Young people want their ashes compressed into a record after death, study claims

The way people want to be remembered is radically changing

The young generation has more creative ideas for being remembered after death (PA Wire/PA Images)

One in four young people want their ashes compressed into a trendy vinyl record, according to a cremation company.

The study also found the “selfie generation” – those under the age of 25 – are twice as likely to want a gravestone as the over-55s.

But one in three of the more modest older generation are happy to have no lasting memorial when they succumb.

Nearly half of young people who said they’d prefer to be cremated would like their ashes made into a diamond. The research was carried out by Simplicity Cremations.

Spokesman Mark Hull said: “The way we want to be remembered is changing radically. Older people are certainly moving away from traditional memorials, partly because of practical reasons such as cost and the need for upkeep.

“But also because they believe their friends or loved ones don’t need a physical memorial to remember them in the same way as before.

“Younger generations are certainly looking for more creative and physical ways to be remembered, which is surprising as most of their lives will be lived in the digital world.”

It also emerged 25 per cent of under-25s would like their ashes to be used to generate electricity, compared to just four per cent of over-55s.

When it comes to the older age groups the study found just three per cent want their loved ones to keep their ashes at home in an urn.

And the majority will shun the idea of a gravestone with just 16 per cent liking the idea of a marker to indicate where they are buried.

Mark Hull added: “The change in preferences coincides with the significant shift in funeral demands indicated by a huge rise in the number of people interested in direct cremations over the past few years.

“The important thing to recognise here is that people now have many modern choices and they are less likely to be bound by the social ties to tradition.”

SWNS