West Road Crematorium
West Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE5 2JL
Opened in 1934, West Road is Newcastle’s principal crematorium. Operated by Newcastle City Council, set within the West Road Cemetery.
Newcastle · England
Basic Cremation in Newcastle
A simple, dignified cremation arranged across Newcastle and Tyne & Wear — handled by trusted local funeral directors and North East crematoria, never centralised hundreds of miles away.
0333 242 1405Available 24 hours a day, every day of the year
Trusted across the UK
Reviews on Trustpilot
NAFD & SAIF accredited network
24/7 phone support
£1,499 all-inclusive
About our service in Newcastle
A local cremation, arranged with care.
If you’ve lost someone in Newcastle or anywhere across Tyne & Wear, we can help you arrange a basic cremation — also called a direct or unattended cremation. The process happens locally: an independent funeral director near you brings your loved one into care at their own funeral home, and the cremation takes place at one of the established North East crematoria.
Newcastle is well served. The West Road Crematorium opened in 1934 and is the city’s principal facility. The Whitley Bay Crematorium serves the North Tyneside coastline. Tynemouth Crematorium covers the eastern Tyneside fringe. Together with crematoria across Gateshead (Saltwell) and South Tyneside, they cover Tyne & Wear.
The price is £1,499 — a single all-inclusive figure covering everything. The team is available 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
Pricing in Newcastle
A single price. No hidden extras.
£1,499complete
- Collection from a hospital or coroner's mortuary
- Professional care in a local mortuary
- A suitable coffin
- All paperwork and arrangements
- Cremation at a local Tyne and Wear crematorium
- Ashes returned to you, or scattered with care
The £1,499 price covers collection from a hospital or coroner’s mortuary. Collection from a home, care home or hospice in Newcastle or anywhere in Tyne and Wear requires a £250 Priority Care collection fee — making the total £1,749. Always explained on the phone before anything happens, never added afterwards.
Local crematoria
The crematoria we use across Tyne and Wear
We work with West Road, Whitley Bay, Tynemouth and Saltwell — alongside crematoria across Tyne & Wear. Your local funeral director arranges the cremation at the appropriate facility for your area; you’ll know the date and time in advance.
Whitley Bay Crematorium
Blyth Road, Whitley Bay NE26 4NJ
Serves North Tyneside — Whitley Bay, Tynemouth, North Shields and the coastline. Operated by North Tyneside Council.
Tynemouth Crematorium
Walton Avenue, North Shields NE29 7DJ
An additional North Tyneside facility, serving the eastern Tyneside fringe.
Saltwell Crematorium
Saltwell Road South, Gateshead NE8 4TP
The Gateshead crematorium, set within the historic Saltwell Cemetery. Operated by Gateshead Council.
The exact crematorium used depends on the area of Tyne and Wear you’re in, and on availability. The local funeral director arranges this directly and tells you the date and time in advance.
Areas covered
Tyne and Wear and surrounding areas
We arrange basic cremations across the whole of Tyne and Wear. The £1,499 price is the same in every area.
Newcastle city centre
Jesmond
Heaton
Gosforth
Fenham
Benwell
Walker
Byker
Westgate
Kenton
Fawdon
Longbenton
Wallsend
North Shields
Whitley Bay
Tynemouth
Gateshead
Felling
Dunston
Sunderland (linked)
Don’t see your area? We almost certainly cover it — call us on 0333 242 1405 to check.
What to expect
What happens when you call
Five clear steps, taken at your pace, with someone to talk you through every one.
1
You call us
Day or night. Our team listens and gently takes you through what needs to happen.
2
Local Newcastle care
An independent funeral director near you brings your loved one into their care at their own funeral home.
3
Paperwork
We help with all legal paperwork and book the cremation at a local crematorium.
4
Local Tyne and Wear cremation
A dignified cremation takes place at one of Tyne and Wear's established crematoria.
5
Ashes returned
The ashes can be returned to you for a memorial of your choosing, or scattered with care.
Collection from Newcastle hospitals, care homes and private addresses across Tyne & Wear typically happens within hours of your call, day or night. The local funeral director brings your loved one into care at their own funeral home — never into a centralised facility hundreds of miles away.
Registering a death in Newcastle
Newcastle Register Office
- Address
- Civic Centre, Barras Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8QH
- Phone
- 0191 278 7878
All deaths that occurred within the City of Newcastle must be registered at Newcastle Register Office in the Civic Centre. The office is appointment-only; bookings open once the Medical Examiner or coroner has released the paperwork. A death must normally be registered within 5 days unless the coroner is involved. Newcastle participates in Tell Us Once. North Tyneside, Gateshead, South Tyneside and Sunderland each have their own register offices for deaths in those boroughs.
Hospital bereavement offices in Tyne and Wear
If your loved one died in hospital, the hospital’s bereavement office handles the paperwork that needs to go to the Medical Examiner before the death can be registered. Your funeral director will normally liaise with them on your behalf.
Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI)
Bereavement Office, Queen Victoria Road, NE1 4LP. Call ahead before visiting.
Freeman Hospital
Bereavement Services, Freeman Road, High Heaton, NE7 7DN. Open weekdays.
Great North Children's Hospital
Specialist child bereavement support. Part of the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust at the RVI.
When the coroner is involved
If the death has been referred to the coroner
If the death is unexpected, sudden or the cause is not yet clear, the Medical Examiner may refer the case to HM Senior Coroner for Newcastle upon Tyne. This happens for around 40% of deaths in England and Wales — it’s routine.
The Newcastle coroner reviews the cause of death and either releases for registration or arranges a post-mortem. Where a post-mortem is needed, your loved one is held at the public mortuary.
If an inquest is opened, the coroner sends paperwork to the registrar after it concludes. The cremation can proceed once the coroner releases your loved one.
Local support
Bereavement support in Tyne and Wear
Grief takes time, and there’s no right way to feel. These local services in Tyne and Wear provide free, confidential support — whether you need someone to talk to today or in a few months’ time.
Cruse Bereavement Support — Tyne and Wear
Free, confidential bereavement support across Newcastle and the North East.
Visit websiteSt Oswald's Hospice — Bereavement Service
Bereavement counselling open to anyone in Newcastle, regardless of whether you used hospice services.
Visit websiteMarie Curie Hospice Newcastle — bereavement
Bereavement support service open to anyone in the area.
Visit websiteSands (stillbirth and neonatal death)
National charity supporting families bereaved by stillbirth or neonatal death.
Visit websiteHelp with funeral costs
If you’re worried about the cost
If you’re receiving certain benefits and arranging the funeral, you may qualify for the government’s Funeral Expenses Payment.
Apply through gov.uk or call the Bereavement Service helpline on 0800 731 0469. Claims can be made up to six months after the funeral.
If you’re struggling to cover the £1,499 upfront, call us and we can talk through options.
We’re not financial advisors and can’t make benefit applications on your behalf, but the team is happy to talk you through what’s available before you commit to anything.
Frequently asked questions
Newcastle questions, answered
Which Newcastle crematorium will be used?
Most often West Road for central and west Newcastle, Whitley Bay or Tynemouth for North Tyneside, or Saltwell for Gateshead. Your local funeral director picks the appropriate facility.
Do you cover Sunderland, North Tyneside, Gateshead and South Tyneside?
Yes — we work with funeral directors and crematoria across Tyne & Wear. Each borough has its own register office, but the £1,499 price is the same.
How quickly can you collect from the RVI or Freeman?
Once the bereavement office and Medical Examiner have released the paperwork, collection is typically within hours, day or night.
What if my loved one died at home in Newcastle?
If expected, call the GP or out-of-hours GP service to verify death. Then call us. If unexpected, 999 first — paramedic and police attendance is routine, which triggers a coroner referral.
Can ashes be scattered on the Northumberland coast?
Yes — ashes can be scattered on Northumberland beaches with appropriate care. Sea scattering is also straightforward. We return the ashes to you and you choose what to do.
Read more
Useful guides
If you’d like to read more about how a basic cremation works, what your price covers, or what to do in the days after someone has died, these guides are written in plain English.
What is a basic cremation?
How it works, why families choose it, and how it differs from a traditional funeral.
Read more →
What’s included
Every item your £1,499 price covers — and what it doesn’t.
Read more →
Prices
The full price, Priority Care collection fee, and help with funeral costs.
Read more →
When someone dies
The practical first steps in the first 24 to 72 hours, depending on where the death took place.
Read the guide →
Help & advice
Registering a death, when the coroner is involved, and other practical guides.
All guides →
Common questions
The questions families most often ask before arranging a basic cremation.
FAQs →
Other locations
We also cover cities near Newcastle
The same simple, dignified £1,499 basic cremation is available across the wider region. If your loved one died outside Newcastle itself, the appropriate local funeral director and crematorium will be used.
Basic Cremation in Sunderland
Tyne and Wear
Basic Cremation in Leeds
West Yorkshire
Basic Cremation in Bradford
West Yorkshire
Basic Cremation in Sheffield
South Yorkshire
Basic Cremation in Wakefield
West Yorkshire
Basic Cremation in Doncaster
South Yorkshire
Basic Cremation in Rotherham
South Yorkshire
Basic Cremation in York
North Yorkshire
Don’t see your area? We cover the wider UK — view all locations or call us on 0333 242 1405.
Speak to us about a cremation in Newcastle
There's always someone available to talk you through what needs to happen. Calls are answered day and night, every day of the year.
0333 242 1405Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week