Funeral giant acquires digital end-of-life firm in £13m deal

Dignity has completed its acquisition of Farewill, a digital end-of-life company in a deal worth almost £13m.

Operating 45 crematoria and over 625 funeral locations, Dignity swooped for Farewill and its online will-writing and probate services.

In October 2024, it was announced that the acquisition would proceed, pending FCA approval, which was expected before January 1, 2025.

The acquisition will be financed through a share-for-share exchange, with the majority of Farewill shareholders becoming Castelnau shareholders.

In exchange, Castelnau will increase its holding in Valderrama (the joint venture with Sir Peter Wood’s SPWOne through which Castelnau holds its stake in Dignity).

To fund its share of the acquisition, Castelnau expects to issue approximately 9.6m shares based on an issue price of 99p per share.

Castelnau will increase its ownership of Valderrama by 5.6 million shares to 199.9 million shares, representing 66.0% of Valderrama’s issued share capital.

Dan Garrett, CEO of Farewill said: “This is a huge milestone for Farewill, and I’m incredibly excited about what we’ll achieve together. Partnering with a trusted name like Dignity allows us to continue making the end-of-life experience simpler and less stressful for every family while staying true to our mission and values.”

Zillah Byng-Thorne, CEO of Dignity said: “We’re delighted to complete this transformative partnership, which was made possible through the collaboration of the SRA and FCA on accelerated timelines. This acquisition brings together two exceptional brands with a shared vision to redefine end-of-life care, combining Dignity’s compassionate heritage with Farewill’s cutting-edge technology. Together, we’re better positioned than ever to meet the evolving needs of families across the UK.”