BRITS are being forced to endure “extended grief” as tens of thousands of cremations and burials get set to fall under Covid funeral curbs in the months ahead, it has been reported.
Funeral directors expect another 80,000 services to fall under the restrictions between now and June 21 – the earliest date measures will be lifted.
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As Covid rules stand, only 30 mourners are allowed to attend any funeral taking place in England over the next two months.
And charities last night backed calls for a review the limit.
Dr Shelley Gilbert, founder of the charity Grief Encounter, estimated that 750,000 Brits have been “deeply impacted” by grief following the death of a loved one in the past year.
She told the MailOnline: “That’s three quarters of a million people who have not been able to host a funeral for someone close in the way they, or the deceased, would have wanted.
‘EXTENDED GRIEF’
“If we continue to impose restrictions on mourners, we expect another 80,000 families to experience even more pain, distress and extended grief.
“Not being able to hold a funeral halts the grieving process for many, as funerals can give a sense of acceptance and finality.
“Some communities do not have the resource to share funerals online, they may not be able to gather in a large communal space – this means many families will be robbed of the chance to say their final goodbye, or draw from the strength of their extended network in a way we are so used to doing.”
The National Association of Funeral Directors told the paper a further 80,000 families in England were “likely to go through the trauma of losing a loved one and arranging a funeral service” over the next two months.
And it demanded that ministers take another look at the rules.
“The Government has sought to balance keeping vulnerable people safe with the needs of the bereaved, throughout the pandemic,” chief executive Jon Levett said.
“However, now that the simple comfort of holding hands in care homes is permitted – and given the success of the vaccine programme and wide availability of testing – we would like the Government to reassess the restrictions at funerals, to minimise the ongoing suffering of bereaved people.”
The association analysed the five-year average number of deaths in England from the weeks ending April 24 to June 19 to work out the figure.
As it stands, no more than 30 mourners are allowed to attend funerals in England while coronavirus restrictions continue.
Wakes are limited to 15 people – although this is set to be lifted to 30 from May 17.
There is no limit, however, on worshippers attending normal services, meaning a church could hold many more people at a socially-distanced Sunday service than a funeral.
MPs have criticised the discrepancy, with senior Tories suggesting that the rules “make no sense”.
Sir John Hayes, chairman of the all-party parliamentary group for funerals and bereavement, heaped fresh pressure on the Government to relax the rules.
The Tory MP said: “The projections suggest many more families are going to be affected by the current regime.
“Of course it is right that we move ahead cautiously and in discussion with the sector who know best about how to manage things safely.
“But it does seem to me that if other parts of the United Kingdom are moving ahead swiftly that the Government needs to look at England too.”
It comes after Nicola Sturgeon announced that up to 50 mourners would be able to attend funerals and wakes in Scotland from Monday – up from the current limit of 20.
Meanwhile, the Queen was forced to sit alone at Prince Philip’s funeral, with just 29 other mourners in line with England’s Covid rules.
A Government spokesman said: “We know that losing a loved one has been incredibly difficult during the pandemic. That’s why throughout we have made it an absolutely priority to ensure funerals can continue to happen.
“The virus has spread at different rates across the country, and each devolved nation has its own unique set of circumstances.
“All restrictions on funerals and commemorative events have sought to balance the needs of the bereaved with the need to minimise the spread.”
