Dignity plc

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Dignity plc
TypePublic
LSE: DTY
IndustryFuneral services
Founded1994
HeadquartersSutton Coldfield, Birmingham, UK
Key people
Clive Whiley, Chairman
Clive Whiley, Interim CEO
RevenueDecrease £315.6 million (2018)[1]
Decrease £66.3 million (2018)[1]
Decrease £31.5 million (2018)[1]
Websitewww.dignityfunerals.co.uk

Dignity plc (LSE: DTY) is one of the largest providers of funeral services and prepaid funeral plans in the United Kingdom. It is a British run company and is listed on the London Stock Exchange.

In the year ending 28 December 2018, turnover was £315.6m (£324m 2017) and profit before tax was £40.5m (£71.2m 2017). Net debt stood at £506.8m (£516.9m 2017) with a £25.2m (£24m 2017) pension deficit at 28 December 2018. The shareholder dividend payment was 15.74p a share (15.74p 2017).[1]

History[]

The business was created in 1994 through the merger of Plantsbrook Group and Great Southern Group,[2] both of which companies had been acquired by Service Corporation International Inc earlier that year.[3] In 2002 the merged business was the subject of a management buy-out from Service Corporation International Inc.[4] The merger brought together a number of funeral service businesses including the following:[2]

  • George S Munn, Glasgow – 1812
  • Francis Chappell & Sons, London – 1840
  • J Rymer, York – 1848
  • Ginns & Gutteridge, Leicestershire – 1855
  • Lawrence Funeral Service, Halifax – 1857
  • E Finch & Sons, Aldershot – 1857
  • Beckenham Cemetery, Kent – 1876
  • J H Kenyon, London – 1880
  • Frederick W Paine, London – 1884
  • Perry Barr Crematorium, Birmingham – 1903
  • John Bardgett & Son, Newcastle upon Tyne – 1914
  • Jonathan Harvey, Glasgow – 1928
  • South London Crematorium – 1930
  • Seaford & Newhaven Funeral Service, East Sussex – 1950
  • Smiths, Funeral Directors, Blantyre, South Lanarkshire, Scotland.
  • Joseph Potts, Funeral Directors, Carluke and Blantyre, South Lanarkshire, Scotland.
  • Joseph Potts, Funeral Directors, Bellshill, North Lanarkshire, Scotland.
  • Henry Dorricott Funeral Service, Larkhall, Lesmahagow & Lanark, South Lanarkshire, Scotland

The company was first listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2004.[2]

Operations[]

The company is based in Sutton Coldfield and operates 46 crematoria across the country.[5] In the UK, Dignity PLC accounts for 12.3% of all funeral services and 9.8% of Crematoria. The funeral division is their biggest division that accounts for 70% of total sales.[6]

Criticism[]

Following the death of Peter Grant on 10 October 2020, his family has engaged in a campaign against Dignity Funerals Ltd., referring to its modus operandi as a "national scandal" in not allowing responsibility to pass to another undertaker, despite a pre-paid funeral plan being entered into with Dignity.

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d "Dignity plc Annual Report & Accounts 2018" (PDF). Dignity. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Dignity Caring Funeral Services - About us - History". dignityfunerals.co.uk. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
  3. ^ Competition Commission Archived July 25, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ Management buy-out funeral giant BBC, 11 February 2002
  5. ^ "Dignity plc Preliminary results for the 52 week period ended 25 December 2020". Regulatory News Service. 17 March 2021. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  6. ^ "10 important things to understand about Dignity plc". Walbrock Research. Retrieved 20 May 2017.

External links[]

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