The coronavirus crisis has led to a surge of interest in no-frills direct cremations, as families attempt to navigate the rules on physical distancing.

While weddings have been banned to help curb the spread of Covid-19, funerals can still take place – but various restrictions mean that in many cases a traditional service will not be possible.

On 31 March, Public Health England advised funeral directors and faith leaders to limit the number of mourners. Only members of the deceased person’s household or close relatives can attend. If the individual does not have any family, then a “modest number of friends” can be there, but at no point should mourners breach the two-metre rule. Attendees should also avoid face-to-face or physical contact – for example, hugging, unless they live in the same house.

However, there is huge disparity across the country over how councils are enforcing the rules. For example, Coventry introduced a limit of just five family members at services. In other areas there is a maximum of 10 people, while some crematoriums have announced that all relatives are barred from services.

After a row about a clampdown at York crematorium, the council said a faith officiant would be permitted, but immediate family members must stay outside.

Under these circumstances, it is perhaps not surprising that funeral directors are reporting a rise in inquiries about direct cremation.

A direct cremation is a simple, low-cost option where, typically, there is no funeral service – no flowers, limos or hymns – and no family or friends present. In its most basic form it is simply a cremation, and prices start at less than £1,000.

This type of service leaves families free to organise a more personal send-off later – perhaps a memorial service, ash scattering or celebration of life – once the lockdown is over and everyone is able to attend.

David Bowie has been credited with putting this type of straightforward, fuss-free funeral on the map. The singer died of liver cancer in January 2016 and was reportedly secretly cremated without any of his family or friends present after telling loved ones he did not want a funeral service. His ashes were later scattered in Bali.

While about three-quarters of all UK funerals are cremations, direct cremation accounts for about only 5% of those, says Ashley Shepherd, the managing director of Over50choices, a comparison website specialising in products such as prepaid funeral plans.

But he adds: “Personally, I think that will grow massively over the next few years.” Web traffic relating to direct cremation at his firm increased by 50% between mid-March and the start of April. “People are telling us they are more aware of death,” says Shepherd. “People are talking about it more.”

Catherine Powell, co-founder of Pure Cremation, says mass coronavirus cremations will not be necessary. Photograph: Pure Cremation

Catherine Powell, the co-founder of the direct cremation specialist Pure Cremation, says demand for the service doubled between February and March. Sales of the company’s prepaid funeral plan have soared. As a result of the pandemic, “people are realising they are mortal and perhaps should talk about their wishes”, says Powell.

As with standard funerals, there is a great deal of variation in price and what you get for your money. According to the insurer SunLife, the average price for a direct cremation is £1,626, compared with the typical cost of a standard cremation or a burial: £3,858 and £4,975 respectively.

One of the cheapest providers we could find was Simplicity Cremations, which charges £995 for an unattended direct cremation. Returning the ashes to the family costs an extra £75, and in some cases there may be other costs, too.

Pure Cremation, which has a crematorium in Hampshire, charges £1,195. The price includes the collection of the body from a hospital or mortuary (there is an extra £250 to pay if the body is at the person’s home), a simple coffin, doctors’ fees, the hand delivery of the ashes and help with paperwork.

A hearse is not provided and there is no face-to-face contact to make the arrangements. For that price, no family or friends would be present. You may also have to pay more if the deceased needs an extra-large coffin.

Last month, Wales’s health minister, Vaughan Gething, caused controversy when he said it could be that “single disposal [individual funerals] may not be possible at the top end of the reasonable worst-case scenario”.

But his comments were dismissed by Powell, who says “mass coronavirus cremations” were not necessary. “We have ample cremation capacity in the UK. We’ve done some basic maths which indicates the UK’s network of 300 crematoria could handle at least 25,000 cases per week.”

A popular way of financing a funeral is through a prepaid plan, which freezes the costs at today’s prices. Approximately 200,000 of these plans are sold each year, and they are typically bought by older people so their family does not have to pick up the bill. But this is a controversial sector, with claims in the past about aggressive sales tactics and people being hit with unexpected extra bills.

Amid concern that consumers may be losing out, the government confirmed last month that prepaid funeral plans would be regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, though it could be two years before this happens.

According to Over50choices, these plans typically cost between £2,800 and £4,200, and are typically paid for in monthly instalments or a lump sum. What is covered can vary dramatically between providers.