When someone we love is cremated, a handful of practical questions often surface alongside our grief:

Do I need an urn vault? How big should the urn be? May I keep the ashes at home—or even share them with family?
Below you’ll find a detailed, step-by-step guide that flows through each of those concerns, weaving together expert insight with real-world experience from the Cremation Urns Ashes UK team. We hope it brings clarity, comfort and a sense of confidence as you honour your loved one’s memory.

Protecting the Urn Underground: What an Urn Vault Does

Many British cemeteries ask families to place the urn inside a vault—a rigid outer box (commonly concrete or high-strength polymer) that goes into the grave first. The vault keeps soil pressure, lawn-mowing equipment and ground frost from crushing the urn, while also preventing the turf from sinking over time. Think of it as a miniature foundation that preserves the dignity of the gravesite long-term. Vaults typically add £400–£1,200 to a burial and, though not always mandatory, they’re strongly recommended at most traditional burial grounds.

Tip: If you’re arranging a natural or woodland burial, ask whether the site welcomes biodegradable urns without a vault—many green cemeteries do.

Sizing the Urn: Understanding the Volume of Ashes

An adult’s cremated remains in the UK usually occupy 170 – 220 cu in / 3 – 3.6 L. A quick rule of thumb is one cubic inch of urn space for every pound of body weight. Choosing an urn that’s a touch larger is perfectly fine—better a little spare room than not enough. If you’re setting aside a token amount of ashes for jewellery or keepsakes, you can safely order a standard adult urn for the bulk and mini-urns for sharing.

Browse our Adult Cremation Urns where each listing shows exact capacity, making it easy to match volume to vessel.

Creating a Place of Peace: Keeping Ashes at Home

UK law puts no restriction on keeping a loved one’s ashes at home, and more families now choose to do so. A favourite approach is to set up a quiet memorial nook—perhaps a mantel, shelf or sideboard—where the urn sits alongside photos, candles or a fresh bouquet. Over time this small “shrine” becomes a gentle, everyday reminder that love endures beyond loss.

If you plan a home memorial, consider an urn that complements your décor—warm wood for a rustic setting, hand-etched brass for traditional elegance, contemporary aluminium for a minimalist flat. Free next-day delivery across mainland Britain means you can create that space as soon as you feel ready.

Sharing Love, Not Losing It: Is It OK to Separate Ashes?

Absolutely. Dividing ashes is common and, for many, deeply healing. You might:

• Give each close relative a keepsake urn or a piece of cremation jewellery—ideal when family lives far apart.
• Hold multiple scattering ceremonies (for instance, one along a coastal cliff and another beneath a favourite oak).
• Choose a companion urn if two people wish to rest together in the future.

Our collections of Keepsake Urns and Scattering Urns are designed precisely for these moments, making it simple to share ashes with grace and intention.

A quick family conversation ensures everyone’s wishes are heard—once you’ve agreed, there is no legal or ethical barrier to dividing cremated remains in the UK.

Moving Forward with Confidence

Whether you choose a protective vault for burial, display a beautiful urn in your living room, or gift keepsakes so each sibling can keep a part of Mum or Dad close, remember: there is no single “right” way. The best choice is whatever brings you peace.

If you need help confirming urn capacity, selecting a vault-compatible shape, or finding the perfect keepsake, the compassionate team at Cremation Urns Ashes UK is only a call or email away. We’re honoured to guide you through this meaningful step and ensure every detail reflects the life you cherish.

Quick Links for Further Help

• Adult Cremation Urns
• Keepsake & Mini Urns
• Scattering Tubes & Biodegradable Urns

Need Personalised advice? Contact us anytime—our support team will happily answer sizing questions, engraving requests or delivery timelines so you can focus on remembering, healing and celebrating a life well-lived.