Nearly 10  million people have been unable to attend funerals of loved ones in the UK's COVID-19 lockdown, according to new research by Co-op Funeralcare undertakers.

Restrictions on the number of people attending services means many have been unable to grieve properly.

An estimated 243,000 bereaved families have been unable to attend funerals in the UK amid coronavirus restrictions and 59 percent of UK adults say their grief process has been affected in a negative way by the restrictions that have been put in place throughout the pandemic. 

Nearly 70 percent of people who have lost someone during the lockdown say a maximum of 10 people were able to attend the funeral service, compared with an average of 50 attendees under usual circumstances.

There has also been an increase in live-streamed services, which 10 percent say helped them grieve during this time. Many crematoriums have been live-streaming services, so that mourners who cannot be physically present are still able to pay their final respects. 

Co-op Funeralcare says that since the beginning of lockdown, the way that we say goodbye to our loved ones has also drastically changed, with a dramatic shift towards more simple funerals. 

There has been a rise in direct cremations, which involves an unattended service taking place. Cortège services have also been used by many, where people are able to commemorate a loved one from a distance. Many have also planned memorial services for after the lockdown ends.

Co-op Funeralcare says that returning to normal will be harder for those who have lost a loved one, as many have not been able to go through normal grieving processes. Lockdown has also meant that grieving individuals will have to experience "special milestones, such as birthdays and anniversaries, alone." 

The long-term psychological effects are still not known and experts are warning that society could experience what they are referring to as a "grief pandemic."

Read more: How close is the UK to its advisers' worst-case COVID-19 scenario?

CGTN Europe has been providing in-depth coverage of the novel coronavirus story as it has unfolded. Here you can read the essential information about the crisis.

Video editor: James Sandifer