What to Do with Ashes After Cremation: Scattering, Interment, Keepsakes, and Travel

Having a loved one cremated is a significant moment, and can come with a lot of emotions, even if you choose a direct cremation so there’s no ceremony at the time. After the big moment, the crematorium staff will process the remains and prepare the ashes for you. Then it’s up to you to decide what to do with them. 

If you are wondering what to do with ashes after cremation, there is no single right answer. Some families scatter ashes somewhere meaningful. Some bury them in a cemetery or family grave. Some keep them at home. Others divide the ashes between relatives, create keepsakes, or take them abroad.

The best choice is usually the one that reflects the person’s wishes and gives the family a way to say goodbye that feels right. There are many things you can do with ashes, so with some thought you’ll definitely settle on something that feels ‘just right’.

With Crystal Funeral Planning’s direct cremation plan, ashes are hand-delivered to the family within 28 days of cremation. That means you do not need to decide immediately. Once the ashes are returned, you can take your time and choose what feels most appropriate.

Key Takeaways

• The main options are scattering, interment, keeping ashes at home, dividing ashes, or creating keepsakes.
• You usually need permission to scatter ashes on land you do not own.
• You do not need a licence or permission to scatter ashes at sea after cremation.
• Interment of ashes means burying or placing ashes in a fixed resting place.
• Taking ashes on a plane is usually possible, but you should check airline rules and carry the right documents.

What to Do with Ashes After Cremation

When people search “what can I do with ashes?”, they are usually looking for practical ideas, but also emotional reassurance. It can feel like a big decision, especially if different family members have different views. Here’s a rundown of the most common options people go for:

There are many things to do with ashes, and not all of them have to happen straight away. You also do not need to use all the ashes in one way. You can scatter some ashes and keep the rest. You can keep them at home for a while, then decide later. You can also divide ashes between family members if there are different wishes.There are lots of options.

Choose Between Scattering, Interment, Keeping, or Dividing

If you’ve been wondering what to do with cremation ashes, consider:

• Did the person leave any wishes?
• Is there somewhere that mattered to them?
• Would the family value having a permanent place to visit?
• Would keeping ashes at home feel comforting or difficult?
• Are different family members hoping for different things?
• Do you want to decide now, or keep the ashes safely while you think?

What do you put ashes in when you want to keep them? You’ll likely receive a temporary container from the crematorium or funeral provider unless you agree on something else. Ultimately, you could put ashes in a decorative urn, a biodegradable urn, a scatter tube, or a keepsake urn, or even turn them into ashes jewellery.

If you want ashes keepsake ideas, popular options include pendants, rings, small urns, glass ornaments, framed memorial pieces, and small keepsake boxes. These usually only require a small amount of ashes, so the rest can still be scattered, buried or kept. Here are some UK companies that offer ashes keepsake services:

• Ashes into Glass: creates ashes jewellery and glass keepsakes, including rings, pendants, earrings, cufflinks, charm beads, and paperweights. Their site describes the ashes being layered within crystal glass.
• EverWith: offers a large range of memorial ashes jewellery, including rings, pendants, necklaces, bracelets, charm beads, cufflinks, earrings, and self-fill jewellery.
• Ashes Memorial Jewellery: handmade ashes and cremation jewellery from a woodland workshop in Staffordshire, including necklaces, rings, bracelets, charms, earrings, keyrings and memorial gifts.
• Heart In Diamond UK: turns ashes or hair into laboratory-created memorial diamonds, which can then be set into rings, pendants, earrings or other jewellery.
• Inscripture: offers ashes jewellery alongside other memorial jewellery, including pieces designed to hold a small amount of ashes.
• And Vinyly: a more unusual memorial idea: a UK company that presses ashes into vinyl records, creating a playable memorial record. Wired reported the basic package as including up to 30 ash-flecked discs.

Scattering Ashes in the UK: Rules to Understand

Scattering ashes is one of the most common cremation ashes ideas, but there are rules on scattering ashes you should be aware of. The basic rule is: if you do not own the land, ask permission.

Different local authorities will have different variations on this rule. For example, Southend-on-Sea City Council explains that the law on scattering ashes in the UK is fairly relaxed, but you need permission from the landowner before scattering ashes over land or water.

Where Do You Need Permission to Scatter Ashes?

GOV.UK confirms that you do not need a licence or permission to scatter ashes at sea after a cremation. This is different from a burial at sea, which does require a marine licence.

Scattering Ashes UK Law: Landowner Permission

There is no single UK law that says ashes can only be scattered in certain places. In practice, the issue is permission, which changes from place to place. Before scattering ashes, check:

• Who owns or manages the land
• Whether scattering ashes is allowed there
• Whether you need written permission
• Whether flowers, plaques or memorial items are allowed
• Whether there are environmental restrictions
• Whether the location will be private enough for the family

If scattering on water, avoid plastic, metal, wreaths with wire, or anything that could harm wildlife. Biodegradable flowers or petals are usually more appropriate.

Interment of Ashes: Burial of Ashes

Interment of ashes means placing ashes in a fixed resting place. This is sometimes called burial of ashes. Common places for interment are:

• A cemetery plot
• An existing family grave
• A crematorium garden of remembrance
• A churchyard
• A natural burial ground
• A Private Garden
• A columbarium niche

Interment of Ashes Meaning

Interment is different from scattering because the ashes are placed somewhere permanent or semi-permanent. This can give families a specific place to visit. An interment may involve a short ceremony, a few words, a prayer, a reading, or a quiet moment. It can be formal or very simple.

Costs for this vary depending on the cemetery, location, grave rights and whether a new plot is needed.

Interment of Ashes in Existing Grave

Many families choose interment of ashes in an existing grave, especially if a spouse, parent or close relative is already buried there. Some families want some of the ashes placed in a family plot. To do this, you need to check:

• Who owns the exclusive right of burial
• Whether there is space in the grave
• Whether all grave owners agree
• What the cemetery charges
• Whether a minister, celebrant, or official is needed
• Whether a memorial inscription can or should be added

If several people own the burial rights, permission may be needed from all of them. If you are burying ashes in a private garden, think carefully before doing so. If the property is sold later, the ashes may be difficult to visit or move. You may also need documentation if you want to retrieve them in the future.

Taking Ashes on a Plane and Transporting Ashes Internationally

Some families want to take ashes abroad to scatter or inter them in another country. This is usually possible, but it needs planning.

Taking Ashes Through Airport Security UK

When leaving a country with human ashes, you will normally need to show the death certificate and cremation certificate. You should also contact your airline to check whether ashes can be carried as hand luggage or checked luggage. The airline may ask for ashes to be carried in a non-metallic container so they can be X-rayed. Before flying with ashes, prepare the following:

• The death certificate
• The cremation certificate
• A sealed, secure container
• A non-metallic urn or scatter tube
• Written confirmation from the airline if possible
• Translated documents if the destination country requires them

It is usually best to carry ashes in hand luggage, but always check the airline’s rules before travelling.

Sending Human Ashes Abroad from UK

Sending human ashes abroad can be more complicated than taking them yourself. Each destination country may have its own customs, embassy or consular requirements.

Before sending ashes abroad, check:

• destination country rules
• customs requirements
• whether documents need translation
• whether the receiving country requires embassy approval
• courier restrictions
• whether a funeral director or specialist repatriation service is needed

Even posting ashes within the UK has requirements. The Post Office also treats human ashes as restricted items and only allows up to 50g per postal item. That means standard post is not suitable for sending full adult cremated remains (Source:)

Final Thoughts

There are many options if you are deciding what to do with someone’s ashes. You can scatter them, inter them, keep them at home, divide them, turn a small amount into a keepsake, or take them somewhere meaningful.

The most important thing is not to rush. Talk to the family, check whether the person left wishes, and make sure you understand the rules for your chosen place or memorial.

Crystal Funeral Planning’s direct cremation plan makes this easier by handling the practicalities first. The plan includes 24-hour collection, care of the deceased, a coffin, cremation fees, doctors’ fees, transport and hand-delivery of ashes within 28 days.

That gives families what they often need most: a simple, low-cost cremation handled professionally, and the freedom to decide what happens next in their own time. Contact us to start arrangements.