Abused, confused, overworked and undervalued is how funeral, burial and cremation staff experienced the pandemic, according to the Covid-19 Inquiry’s roundtable research among key workers.
Representatives from across funeral service highlighted the abuse staff experienced when trying to enforce social distancing and limit the number of people who could attend funerals, burials and cremation services.
Cemetery and crematorium staff were submitted to daily violent outbursts in many areas.
Implementing and enforcing restrictions on funeral attendance was particularly difficult in situations where the cultural or religious community usually organised large funerals.
Limiting attendance not only disrupted religious practices but caused significant emotional distress. The enforcement of restrictions placed frontline staff in difficult positions, requiring sensitive negotiation and cultural awareness and the need to uphold dignity, faith-based customs and compassionate care.
Frequent updates to guidance led to confusion and frustration. Funeral service staff often had to adapt quickly to new rules without sufficient notice, training or clarity. This lack of understanding sometimes led to confrontations with members of the public, who were equally confused.
Funeral sector workers felt considerable pressure and a strong moral obligation to ensure dignified farewells, despite the strict restrictions, which profoundly changed how funerals were conducted, denying families the opportunity for traditional farewells.
The surge in direct cremations during the pandemic driven by the restrictions, meant funeral professionals not only faced an increased workload, but the emotional burden of knowing that many families were not receiving the type of funeral service they wanted for their loved ones. This situation created increased pressure and moral distress, affecting their emotional wellbeing.
Workers didn’t feel valued or recognised, despite the huge pressures they faced. They felt abandoned and fearful about what was going to happen as they received little communication about decisions being made.
“For a significant period, burial workers were not recognised as key workers, despite operating on the front line throughout the pandemic. The most difficult aspect was being part of an unseen workforce, left exposed by decisions made without consultation or adequate communication,” the National Burial Council said. This lack of recognition affected the support they were offered, as well as the mental health of those
working within the sector.
Frontline funerals, burials and cremation workers were unable to access vaccinations, as they were not working at a funeral director’s premises and therefore not considered key workers. They felt that they had been penalised for being truthful about their place of work, which ultimately put them more at risk of
contracting Covid.
Funeral professionals were fearful about their increased workload and ability to cope with the unprecedented scale of deaths, particularly at the start of the pandemic. The ongoing intense pressure had a significant impact on their mental health, contributing to an increase in people leaving the sector and in some cases, suicide attempts.