Leicester · England

Basic Cremation in Leicester

A simple, dignified cremation arranged across Leicester and Leicestershire — 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

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£1,499 all-inclusive

About our service in Leicester

A local cremation, arranged with care.

If you’ve lost someone in Leicester or anywhere across Leicestershire, 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 Leicestershire crematoria.

Leicester is the largest city in the East Midlands by population and one of the UK’s most diverse. Gilroes Crematorium opened in 1902, making it one of the oldest in the country. Together with South Leicestershire Crematorium and Loughborough Crematorium, the area is well served.

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 Leicester

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 Leicestershire 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 Leicester or anywhere in Leicestershire requires a £250 Priority Care collection fee — making the total £1,749. Always explained on the phone before anything happens, never added afterwards.

See full price list →What’s included →

Local crematoria

The crematoria we use across Leicestershire

We work with Gilroes, South Leicestershire, Loughborough — alongside other crematoria across the wider Leicestershire region. Your local funeral director arranges the cremation at the appropriate facility for your area; you’ll know the date and time in advance.

Gilroes Crematorium and Cemetery

Groby Road, Leicester LE3 9QG

Opened in 1902, Gilroes is one of the oldest crematoria in the country. Operated by Leicester City Council in the north-west of the city.

South Leicestershire Crematorium

Foston Road, Countesthorpe LE8 5RB

Privately operated crematorium serving the south of the county and the Lutterworth corridor.

Loughborough Crematorium

Leicester Road, Loughborough LE11 2AF

Charnwood Borough Council crematorium serving north Leicestershire.

The exact crematorium used depends on the area of Leicestershire you’re in, and on availability. The local funeral director arranges this directly and tells you the date and time in advance.

Areas covered

Leicestershire and surrounding areas

We arrange basic cremations across the whole of Leicestershire. The £1,499 price is the same in every area.

Leicester city centre

Clarendon Park

Stoneygate

Knighton

Aylestone

Belgrave

Highfields

Evington

Western Park

Beaumont Leys

Birstall

Wigston

Oadby

Glen Parva

Loughborough

Hinckley

Coalville

Melton Mowbray

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.

You call us

Day or night. Our team listens and gently takes you through what needs to happen.

Local Leicester care

An independent funeral director near you brings your loved one into their care at their own funeral home.

Paperwork

We help with all legal paperwork and book the cremation at a local crematorium.

Local Leicestershire cremation

A dignified cremation takes place at one of Leicestershire's established crematoria.

Ashes returned

The ashes can be returned to you for a memorial of your choosing, or scattered with care.

Collection from Leicester hospitals, care homes and private addresses across Leicestershire 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 Leicester

Leicester Register Office

Address: Town Hall, Town Hall Square, Leicester LE1 9BG
Phone: 0116 454 1000
Email: registration@leicester.gov.uk

All deaths within the City of Leicester must be registered at Leicester Register Office in the Town Hall. Appointment-only; bookings open once paperwork is released. Leicestershire County Council operates separate offices for the wider county.

Read the full guide to registering a death →

Hospital bereavement offices in Leicestershire

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.

Leicester Royal Infirmary (LRI)
Bereavement Office, Infirmary Square, LE1 5WW. Call ahead before visiting.
Leicester General Hospital
Bereavement Services, Gwendolen Road, LE5 4PW.
Glenfield Hospital
Bereavement Office, Groby Road, LE3 9QP. Specialist cardiac and respiratory.

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 Leicester City and South Leicestershire. 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.

Read more about the coroner’s role →

Local support

Bereavement support in Leicestershire

Grief takes time, and there’s no right way to feel. These local services in Leicestershire provide free, confidential support — whether you need someone to talk to today or in a few months’ time.

LOROS — Bereavement Service

0116 231 3771

LOROS Hospice in Leicester, offering bereavement counselling for anyone in Leicestershire.

Visit website

Rainbows Children's Hospice — bereavement

01509 638000

Bereavement support for families across the East Midlands following the death of a child.

Visit website

Help 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

Leicester questions, answered

Which Leicester crematorium will be used?

Most often Gilroes (north-west Leicester, opened 1902 and one of the oldest in the country), South Leicestershire (Countesthorpe, serving the south of the county), or Loughborough Crematorium for the north of the county. Your local funeral director picks the appropriate facility based on availability and where you are.

How quickly can you collect from Leicester Royal Infirmary or Glenfield?

Once the LRI, Leicester General or Glenfield bereavement office and the Medical Examiner have released the paperwork, collection is typically within hours, day or night. We work with the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust regularly.

Do you cover Loughborough, Hinckley, Coalville and the wider county?

Yes — we work with funeral directors and crematoria right across Leicestershire. Each district has its own register office for local deaths, but the £1,499 cremation price and the same Manchester-style service apply everywhere.

Can ashes be scattered in Bradgate Park or the Charnwood Forest?

Bradgate Park requires permission from the Bradgate Park Trust to scatter; Charnwood Forest scattering is generally permitted with care. Many Leicestershire families also choose a riverbank along the Soar or a meaningful family garden. We return the ashes and you choose what to do.

What if my loved one died at home in Leicester?

If the death was expected, call the GP or out-of-hours GP service first to verify death and start the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death. Then call us. If unexpected, 999 first — paramedic and police attendance is routine, which triggers a coroner referral.

How long does the whole process usually take?

Most basic cremations in Leicestershire complete within 1–3 weeks of the call. Variables are how quickly the death is registered and the coroner's timeline if they're involved. We keep you informed at each step.

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.

What’s included

Every item your £1,499 price covers — and what it doesn’t.

Prices

The full price, Priority Care collection fee, and help with funeral costs.

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 Leicester

The same simple, dignified £1,499 basic cremation is available across the wider region. If your loved one died outside Leicester itself, the appropriate local funeral director and crematorium will be used.

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 Leicester

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 1405

Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week