Many people rely on friends and relatives to support them through a bereavement, but there are different types of services available that can also help if you need them.
You want to find out more about your feelings and reactions to someone’s death
You want to talk to someone about your feelings and would like bereavement counselling
You want practical information, like how to organise a funeral
There are many different types of support available, from group sessions where you meet with others who are also experiencing a bereavement, to one-to-one counselling over the telephone, to sessions with psychotherapists to help you talk through your feelings.
Finding bereavement support
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The type of bereavement support you get and who provides it depends on what your needs are, the type of support you want, and what is available in your local area. The following are some of the many options available to support you.
Speak to your GP, who can help with referrals to local bereavement counselling services and tell you about other support services available in your area.
Hospices are the specialist providers of end of life care, and can support you after a relative or friend who was under their care has died.
In some cases they also give bereavement support to the wider community, which means you do not need to have a previous connection to the hospice to access this support.
You can find out where your nearest hospice is and what they offer through our online hospice finder.
AtaLoss is a bereavement signposting website which can help people find bereavement support services and resources in the UK.
The Childhood Bereavement Network has an online directory of services aimed specifically at supporting bereaved children. Their website also has tips for parents and carers.
Cruse Bereavement Care is a national charity offering face-to-face, telephone, email and website support.
Some companies run an Employee Assistance Programme, which entitles employees to a set number of free counselling sessions. Ask your manager or Human Resources team for information.
The Good Grief Trust is a national charity that has a very comprehensive directory of bereavement support across the UK, listing specific services for people who have lost a child, partner, sibling, parent or friend.
The Hub of Hope is a mental health support database. It is provided by national mental health charity, Chasing the Stigma, and brings local, national, peer, community, charity, private and NHS mental health support and services together in one place.
This is a registered charity serving the Muslim community by supporting bereaved women.
The Muslim Bereavement Support Service works with other organisations, including hospices, to give a spiritual context to the bereavement support services they offer.
Marie Curie Telephone Bereavement Support is a free national helpline for people bereaved due to terminal illness. Call the Marie Curie Support Line on 0800 090 2309 to find out more, or visit Marie Curie’s website.
If you want to speak to a psychotherapist or a counsellor, the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy has information about how to find registered professionals in your area on their website. Costs will vary, and many therapists have their own websites explaining how they work and what to expect from therapy.
Whatever you're going through, Samaritans will face it with you. Available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Sue Ryder’s Online Community offers a place to share experiences, ask questions and chat. Find out more by visiting Sue Ryder's Online Bereavement Support.
Sue Ryder also offers an online Grief Self-help Service which offers information, specialised advice and self-help tools to help people cope with grief.
Hospice UK's Compassionate Employers scheme is a workplace bereavement support programme. It provides training, advice and resources to help line managers, HR and employees feel confident and capable of supporting their staff if they experience grief or bereavement at work.
The programme also helps support staff who become carers.
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Information and Support
We know that dealing with end of life care can be hard. Our information and support pages give you guidance and tips to help you and your family through this.
