Reading Crematorium
Henley Road, Caversham, Reading RG4 6LP
Opened in 1932, Reading Crematorium serves the borough and the surrounding Thames Valley. Operated by Reading Borough Council.
Reading · England
Basic Cremation in Reading
A simple, dignified cremation arranged across Reading and Berkshire — 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
Reviews on Trustpilot
NAFD & SAIF accredited network
24/7 phone support
£1,499 all-inclusive
About our service in Reading
A local cremation, arranged with care.
If you’ve lost someone in Reading or anywhere across Berkshire, 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 Berkshire crematoria.
Reading is well served by Reading Crematorium at Henley Road, opened in 1932. The wider Thames Valley — Easthampstead Park (Bracknell), Slough Crematorium, Amersham — covers the surrounding districts.
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 Reading
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 Berkshire 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 Reading or anywhere in Berkshire 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 Berkshire
We work with Reading, Easthampstead Park, Slough — alongside other crematoria across the wider Berkshire region. Your local funeral director arranges the cremation at the appropriate facility for your area; you’ll know the date and time in advance.
Easthampstead Park Crematorium
Off South Road, Wokingham RG40 3DW
Bracknell Forest Council crematorium, serving Bracknell, Wokingham and the eastern Berkshire fringe.
Slough Crematorium
Stoke Road, Slough SL2 5AX
Slough Council crematorium, serving Slough and the southern Buckinghamshire borders.
The exact crematorium used depends on the area of Berkshire you’re in, and on availability. The local funeral director arranges this directly and tells you the date and time in advance.
Areas covered
Berkshire and surrounding areas
We arrange basic cremations across the whole of Berkshire. The £1,499 price is the same in every area.
Reading town centre
Caversham
Tilehurst
Earley
Woodley
Lower Earley
Whitley
Southcote
Calcot
Theale
Wokingham
Bracknell
Newbury
Henley-on-Thames
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 Reading 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 Berkshire cremation
A dignified cremation takes place at one of Berkshire'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 Reading hospitals, care homes and private addresses across Berkshire 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 Reading
Reading Register Office
- Address
- Yeomanry House, 131 Castle Hill, Reading RG1 7TJ
- Phone
- 0118 937 3535
All deaths within the Borough of Reading must be registered at the Reading Register Office. Appointment-only. West Berkshire, Wokingham and the rest of Berkshire have their own register offices.
Hospital bereavement offices in Berkshire
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 Berkshire Hospital
Bereavement Office, London Road, RG1 5AN. Call ahead before visiting.
Wexham Park Hospital (Slough)
Bereavement Services, Wexham Street, SL2 4HL.
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 Berkshire. 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 Berkshire
Grief takes time, and there’s no right way to feel. These local services in Berkshire provide free, confidential support — whether you need someone to talk to today or in a few months’ time.
Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice — Bereavement
Reading-based hospice offering bereavement counselling.
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
Reading questions, answered
Which crematorium will be used for a Reading cremation?
Reading Crematorium at Caversham (the principal facility since 1932) is most common; Easthampstead Park (Wokingham/Bracknell) and Slough Crematorium serve the wider Thames Valley. Your local funeral director picks based on your area.
How quickly can you collect from the Royal Berkshire Hospital?
Once the RBH bereavement office and Medical Examiner have released the paperwork, collection is typically within hours, day or night. Wexham Park (Slough) follows the same process.
Do you cover Wokingham, Newbury, Henley and the Thames Valley?
Yes — we work with funeral directors across Berkshire and the Thames Valley. The £1,499 price applies everywhere; the register office differs by district (Reading, West Berkshire, Wokingham have their own).
Can ashes be scattered on the Thames or in the Chilterns?
Thames scattering by hand needs no permit (sea scattering equivalent rules). The Chilterns and Berkshire countryside scattering is generally permitted with landowner approval. We return the ashes and you choose what to do.
What if my loved one died at home in Reading?
If expected, call the GP or out-of-hours GP service first; they verify death and start the MCCD. Then call us. If unexpected, 999 first — paramedic and police attendance triggers a coroner referral.
Can the family pick the date of the cremation?
Within a few-day window, yes. Once the death is registered and the coroner (if involved) has released your loved one, the local funeral director liaises with the crematorium to find an available slot — usually within a few working days.
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 Reading
The same simple, dignified £1,499 basic cremation is available across the wider region. If your loved one died outside Reading itself, the appropriate local funeral director and crematorium will be used.
Basic Cremation in Oxford
Oxfordshire
Basic Cremation in Slough
Berkshire
Basic Cremation in Watford
Hertfordshire
Basic Cremation in Guildford
Surrey
Basic Cremation in Crawley
West Sussex
Basic Cremation in Maidstone
Kent
Basic Cremation in Luton
Bedfordshire
Basic Cremation in Milton Keynes
Buckinghamshire
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 Reading
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