A simple and dignified burial option without a traditional chapel or church service. We arrange unattended direct burial and attended graveside burial, with clear guidance on cemetery fees, choices and costs.
We can arrange an unattended direct burial or a short attended graveside farewell, with clear guidance on arrangements, cemetery fees and the options available to your family.
A simple burial arranged without family or mourners attending at the graveside.
A shorter attended farewell at the graveside, without a separate church or chapel service.
Our prices above are funeral-director charges only. Cemetery and other third-party costs are charged separately. Your written estimate will explain the charges applicable to the chosen cemetery and grave.
Payable for burial, including reopening an existing grave.
Payable where a new grave must be purchased.
Required for an existing grave, even where the family knows the grave number.
Removal, storage and reinstatement may require a stonemason at additional cost.
Resident and non-resident cemetery fees may differ. The deceased's residency and, where applicable, the grave applicant's eligibility must be checked against the cemetery's rules.
These official council pages provide current cemetery charges, burial and grave information, and guidance on registering a death. They open on Sunderland City Council's website.
Death registration is handled by the Register Office, not the cemetery's Bereavement Services team. If the death occurred outside Sunderland, check the relevant registration district.
There is no family attendance, church or chapel service, limousine or formal procession. We collect your loved one under the package's normal local collection terms, arrange the documentation, provide the simple coffin and necessary staff, and take them directly to the cemetery at the agreed time.
A standard-size coffin is included. A larger or reinforced coffin, if required for safety and dignity, incurs an additional charge. Collections from private addresses or outside normal working hours are quoted separately.
Grave searches, interment, grave purchase (if needed) and other cemetery charges are separate.
Close family and mourners may attend the graveside for a short farewell. A member of our team can say a few words, and a short piece of music may be arranged where practical and permitted by the cemetery.
One main floral tribute purchased by the family may travel with the coffin by prior arrangement. Additional flowers, a minister or celebrant, a hearse, limousines, preparation and viewing, alternative coffin choices or an extended ceremony can be discussed and quoted separately.
The service takes place outdoors. Seating, shelter and sound facilities cannot be assumed, and weather and ground conditions should be considered.
It can suit families seeking a simpler burial, perhaps with a short graveside farewell or a memorial gathering later. If a longer service, church, formal procession or extensive additions are wanted, a traditional burial funeral may be a better fit.
See traditional funeral packages →We can discuss Chapel of Rest visits, care and preparation, alternative coffins, floral tributes, ministers or celebrants, hearse and limousine transport, printed service sheets and additional attendants. These are not included in the basic direct burial prices unless specifically agreed.
Memorial work and cemetery permissions are subject to the cemetery's regulations.
Yes. For an existing grave, a council grave search and record check is required to establish burial rights, previous interments and available space. The grave search fee is charged separately.
Ownership or the right to arrange further burials may need to be established or transferred. We will help the family identify what the cemetery needs. The proposed rights holder should be agreed before an application is submitted, as later changes may not be straightforward.
Not necessarily. If an existing grave is available and permission for another burial is confirmed, normally the relevant interment and grave-search charges apply rather than a new-grave purchase charge. New graves have an additional purchase fee.
Yes. The cemetery may require a headstone, kerb or other memorial to be removed before reopening a grave. A memorial mason may charge for removal, safe storage, alterations and later reinstatement.
Yes, with our attended graveside option. The family attends for a short farewell at the cemetery. The unattended option does not include mourners.
Additional arrangements can be discussed and individually quoted. For an attended direct burial, one main floral tribute supplied by the family can travel with the coffin if agreed beforehand.
No. Interment, grave searches, grave purchase where required, and other cemetery or memorial costs are separate. Fees vary with the cemetery and may depend on residency eligibility.