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You've just taken the first step — contacting a funeral director.
See the full checklistLeave your number and Mears Family Funerals will call you back.
Free, no obligation. We'll pass your number to the director.
Ready to speak to someone? A free, no-obligation call can help you understand the next steps.
If anything has changed, a quick call with a specialist can confirm.
A quick call with a specialist can help you figure out what applies.
Question of 3
Did the person who died own a property?
Including any property in their name, even if jointly owned.
Were there savings, investments, or other assets?
Bank accounts, shares, pensions, or valuables above a few thousand pounds.
Was there a will?
Even if you're not sure where it is, knowing one exists can change the process.
This can feel overwhelming, but you don't have to figure it out alone. A probate specialist can walk you through the next steps — no obligation, no pressure.
That's one less thing to worry about. If anything changes or you'd like a quick confirmation, a specialist can put your mind at rest.
Many families don't have all the information straight away — that's completely normal. A quick chat with a specialist can help you understand what applies to your situation.
What the probate process looks like
Apply for Grant of Probate
Collect assets & close accounts
Pay debts & tax
Distribute the estate
A specialist handles all of this for you.
Trusted by thousands of families across the UK
You probably don't need to pay for the funeral yourself
The estate will likely go through probate, which means the funeral costs can be paid from the estate. You need a probate specialist to make this happen.
Sail Probate · Fixed fees, nothing upfront
Probate might not be needed
That means the funeral costs probably can't be covered this way. But every situation is different — a quick chat can confirm.
We need a bit more info
Don't worry — lots of people aren't sure at this stage. A quick chat can work out whether the funeral costs can be covered.
Want to talk it through?
Free, no obligation.
Want to check with a specialist?
Free, no obligation.
Want to find out for sure?
Free, no obligation.
Sail Probate · Trusted by thousands of families
A specialist will call you soon
Free, no-obligation advice from Sail Probate
What happens next
Request received
Just now
A specialist reviews your details
Within 1 hour
You'll receive a call
Within 24 hours
Lines open now Lines open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm · 0808 196 0258
Result saved
If you need help later, call Sail Probate free:
Lines open now Lines open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm · 0808 196 0258
We'll give you a call
A Sail Probate specialist will talk you through everything and answer any questions.
Interested in: We handle everything (£6,000)
Interested in: Just the probate application (£1,000)
Lines open now Lines open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm · 0808 196 0258
No problem
If you'd like to talk about probate or funeral costs, call Sail Probate free:
Lines open now Lines open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm · 0808 196 0258
Mears Family Funerals in West Wickham is part of the well-established Steven Mears Group, a family-run funeral business with over 100 years of experience caring for the bereaved across four generations. Located at Vine Cottage, 18 High Street, West Wickham, Kent, this branch serves the local South East London community with compassion, dignity, and a deeply personal approach to funeral care.
The West Wickham branch offers a comprehensive range of services, including bespoke funerals, basic funerals, direct cremations, memorials, repatriation, and flowers. The branch upholds the group's founding principles of personal service, professional staffing, and exceptional value, ensuring that families only need to deal with one dedicated local manager throughout the entire funeral arrangement process.
Mears Family Funerals is committed to transparent pricing, fully compliant with the CMA Funeral Market Investigation Order 2021, with standardised price lists clearly displayed in the branch window. The West Wickham team is supported by a modern, hybrid-powered ceremonial fleet and a wide range of personalisation options, reflecting the group's belief that every funeral is unique and every life deserves to be honoured and celebrated.
"Professional service throughout with thoughtful and compassionate staff on hand to guide and support all of us."
— Elaine Duncan
"From the first contact to the service itself, they were dealing with utter respect and dignity towards our beloved deceased. Maria, manager of the West Wickham Branch, has been extremely helpful, offering her advice and replying to all our questions and wishes."
— Predrag Stevic (about Maria)
"Maria in the office could not have been more understanding, sympathetic, professional and helpful. She always responded to any questions immediately and really made us feel very confident in their service."
— Clare Clark (about Maria)
"Brenda and Bonni at the West Wickham branch were so supportive and made everything very easy. They responded quickly to any queries and kept me in the loop at all times and nothing was too much trouble. On the day of the funeral, I was extremely impressed by the organisation and the care shown by Steven and his colleagues."
— Anthony Smith (about Brenda, Bonni, Steven)
"You did my grandad proud and it's the little things — you listened to us and added 'Gone Fishing' to the order of service, he would have loved that. Mears treat you like they are your family, which was comforting to know he was in the perfect hands."
— Caz Will (about Sarah)
"The three gentlemen from Mears Family Funerals treated my father with what can only be described as the utmost respect and dignity, for which I will always be grateful. Throughout the entire process of dealing with this bereavement during a Pandemic, Maria Sofocleous were sympathetic and provided very clear guidance as to each phase of the procedure, which I found extremely helpful."
— Gary Browning (about Maria Sofocleous)
Gary Hart
Group Commercial Director
Gary has over 15 years of experience across all aspects of the funeral profession and is responsible for the commercial…
Lisa McDermott
Managing Director
As Managing Director, Lisa is the most senior member of the team and is responsible for the entire funeral business and…
Reece Pearson
Principal Funeral Conductor
Reece is the Operations Supervisor and principal funeral conductor, leading the team of funeral operatives responsible …
Steph Geard
Funeral Director
Steph is responsible for the operation and for conducting funerals from a number of branches. She comes with a wealth o…
Steven Mears
Group CEO
Steven is a third generation Funeral Director and founder of the Steven Mears Group. He oversees all aspects of the bus…
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Ready to speak to someone? A free, no-obligation call can help you understand the next steps.
If anything has changed, a quick call with a specialist can confirm.
A quick call with a specialist can help you figure out what applies.
Question of 3
Did the person who died own a property?
Including any property in their name, even if jointly owned.
Were there savings, investments, or other assets?
Bank accounts, shares, pensions, or valuables above a few thousand pounds.
Was there a will?
Even if you're not sure where it is, knowing one exists can change the process.
This can feel overwhelming, but you don't have to figure it out alone. A probate specialist can walk you through the next steps — no obligation, no pressure.
That's one less thing to worry about. If anything changes or you'd like a quick confirmation, a specialist can put your mind at rest.
Many families don't have all the information straight away — that's completely normal. A quick chat with a specialist can help you understand what applies to your situation.
What the probate process looks like
Apply for Grant of Probate
Collect assets & close accounts
Pay debts & tax
Distribute the estate
A specialist handles all of this for you.
Trusted by thousands of families across the UK
You probably don't need to pay for the funeral yourself
The estate will likely go through probate, which means the funeral costs can be paid from the estate. You need a probate specialist to make this happen.
Sail Probate · Fixed fees, nothing upfront
Probate might not be needed
That means the funeral costs probably can't be covered this way. But every situation is different — a quick chat can confirm.
We need a bit more info
Don't worry — lots of people aren't sure at this stage. A quick chat can work out whether the funeral costs can be covered.
Want to talk it through?
Free, no obligation.
Want to check with a specialist?
Free, no obligation.
Want to find out for sure?
Free, no obligation.
Sail Probate · Trusted by thousands of families
A specialist will call you soon
Free, no-obligation advice from Sail Probate
What happens next
Request received
Just now
A specialist reviews your details
Within 1 hour
You'll receive a call
Within 24 hours
Lines open now Lines open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm · 0808 196 0258
Result saved
If you need help later, call Sail Probate free:
Lines open now Lines open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm · 0808 196 0258
We'll give you a call
A Sail Probate specialist will talk you through everything and answer any questions.
Interested in: We handle everything (£6,000)
Interested in: Just the probate application (£1,000)
Lines open now Lines open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm · 0808 196 0258
No problem
If you'd like to talk about probate or funeral costs, call Sail Probate free:
Lines open now Lines open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm · 0808 196 0258
Get in touch
Call 02087770941We'll call you back
Mears Family Funerals will be in touch shortly.
You've just taken the first step — contacting a funeral director.
See the full checklistLeave your number and Mears Family Funerals will call you back.
Free, no obligation. We'll pass your number to the director.
You've completed of 18 steps on the bereavement checklist.
Continue your checklist18 things to sort when someone dies — keep track so nothing gets missed.
See the full checklist
Find trusted, NAFD-accredited funeral directors in Broadstairs, Kent. All members uphold a strict Code of Practice, giving families peace of mind during one of life's most difficult moments.
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