4. Crematorium service standards
4.1 Cremation services
The City of Belfast Crematorium provides a dignified and respectful environment for cremation services. The City of Belfast Crematorium opened in 1961. Since then, cremation has become a growing area of choice for bereavement committal. Service demands can be high during seasonal periods. Our current service offering has been designed to meet these demands.
Cremation slot availability and duration
The Crematorium provides 16 cremation slots from Monday to Friday and 11 on Saturdays. There are no cremations on Sundays. Each booked slot is 40 minutes, which includes time for mourners to enter and exit the building, with a 20-minute committal service. Cremations are available from 7.20am to 5.20pm, Monday to Friday, and from 7.20am to 2pm on Saturdays.
Seating capacity and viewing facilities
The City of Belfast Crematorium Church and Funeral Service Room seats 80 people. There is no designated standing area in the building. Standing is available outside the front door. Mourners can watch the funeral service on a large digital screen.
Punctuality and service flow
Punctuality is essential for all booked services to prevent delays and ensure a dignified experience for all families. Late arrivals may not be allowed to enter the chapel if it would disrupt the subsequent service, unless there is a sufficient interval, for example 15 minutes before the next booking.
Including explicit standards on punctuality and the potential consequences for late arrival is crucial for the efficient and respectful operation of the crematorium. Given the tight scheduling of services, this ensures a dignified and uninterrupted experience for all families and prevents cascading delays.
To read cremation times from Monday to Saturday, go to cremations.
4.2 Cremation procedure (adhering to Code of Cremation Practice)
The Crematorium adheres to a strict Code of Cremation Practice to ensure dignity, respect, and proper procedure throughout the cremation process.
Staff conduct and training: As detailed in Section 2.1, all staff involved in the operation of cremators are suitably trained and certified in technical and ethical procedures, maintaining a dignified atmosphere of reverence and respect.
Coffin reception and storage (prior to committal): A coffin and its contents, whether for a service or direct cremation, will be brought into the Crematorium building through an appropriate, dignified entrance footnote three. If the service is not to take place immediately, the coffin and its contents will be placed on the catafalque, transferred to the crematory, and then placed in secure, sanitary storage within the building footnote three. Detailing the handling and secure storage of coffins prior to committal addresses a highly sensitive area for bereaved families. This procedural transparency provides crucial reassurance about the respectful and secure treatment of their loved one's remains before the service, building trust and alleviating potential anxieties.
Identity verification: We will not accept a coffin at the Crematorium unless it bears adequate particulars identifying the deceased person. The utmost care will be taken to ensure correct identification throughout the entire process, from the moment the coffin is received onto the catafalque until the final disposal of the cremated remains or ashes footnote three. The rigorous emphasis on ‘correct identity’ verification throughout the entire process is a fundamental safeguard against errors. This standard provides families with crucial reassurance that their loved one is handled correctly at every stage, which is a critical trust-building measure in such a sensitive service.
Handling of metal residues: Metal found in the cremated remains or ashes will be disposed of in accordance with the directions of the Cremation Authority. We aim to explore how to recycle metal residues, with profits donated to charities, unless the applicant requests otherwise, in line with best practices from other authorities footnote six. This transforms a necessary operational detail into a positive public relations point and aligns with broader ethical and community benefit considerations, elevating the service beyond basic compliance.
4.3 Collection and dispersal of cremated remains
Options for remains
Cremated remains can either be collected by the applicant or a nominated person, or scattered in the Garden of Remembrance.
Timeframes for collection and scattering: To collect cremated remains, you must be the applicant on the Cremation Disposal form. We will ask you for photographic ID before you can remove cremated remains. You can collect remains from the Crematorium office from 2pm on the next working day after the cremation service. Scattering cremated remains takes place 48 hours after cremation or later. If after a cremation, we will hold cremated remains in City of Belfast crematorium for a maximum 16 weeks from the date of cremation. If you do not collect cremated remains within this timeframe, we will scatter the remains in the Garden of Remembrance. We will contact you two weeks before we intend to scatter the remains.
Fees for dispersal
Scattering cremated remains in the Garden of Remembrance is free if the cremation took place at the City of Belfast Crematorium. There is a fee for scattering remains if the cremation took place elsewhere.
Policy for infant cremation
We adhere to a specific policy statement for infant cremation, ensuring the utmost sensitivity and care.In line with commission recommendations, cremated remains and ashes are considered the same, defined as ’all that is left in the cremator at the end of the cremation process, and following the removal of any metal’. Explicitly stating the policy on infant cremation and providing a clear, nationally aligned definition of ‘ashes’ addresses a particularly sensitive area with clarity and transparency. This aligns with national recommendations and provides crucial reassurance to families, demonstrating our commitment to best practice in a delicate context.
Footnotes
Footnote three: Our Service Standards | Lambeth Council (link opens in new window), accessed June 24, 2025.
Footnote six: FAQs - The Church in Wales (link opens in new window), accessed June 24, 2025.
