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A new method of paying respects to deceased friends and family is becoming increasingly popular in the UK – live-streaming cremations online.
A number of funeral homes and crematoriums across the country have begun to offer the service as a way of helping those who might not be able to easily travel to the service in person, but still want to take part.
A recent survey of funeral directors found that about a fifth of those in Britain already had some sort of live-streaming system in place while 61% of funeral directors said they had received requests for services to be live-streamed.
As a result, many now offer ways for those who can’t be in attendance to still be a part of the day, using timed, secure log-in to a webcam in order to see a service unfold.
It has been suggested that while advancements and availability of technology has had an impact on the funeral industry, the shift in social demographics, with families spread across a number of different countries now more common, is another reason for the rise in requests.
Some locations can now also save services they record to be viewed up to a week after it has taken place. Worthing Crematorium advertises such a set-up on its website, with users able to log in securely and watch. They can also source DVD copies “for those who do not have internet access”.
However, Paul Allcock, the president of the Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors, told the Telegraph that the technology should not just be used because it’s “convenient”.
“In many cases there’s an appropriate request for it, such as when mourners live a distance away. But my main concern is that it’s too convenient for those that don’t want to make the effort of attending when perhaps they should,” he said.
