Shipping ashes within UK costs and tips

Johnp2712

Hi

Had an issue with shipping ashes 200 miles in the UK one way after the funeral for interment in the family plot and thought describing what I found out might help others.

Firstly most courier companies including the Post Office and Parcel Force will not accept Human Remains. The only caveat to this is the post office will allow token amounts (up to 50g) but that doesn't help if you want to ship all the ashes.

The only parcel courier I could find who would accept shipments is Hermes. They do not prohibit ashes but will not compensate if they are lost. Not that any monetary compensation would help!! Check out their UK website for the UK list of prohibited items (not the international one. They prohibit international shipments). Hermes is the cheapest legitimate way.

Some pointers re shipping Hermes. Only ship Monday to Wednesday (to ensure they travel in the week and don't get stuck over a weekend) and if you are dropping them off at one of their drop off points do so before 12:00 Midday to ensure they don't hang around to the next day. Of course package them very very well!!

Next up is several specialist companies charging around £100 to ship. However I have found out that all they seem to offer is to ship them via Hermes but with additional expert support to you.

Another option is door to door specialist companies that pickup and drop off in one go. These were asking £340 or so plus VAT to ship anywhere in the UK but they come to your door in a car and drive them up in one go so there is little risk of loss.

Finally local door to door couriers may also be prepared to do this task for you but I found they are around the same price (around £400 for a 400 mile round trip) unless they can combine to trip with another drop off on the way. I was offered this but would have had to wait a couple of weeks.

Hope that helps someone!!

xylophone

Had an issue with shipping ashes 200 miles in the UK one way

Wouldn't it have been easier to hop on a train and take the ashes to the family plot?

Johnp2712

Hi

I considered driving flying and the train. All were too tiring for me (In the case of flying a 17 hour day getting up at 5:00AM and back at 10:00PM with one hour drives to the airports both ends something I am not up to a 66).

In respect of the train it would have meant 45 mins to the station. A clackety clack train to Birmingham then a change onto an intercity. At the destination hiring a car and driving another 45 minutes assuming no jams. And then back again. The off peak cost would be £166 all in and a 14 hour day assuming no train delays. It was the risk of train delays messing the plan up and expected time on the go that put me off this.

I could have driven all the way but that was more expensive and 12 hours of driving (including breaks) was just too much

Owain_Moneysaver

DX accept Class B Medical Specimens, so should be able to convey human ashes. I don't know if they will do one-off jobs for personal customers though.

Funeral directors routinely arrange transport of ashes, I suspect they use DX.