Sheffield Council announce changes to funeral arrangements as coronavirus lockdown is eased

The number of mourners allowed at funerals in Sheffield is to increase, council bosses have announced.
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Up to 10 mourners will be now allowed at funeral services in the city, with strict social distancing measures in place during the ceremony.

Services will also be reduced in length from 45 minutes to 30 minutes due to increased waiting times, with the overall cost of each funeral reduced by £50.

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In March, the numbers attending funerals in Sheffield were restricted to five, with the current increase made to reflect the Government’s recent easing of the coronavirus lockdown rules.

Councillor Mary Lea, cabinet member for culture, parks and leisure at Sheffield Council, said: “My sincere condolences go to all those who have lost a loved one during the coronavirus pandemic, and have not been able to mourn or celebrate their life in the traditional way.

“The restrictions we’ve had to place on our funeral services have been one of the most difficult decisions we’ve had to make.

“Throughout, we’ve prioritised the safety and wellbeing of mourners, our staff and staff from our funeral directors, as well as fulfilling our duty to limit the spread of coronavirus.

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“The Government’s guidance on attending funerals has not changed, but the wider easing of some restrictions, means we now believe an easing of the numbers of funeral attendees should follow. We have reviewed our policy and are confident that we can now safely increase the number of mourners to ten.

Hutcliffe Wood Crematorium in Sheffield.Hutcliffe Wood Crematorium in Sheffield.
Hutcliffe Wood Crematorium in Sheffield.

“It remains clear that the more social contact there is, the greater the risk of transmission is, so we are asking that families still consider restricting numbers at funerals to as few as possible and we will continue to monitor the situation.”

Councillor Lea said the changes came into effect from Monday, May 18, for new and existing bookings.

Mourners attending a funeral service can be from different households, and for anyone unable to attend, Hutcliffe Wood and City Road chapels are now offering a live webcast.

Any individual displaying symptoms of COVID-19 should follow the Government guidelines to stay at home and should not attend a funeral service.