Dignity sees big rise in funerals
A surprise six per cent jump in the number of deaths gave Britain’s only listed funeral company better than expected first-half profits yesterday. Dignity carries out one in every eight funerals and owns one in 10 crematoria. The firm expects rates to return to normal before the end of the year, but was able to report a 20 per cent rise in underlying pre-tax profit to £33.1m for the half-year to 28 June, on revenues up 14 per cent.