Transporting Ashes Internationally and Inside the UK

As cremation continues to be the most popular form of funeral in the UK, there is a growing need for people to take care of transporting the ashes of loved ones from one place to another. If you have never had to deal with cremated ashes before, or you are just checking on the ins and outs of the process involved. You may not realize how common it is for ashes to be transported over large distances. Occasionally, this is necessary when they are being sent back to another member of the deceased’s family, to be scattered at a location significant to the deceased, or if they are cremated abroad to repatriate their remains back home.

It's essential to note that there are several issues related to transporting ashes, and it’s not as straightforward as just keeping them in a secure container and then travelling with them. However, with some planning and the information you will find in this post, you can transport the ashes of your loved one without much trouble at all.

One significant difficulty you will encounter is that some carriers/couriers are not willing to transport ashes in the first place. To help you understand the possible options, we will look at how you can have ashes transported both within the UK and abroad.

Cremated Ashes Sent Abroad by Plane

In general, cremated ashes can be transported by air travel as cargo, checked-in baggage, or carry-on luggage. Air travel is a convenient, easy, and safe form of transportation, which many opt for if they need to travel with the cremated ashes. However, these specific modes of transportation are only permitted if you adhere to the rules and guidelines related to them.

Guidelines for flying with cremated ashes

The cremated ashes must be held in a container made from scannable material that will provide a clear image of the contents during airport security checks. Although not an exhaustive list, some preferred and recommended materials for urns used in transporting ashes by air include:

Ideally, you should avoid urns and containers made from granite, metal, and stone, as airport scanners will have more difficulty scanning these materials. This is important to note, as the urn or container will only pass the checkpoint if the contents are checked. As a mark of respect for the deceased, security officers at the airport are not allowed to open the urn or container, even if you permit them.

You should also check your airline's allowance for in-flight hand luggage. Most cabin luggage on domestic and international flights should be 55 × 35 × 26 cm. While it may sound like common sense, the urn or container must be sealed tightly to avoid accidental spillages.

Every airline has its policies, guidelines, and procedures related to the transportation of ashes. While some require prior notice, others require that the urn or container be labelled, and, often, official documents like death and cremation certificates are required. Ensure you find out the specific requirements of the airline you intend to fly with.

In certain situations, both when travelling internationally and domestically, you may need to get official export documentation from the appropriate embassy or consulate.

At the very least, in most cases, you should have the following paperwork when transporting cremated ashes:

Death certificate.
Cremation certificate.
A funeral home or crematorium letter outlining the urn or particular container that holds the cremated ashes of the deceased.

Transporting and Sending Cremated Ashes Abroad

If you are looking to ship the cremated ashes of a loved one abroad, it can be a more complicated process due to the unfamiliarity of international regulations and rules. Some countries do not permit cremated human remains to be shipped there, while others allow it if you use a specially selected and authorised carrier. Therefore, you must contact the embassy or consulate at the destination to which you wish to send the cremated ashes to fully understand the process and regulations involved. An excellent place to start your research is at the International Destination Listing regarding restricted and prohibited items within the country you wish to send them.

The Costs Involved in Transporting Cremated Ashes Abroad

As you may have guessed, the cost of transporting a loved one's cremated ashes internationally will depend on several factors, including the airline or form of transportation you use, the carrier, and the country you will be sending them to. With that in mind, consider the following estimated guidelines:

Delivering cremated ashes in the EU – depending on the country, around £395
Transporting cremated ashes to anywhere else in the world, outside the UK and the EU – starting at £750

By far, the most cost-effective option for transporting ashes or shipping them abroad is to have them delivered to the airport nearest you, where an assigned consignee can collect them.

You can also organise delivery of cremated ashes from an international country back into the UK. There may be extra charges involved due to the involvement of the funeral director or crematorium in the country where the cremation occurred. The cost for repatriation of ashes is approximately:

From a European country back to the UK - £400
From a country outside the UK and the EU – starting at £800

Sending Cremated Ashes Via Post Within the UK

Many places offer the opportunity to send a loved one's cremated ashes by post within the UK. The estimated costs are below, but remember that you must speak to your preferred carrier or courier for a more accurate price.

Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the islands – will vary according to the distance.
Mainland England and Wales Collection and Delivery – will vary according to the distance.

Courier Service for Transporting Cremated Ashes In the UK

Unfortunately, there are not many options when it comes to courier companies in the UK that are willing to transport the cremated ashes of loved ones. However, there are two main options if you decide to go this route:

Hire a personal driver to collect and deliver the cremated ashes to your required destination in the UK.
Some companies have liability insurance coverage that allows them to offer a collection and delivery service for cremated ashes anywhere in the UK through My Hermes.

When sending cremated ashes via post or a courier in the UK, there are general rules and guidelines that most carriers and companies require you to adhere to:

The container or urn holding the cremated ashes must be tightly sealed to avoid potential spillages.
The container or urn should be padded and placed carefully in a suitably sized and strong box.
Ideally, the urn should be placed inside a sealed plastic bag for additional protection.
The package should clearly label your name, contact details, and the correct destination and return address.
You must use a trackable parcel service when sending cremated urns throughout the UK.
Make sure the cremated ashes of your loved one have all the necessary documents with them, including the death and cremation certificate.

Sending Cremated Ashes with Royal Mail

Royal Mail, the premier postal service in the UK, offers domestic and international shipping of cremated ashes as long as its specific guidelines and restrictions are followed.

First and foremost, the package should be 50g or less in weight. As such, you can’t send all the cremated ashes of a loved one with Royal Mail in a single package, just a small token. The upside to this is that this is a very cost-effective and efficient option for sending some cremated ashes to loved ones in different parts of the country or world.

Regarding the urn and packaging requirements that Royal Mail expects, they are more or less the same as those listed further up this page.

You should always use Royal Mail's tracked delivery service to ensure that your loved one's cremated ashes safely reach the desired destination. This service lets you track the package's journey using the Royal Mail website.

Royal Mail also offers guaranteed same-day delivery for parcels within the UK, depending on where you send them to and from. However, when it comes to sending cremated ashes internationally, we recommend that you look at other carriers instead of Royal Mail.

Sending Cremated Ashes with UPS (United Parcel Service)

It’s important to note that UPS classify cremated ashes as prohibited items. Therefore, you cannot use UPS to transport cremated ashes domestically or internationally. In the past, many people have tried to package up the cremated ashes of loved ones without labelling what’s in the package. However, this is a dangerous and illegal thing to do and could lead to unnecessary trouble, fines, and worse.

Sending Cremated Ashes with TNT

Another company that lists cremated ashes as restricted items is TNT. Although you can still send cremated ashes using their Express delivery services, this does not mean they accept any liability against damage or loss of the package. If you decide to use TNT Express services, your package can be delivered by the next day to most locations around the UK or within three days if you send it internationally.

To summarise, the process of transporting the cremated ashes of a deceased loved one can be an intimidating and focusing process at times. However, if you do the research, use this post as a reference, and look into the specific regulations and rules for the airline, postal service delivery carrier, or courier. As well as any restrictions and guidelines for the destination country, you should be able to send them without too much hassle. The important thing is to take a patient approach to the process and not try to make rash or rushed decisions. The last thing you want to do is get into trouble or lose the cremated ashes of someone essential to you in the post.

18/06/2024 | Categories: Cremation ashes destination