COVID-19 and Funerals

This page contains guidance from faith communities and faith community organisations on funeral rites and practices in light of the Coronavirus pandemic.

For more examples and updates, follow the Inter Faith Network on Twitter or Facebook. If you do not have a Twitter or Facebook account, you can view our posts here: https://www.interfaith.org.uk/news/social-media 

On 17 May 2021, guidance on funerals are set to change in England in line with step 3 of the UK Government’s roadmap out of lockdown. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-response-spring-2021/covid-19-response-spring-2021-summary 

• Churches Together in England has published information about funerals, weddings, baptisms and other forms of pastoral care as well as linking to information published by its member Churches  https://www.cte.org.uk/Articles/569779/Home/Coronavirus/Coronavirus_funerals_weddings.aspx
• The Muslim Council of Britain has drawn together resources on Muslim burial https://mcb.org.uk/resources/coronavirus/#deaths
• City Sikhs has included a section on funerals within its page containing information and advice for the Sikh community http://citysikhs.org.uk/coronavirus-and-the-sikh-community/
• United Synagogue has published Guidelines for Attendance at Funerals and Stone settings https://www.theus.org.uk/sites/default/files/updated_guidance_for_funerals_and_stone_settings_-_19th_december_2020.pdf
• Reform Judaism has included a section called 'when someone dies' on its page containing information linked to COVID-19 https://www.reformjudaism.org.uk/covid-19-information/
• Vishwa Hindu Parishad (UK) has included information about last rites and care for the deceased at http://vhp.org.uk/lastriteservices/ A recorded Last Rites Service is also available on the VHP UK website for all who may need it. 
• The Church of England has issued guidance on funerals https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2021-01/COVID%2019%20Advice%20on%20Conducting%20Funerals%20v5.6.pdf
• The Church of England has also created an online interactive feature for individuals to light a virtual candle to remember a loved one. https://www.churchofengland.org/life-events/funerals/light-candle-remember-someone
• The Baptist Union of Great Britain has shared resources on funerals and reflections from chaplains https://www.baptist.org.uk/Articles/571871/Coronavirus_and_Funerals.aspx
• Hindu Forum of Britain has included information about funerals and cremation advice in its wider announcement about COVID-19 http://www.hfb.org.uk/item/53-corona-virus-health-awareness-announcement.html
• The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) have issued this guidance https://www.quaker.org.uk/our-organisation/support-for-meetings/funerals-1
• The Methodist Church has provided advice on how to conduct a funeral https://www.methodist.org.uk/about-us/coronavirus/official-guidance/#a1 They have also provided an at-home service for those who cannot attend a funeral https://www.methodist.org.uk/our-faith/worship/singing-the-faith-plus/seasons-and-themes/worship-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic/#home-funeral-service
• The United Reformed Church has produced liturgical resources for holding virtual funerals https://urc.org.uk/images/Communications/docs/Virtual-Funerals-2020.pdf?fbclid=IwAR3HHiYZsAQUrrhARZkLBgY3U17h_acUpMbTC_Tkr7Ms29GM3SrVTTePtoQ
• A Muslim burial multilingual support line for COVID-19 has been set up by Muslim Hands UK to answer any queries that individuals may have regarding Islamic burial and funeral rites https://muslimhands.org.uk/latest/2020/03/new-muslim-burial-support-helpline-for-coronavirus-call-01159703332
• Loss and HOPE is a coalition between HOPE Together, Care for the Family, the Church of England and At a Loss and was launched just before the COVID-19 crisis to enable the Church to effectively support those who are grieving. The website contains information on what to do if you are bereaved during the Coronavirus pandemic, how to plan funerals and what you can do if you cannot attend, and how to support those who are bereaved during this time https://www.lossandhope.org/whats-on-offer/coronavirus-pandemic-bereavement/
• The British Board of Scholars and Imams (BBSI) have published guidance for burials and funerals during the Coronavirus pandemic http://www.bbsi.org.uk/covid-funeralguidance/
• Hindu Council UK have posted a video containing guidance on funerals https://twitter.com/hindu_counciluk/status/1255093133756506113
• Islamic Relief have launched guidance on safe religious practice during the Coronavirus pandemic, including safe adaptations to traditional Islamic burial practices. The guidance can be downloaded here https://www.islamic-relief.org/islamic-relief-launches-guidance-on-safe-religious-practice-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic/
• Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis has proposed an alternative to Kaddish for mourners who are not praying in a minyan, as Zoom services do not count. He has suggested that mourners recite the Hazkarah instead, which is the Memorial Prayer for a departed person https://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/chief-rabbi-proposes-alternative-to-kaddish-1.499341
• MINAB has published a Bereavement resource for Muslims on how to pray in the case of a loved one dying and how prayers can be performed at home. http://minab.org.uk/bereavementresource/
• On 21 September 2020, Strengthening Faith Institutions (SFI), published guidance following the introduction of the Government’s ‘rule of six’, including the implications for weddings and funerals https://www.sfitogether.org/2020/09/21/guidance-updates-following-the-change-in-law-for-the-rule-of-six and in partnership with Edward Cadbury Centre and Faiths United, held a webinar on 28 April 2020 on how to support grieving faith communities during the COVID-19 crisis  https://www.facebook.com/SFITogether/photos/a.118128149551182/240799720617357/?type=3&theater
• On 6 June 2020, Liberal Judaism updated information regarding the restrictions on funeral attendance https://www.liberaljudaism.org/2020/06/update-on-liberal-and-reform-judaism-funerals/
• Bolton Council of Mosques has prepared guidance for handling a deceased individual who passes away from COVID-19. BCoM also have a Funeral telephone operating 24 hours a day https://www.thebcom.org/covid19updates
• Birmingham Muslim Burial Council published guidance on burial following death from COVID-19 https://www.bmbc.org.uk/site/nbc-summary-guidance-burial-covid-19/. It also held a free training session on PPE and burial practices for men and women in light of COVID-19, and are offering a free washing and shrouding service for the deceased. https://www.bmbc.org.uk/site/bmbc-free-ghuls-and-kafan-service/
• On May 28 2020, Unitarians UK hosted an interactive workshop on grieving as part of ‘Ministry in a time of pandemic: Developing spiritually healthy communities’. A recording of this session can be found at https://www.facebook.com/UnitariansUK/posts/2577987705749477
• On 30 March 2020, MINAB posted a video on Facebook about key points for washing as part of Muslim funeral rites during the Coronavirus pandemic. https://www.facebook.com/minab.org.uk/videos/216693972881961

Last updated: May 2021

Note: IFN's pages on COVID-19 are being updated regularly. Listings may not be exhaustive or include all possible examples, and IFN makes no guarantee as to the accurary of information linked to.