This morning, the ICCM has distributed a press release for the benefit of its members throughout the UK and the wider bereavement sector. Our commitment to ensuring that our members’ views and concerns are both seen and heard remains and we look forward to working together in resolving this key issue.
Call for Cemetery and Crematorium Staff to Be Officially Recognised as Key Workers
As the Covid Inquiry for England and Wales continues this week, the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management (ICCM) is calling for urgent clarification on whether cemetery and crematorium staff are officially classed as key workers.
There was no consistency across the UK as to who had key worker status. In England and Wales, status was granted near the end of the pandemic, and in Northern Ireland crematorium staff were recognised but cemetery workers were not, whilst key worker status was not granted in Scotland at all. The ongoing UK-wide Covid-19 Inquires have highlighted the vital role played by these professionals during the pandemic.
Despite their front-line involvement in ensuring the dignified and lawful management of deaths, burial services, and cremations during a national crisis, many cemetery and crematorium workers were left without adequate support, resources, or recognition during one of the most challenging periods in recent history.
Mathew Crawley, Chief Executive of the ICCM, said: “The pandemic showed, beyond question, how essential cemetery and crematorium staff are to our national resilience. They continued to work in emotionally and physically demanding conditions, ensuring that families could lay their loved ones to rest with dignity, despite enormous restrictions.
“As the Covid Inquiries progress, it is imperative that these roles are finally recognised through formal key worker status across the UK. Five years on, and there has been little movement with this request. While pre-pandemic planning is ongoing throughout the UK in an effort to be better prepared should another pandemic arise, it remains a difficult task for all those involved when the clarity of key worker status is particularly uncertain. We want to make sure the system is ready and resilient for future emergencies. For this to happen, we need clarity from the government.”
The ICCM urges the devolved administrations to update key worker classifications urgently to include all those involved in the bereavement sector, including cemetery managers, crematorium technicians, grave diggers, and administrative staff who kept critical services running when they were needed most.
This call for recognition is not only about justice for those who served during Covid-19 but also a necessary step in preparing for any future public health emergencies. The ICCM stands ready to work with the government and sector partners to make this change happen.
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For further information or to arrange an interview, please contact Maria Bailey on 07932 644771 or email maria.bailey@iccm-uk.com