Joel D. Kerr Funeral Services
Our Services
Beyond funeral arrangements, we offer a range of services to help families honour their loved ones, protect their assets, and plan for the future with confidence.
Supporting Families Every Step of the Way
More Than a Funeral Director
Joel D. Kerr Funerals has been serving families across Hartlepool, Billingham and Teesside for over 35 years. Alongside our funeral services, we offer memorial keepsakes, estate planning and practical bereavement guidance — everything you need to plan ahead and protect the people you love.
Lasting Tributes
Memorial Keepsakes
Beautiful, personalised ways to keep a loved one close — crafted with care and delivered with compassion.
Memorial Keepsakes
Fingerprint Jewellery
A beautiful and lasting tribute — pendants, lockets, memory tags, rings, cufflinks and ornaments personalised with your loved one's fingerprint and a message. Crafted by Legacy Expressions, items are delivered approximately three weeks after ordering.
- Wide range of pendants, lockets and rings
- Personalised with fingerprint and message
- Cufflinks, ornaments and memory tags available
- Order placed on your behalf — delivered to us
Memorial Keepsakes
Ashes Into Glass
A unique and deeply personal way to remember a loved one. Ashes are incorporated into hand-crafted glass artwork, creating a beautiful, lasting memorial piece that can be treasured for generations.
- Hand-crafted glass memorial artwork
- Ashes incorporated into the piece
- Unique keepsake for the family
- Range of styles and sizes available
Plan Ahead with Confidence
Estate Planning
Protect your assets, make your wishes clear, and spare your loved ones unnecessary stress — all with the help of our trusted partners at Golden Charter.
Estate Planning
Property Protection Trust
Protect your share of your home so it passes to the people you choose. A Property Protection Trust from Golden Charter ensures that should your surviving partner need care, your share may not be used to fund their care costs — and if they were to remarry, your share won't pass to another family.
- Protect your share of your home's value
- You choose who will inherit your share
- Surviving partner can continue to live in the home
- One-off fixed cost
Estate Planning
Family Protection Trust
Complete protection for your home and assets, so you can leave more inheritance to your loved ones — saving them money, time and stress. When you die, your estate is distributed immediately with no need for probate. You remain in control and can continue to use your assets as normal.
- No probate required — estate distributed immediately
- Protects against care home costs
- Children's inheritance protected from remarriage
- Includes a simple Will per individual
Estate Planning
Lasting Power of Attorney
Choose someone you trust to make important decisions on your behalf should you become unable to. Joel D. Kerr Funerals is one of only a few companies offering a full Lasting Power of Attorney service, including registering the documents with the Office of the Public Guardian.
Joel D. Kerr Funerals is one of only a few companies which offers a full Lasting Power of Attorney service, including registering the documents with the Office of the Public Guardian.
- Health & Welfare — care, medical treatment, where you live
- Property & Finance — bills, money management
- Cover one or both types at no additional cost
- Full registration with the OPG handled for you
Estate Planning
The Probate Plan
Probate can be complicated and costly — typically 4% of the value of your estate goes to the solicitor. By planning ahead and pre-paying the costs at today's prices, you can save your loved ones from unnecessary stress and ensure your affairs are in order.
- Put your affairs in order now
- Pay a one-off fixed fee at today's prices
- Flexible payment options available
- Leave more of your money to your family
Estate Planning
Wills
A Will is the clearest way to express your wishes for what happens when you are gone. A professionally drafted Will from Golden Charter ensures it is completely valid and your needs are fully met — protecting your loved ones and avoiding complications after you die.
Single Will
£149
Mirror Will
£199
- Single Will — £149
- Mirror Will for you and your partner — £199
- Free storage for 5 years included
- Annual review with free update if required
We're Here to Help
Bereavement Guidance
Bereavement Guidance
First Steps
We know this is an incredibly stressful time. When someone dies there are certain legal steps that must be taken. Our First Steps guide walks you through everything you need to do — from obtaining the medical certificate to contacting the relevant authorities.
Steps to take
- 1Obtain the Medical Certificate from the doctor or coroner's office
- 2Register the death at the registry office
- 3Contact a funeral director of your choice
- 4Begin making arrangements for the funeral
- 5Contact the Department of Work and Pensions
- 6Contact the deceased's current employer if applicable
- 7Contact any private pension suppliers
- 8Contact Job Centre Plus or the Social Security Office
- 9Contact HM Revenue and Customs
- 10Contact doctors and health service providers
- 11Cancel any social services (Meals on Wheels, transport etc.)
- 12Contact financial institutions (banks, building societies)
Additional grief support is available at griefjourney.com. For information on sudden death, visit the coroner's guide.
Plan Ahead
Funeral Plans
Arrange and pay for your funeral in advance at today's prices. Give your family peace of mind and spare them difficult decisions at the hardest of times.
Speak to Our Team
Our compassionate team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Whatever you need, we're here to help.