A desperate shortage of coffins has prompted manufacturers to ramp up production of basic chipboard caskets as they struggle to meet the demand for funerals of coronavirus victims.
Funeral directors around the country are being made to wait a minimum of four weeks for coffins, instead of the normal five days.
This means bodies are being stockpiled in temporary morgues and funerals delayed, causing further misery for relatives of those who have lost their lives to the virus.
Leading coffin manufacturers have responded to the growing death toll by introducing simple caskets, which are constructed from MDF-style chipboard.
The basic models cost around £60 each and have traditionally been used for funerals that are paid for by local authorities, known as ‘paupers funerals.’
A desperate shortage of coffins has prompted manufacturers to ramp up production of basic chipboard caskets as they struggle to meet the demand for funerals of coronavirus victims. Pictured: Factory floor of Jukes Group, one of Britain’s largest coffin makers
Funeral directors are being made to wait a minimum of four weeks for coffins, instead of the normal five days. This means bodies are being stockpiled in temporary morgues and funerals delayed, causing further misery for those who have lost loved ones to the virus
The basic models (unlike the more elaborate version above) cost around £60 each and have traditionally been used for funerals that are paid for by local authorities, known as ‘paupers funerals
Stewart Jukes, from one of Britain’s largest coffin manufacturers, told MailOnline his company is producing 350 of these each day, compared to five per week previously
Stewart Jukes, managing director of the Jukes Group, one of Britain’s largest coffin manufacturers, told MailOnline his company is producing 350 of these each day, compared to five per week before the coronavirus pandemic took hold.
Mr Jukes said: ‘We are working through the night to make ‘back to crem’ models and are producing more of these than ever before to keep up with the huge demand for funerals.
‘It’s very hard work and they are very basic. They have a simple, MDF shell without any veneer and are like a long, cardboard box with handles on the side. But all I can say is that we are determined to ensure that nobody goes without a coffin.’
Bradnam Joinery, a coffin manufacturer based in Suffolk, revealed that the majority of its work is now focused on producing ‘back to crem models.’
A spokesman added: ‘We have never been busier and while we still have a team making coffins from other parts of our catalogue, we have increased production of the basic model to keep up with demand.
‘Our orders have more than doubled and we are doing our best to ensure the needs of funeral directors are met.’
Funeral directors complained that prior to the coronavirus pandemic, the average wait for a coffin was around a week but that this has now increased to almost a month with many manufacturers only supplying them with the basic model.
Funeral directors complained that prior to the coronavirus pandemic, the average wait for a coffin was around a week but that this has now increased to almost a month with many manufacturers only supplying them with the basic model
Bradnam Joinery, a coffin manufacturer based in Suffolk, revealed that the majority of its work is now focused on producing ‘back to crem models’.
An Oxfordshire based funeral director, who did not want to be named, said: ‘We can only get hold of back to crem models. They are made of cheap material and are as basic as you can imagine’
Robin Rockwell of Mulberry Funeral Directors in West Drayton, West London said: ‘The main problem is getting hold of coffins because the average delivery time is now four weeks. The majority of manufacturers are only doing the basic model and not offering the full range from their catalogue.
‘We are doing four times the number of funerals we usually do but families are not getting the full service and don’t have much choice in the type of coffin they can buy because at the moment we can only offer the standard model.’
A spokesman for Southall Funeral Service, West London added: ‘There are no options for more bespoke, elaborate coffins because manufacturers are not able to get these to us in time. Given the situation, families understand that the nature of funerals, for the time being has changed.’
An Oxfordshire based funeral director, who did not want to be named, said: ‘We can only get hold of back to crem models. They are made of cheap material and are as basic as you can imagine.
‘My heart goes out to the families of the deceased because this is not something you would want for the funeral of a loved one and these coffins just add to their suffering. But we are in incredibly difficult times and what are they supposed to do?’
Alan Tucker, Chief Executive of the Funeral Furnishing Manufacturer’s Association (FFMA), which represents the majority of Britain’s coffin manufacturers told MailOnline: ‘Our members need to maximise production and the best way to do this is to focus their work on producing the basic model coffin.
A spokesman for Southall Funeral Service, West London added: ‘There are no options for more bespoke, elaborate coffins (such as these above) because manufacturers are not able to get these to us in time’
The Co-Op, which is Britain’s largest coffin manufacturer, confirmed that it was also making a higher volume of ‘simple coffins,’ due to the increased number of funerals currently taking place
‘Funeral directors are ordering more than double the number of coffins than normal so there is a bound to be a delay in delivery. Producing MDF coffins is a way of keeping up with the demand.’
The Co-Op, which is Britain’s largest coffin manufacturer, confirmed that it was also making a higher volume of ‘simple coffins,’ due to the increased number of funerals currently taking place.
David Collingwood, Director of Funerals, Co-op Funeralcare said: ‘Losing a loved one is devastating for those closest and sadly many families are unable to have the funeral they would have wanted for their loved one at this incredibly difficult time.
The funerals we are conducting today are very different to those conducted only a few short weeks ago and as a result the choices that many families are making for coffins has also changed.’