Funeral services ‘noticeably busier’ for Dignity

Dignity, the UK’s largest provider of funeral services, which traces its roots to Glasgow, today reported a rise in profits as pre-arranged funeral plan sales continue to hold up.

The company unveiled a 4 per cent rise in operating profits to £23.4 million in the 13 weeks to 30 March, as revenues rose 3 per cent to £61.1m.

The group, which in 2011 held 62,300 funerals, said the year started “relatively quietly” but business had been “noticeably busier” in March compared to the previous year.

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Dignity said sales of its pre-arranged funeral plan, which allows customers to plan a funeral in advance and make provisions towards the cost through its Dignity Guaranteed Funeral Plan, continue to be “robust”.

The group was formed in 1994 through the merger of Plantsbrook Group and Great Southern Group and was re-branded as Dignity in 2001.

Dignity trades through a range of local brands – with those north of the Border including Barclays Funeral Service, Jonathan Harve and J Smeaton & Son – which together operate from more than 650 locations.

The firm’s oldest brand is George S Munn & Co in Glasgow, which was founded in 1812.

Dignity also owns 35 crematoria, including operations in Buckie and Dundee, and a collection of cemeteries south of the Border.

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