tells you the date and time in advance.
Areas covered
East Sussex & the South Coast and surrounding areas
We arrange basic cremations across the whole of East Sussex & the South Coast. The £1,499 price is the same in every area.
Brighton city centre
Hove
Kemptown
Hanover
Preston Park
Patcham
Hollingbury
Moulsecoomb
Bevendean
Whitehawk
Rottingdean
Saltdean
Peacehaven
Lewes
Eastbourne
Worthing
Shoreham
Don’t see your area? We almost certainly cover it — call us on 0333 242 1405 to check.
What to expect
What happens when you call
Five clear steps, taken at your pace, with someone to talk you through every one.
1
You call us
Day or night. Our team listens and gently takes you through what needs to happen.
2
Local Brighton care
An independent funeral director near you brings your loved one into their care at their own funeral home.
3
Paperwork
We help with all legal paperwork and book the cremation at a local crematorium.
4
Local East Sussex & the South Coast cremation
A dignified cremation takes place at one of East Sussex & the South Coast's established crematoria.
5
Ashes returned
The ashes can be returned to you for a memorial of your choosing, or scattered with care.
Collection from Brighton hospitals, care homes and private addresses across East Sussex & the South Coast typically happens within hours of your call, day or night. The local funeral director arrives in their own vehicle and brings your loved one into care at their funeral home — never into a centralised facility hundreds of miles away.
Registering a death in Brighton
Brighton & Hove Register Office
- Address
- Brighton Town Hall, Bartholomew Square, Brighton BN1 1JA
- Phone
- 01273 292016
All deaths within Brighton & Hove must be registered at the Town Hall Register Office. Appointment-only. East Sussex County Council operates separate offices for Lewes, Eastbourne and the rest of the county.
Hospital bereavement offices in East Sussex & the South Coast
If your loved one died in hospital, the hospital’s bereavement office handles the paperwork that needs to go to the Medical Examiner before the death can be registered. Your funeral director will normally liaise with them on your behalf.
Royal Sussex County Hospital
Bereavement Office, Eastern Road, BN2 5BE. Call ahead before visiting.
Princess Royal Hospital (Haywards Heath)
Bereavement Services, Lewes Road, RH16 4EX.
When the coroner is involved
If the death has been referred to the coroner
If the death is unexpected, sudden or the cause is not yet clear, the Medical Examiner may refer the case to the HM Senior Coroner for Brighton, Hove and Lewes. This happens for around 40% of deaths in England and Wales — it’s routine and not an indication that anything is wrong.
The coroner reviews the cause of death and either releases the death for registration or arranges a post-mortem. Where a post-mortem is needed, your loved one is held at the public mortuary until the examination is complete.
If an inquest is opened, the coroner sends paperwork to the registrar after it concludes. The cremation can proceed once the coroner releases your loved one to the funeral director.
Local support
Bereavement support in East Sussex & the South Coast
Grief takes time, and there’s no right way to feel. These local services in East Sussex & the South Coast provide free, confidential support — whether you need someone to talk to today or in a few months’ time.
Cruse Bereavement Support — Sussex
Free, confidential bereavement support across Sussex.
Visit websiteHelp with funeral costs
If you’re worried about the cost
If you’re receiving certain benefits and you’re responsible for arranging the funeral, you may qualify for the government’s Funeral Expenses Payment — a one-off payment that can cover most of the cremation cost and a contribution towards funeral director fees.
Apply through gov.uk or call the Bereavement Service helpline on 0800 731 0469. Claims can be made up to six months after the funeral.
If you’re struggling to cover the £1,499 upfront, call us — we can talk through payment options on the phone.
We’re not financial advisors and can’t make benefit applications on your behalf, but the team is happy to talk you through what’s available before you commit to anything.
Frequently asked questions
Brighton questions, answered
Which Brighton crematorium will be used?
Woodvale Cemetery and Crematorium (Brighton's principal facility, opened 1930) and the Downs Crematorium (opposite Woodvale on Bear Road) handle most of the city. Worthing Crematorium serves the west, and Eastbourne the east of East Sussex. Your local funeral director picks based on your area.
How quickly can you collect from the Royal Sussex County Hospital?
Once the RSCH bereavement office and Medical Examiner have released the paperwork, collection is typically within hours, day or night. The Princess Royal in Haywards Heath follows the same process.
Do you cover Hove, Lewes, Eastbourne and the South Downs?
Yes — we work with funeral directors across Brighton & Hove and East Sussex. The £1,499 price applies everywhere; the register office differs by district.
Can ashes be scattered on the seafront or the Sussex Downs?
Sea scattering off the Brighton coast is straightforward — no permit needed for ashes scattered by hand. South Downs National Park scattering is generally permitted with care. We return the ashes and the choice is yours.
What if my loved one died at home in Brighton?
If expected, call the GP or out-of-hours service first to verify death. Then call us. If unexpected, 999 — paramedic and police attendance triggers a coroner referral, common for any home death.
Will my loved one be looked after locally in Brighton until the cremation?
Yes. The independent local funeral director keeps your loved one in their own funeral home in Brighton or the surrounding area — never transported to a centralised facility hundreds of miles away. Local care, local crematorium, local price.
Read more
Useful guides
If you’d like to read more about how a basic cremation works, what your price covers, or what to do in the days after someone has died, these guides are written in plain English.
What is a basic cremation?
How it works, why families choose it, and how it differs from a traditional funeral.
Read more →
What’s included
Every item your £1,499 price covers — and what it doesn’t.
Read more →
Prices
The full price, Priority Care collection fee, and help with funeral costs.
Read more →
When someone dies
The practical first steps in the first 24 to 72 hours, depending on where the death took place.
Read the guide →
Help & advice
Registering a death, when the coroner is involved, and other practical guides.
All guides →
Common questions
The questions families most often ask before arranging a basic cremation.
FAQs →
Other locations
We also cover cities near Brighton
The same simple, dignified £1,499 basic cremation is available across the wider region. If your loved one died outside Brighton itself, the appropriate local funeral director and crematorium will be used.
Basic Cremation in Southampton
Hampshire
Basic Cremation in Portsmouth
Hampshire
Basic Cremation in Worthing
West Sussex
Basic Cremation in Eastbourne
East Sussex
Basic Cremation in Hastings
East Sussex
Basic Cremation in Reading
Berkshire
Basic Cremation in Oxford
Oxfordshire
Basic Cremation in Slough
Berkshire
Don’t see your area? We cover the wider UK — view all locations or call us on 0333 242 1405.
Speak to us about a cremation in Brighton
There's always someone available to talk you through what needs to happen. Calls are answered day and night, every day of the year.
0333 242 1405Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week