The Co-operative Funeralcare

Funeral Services Limited

The Co-op's Chester funeral home
Type	Subsidiary undertaking
Industry	Funeral Services
Products	Funerals & Memorials
Parent	The Co-operative Group
Website	coop.co.uk/funeralcare

Co-op Funeralcare is the trading name of Funeral Services Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Co-operative Group, based in Manchester. It operates over 1000 funeral homes and is the largest funeral director in the United Kingdom, accounting for 16.5% of the "at need" funeral market during 2016. Co-op Funeralcare is a member of the National Association of Funeral Directors and is also Funeral Planning Authority registered.

In addition to its funeral home operations, the business also operates repatriation services; crematoria and cemeteries; woodland burial grounds; a memorial masonry manufacturing facility and a coffin factory and workshop. Customers can earn a share of the profits in proportion to patronage through The Co-op Membership scheme.

As a funeral director, Co-op Funeralcare arranges all aspects of a funeral service including transport, flowers, catering, obituaries and orders of service, liaising with the relevant officiants. The business caters for all cultures, faiths and beliefs and their services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Funeralcare also provide a range of funeral plans which allow people to plan and prepare for their funeral in advance. The Co-operative Funeralcare operates all of its funeral homes according to a strict NAFD code of practice, which ensures clients’ rights are properly protected. Employees are encouraged to take a BTEC vocational qualification in funeral directing, which Co-op Funeralcare helped to set up.

Co-op Funeralcare is the only national UK funeral director brand and, in 2009, it was the first funeral director to launch a national television advertising campaign. In addition to its Co-op branded funeral homes, Funeralcare also operate a number of private name funeral homes. These businesses have been purchased from independent funeral directors and continue to operate under the family name to maintain high levels of profitability.

In 2012, Co-op Funeralcare featured in the Channel 4 Dispatches programme Undercover Undertaker after an investigator secretly filmed behind the scenes.

Co-op Funeralcare operated Grenoside crematorium in Sheffield, Craigton crematorium in Glasgow, cemetery and crematorium in Greater Manchester, Emstrey cemetery and crematorium in Shropshire and Lichfield & District crematorium in Staffordshire. These were sold to Dignity in 2016.