When a friend, family member or loved one dies, it can be the hardest thing anyone ever has to face. It can cause a wide range of emotions and not all are expected and they are sometimes overwhelming. There is no “right way” to grieve, and you do not need to do this alone.
We are here for you, as are many dedicated organisations and sources of support.
Practical information
- What to do after someone dies: Bereavement help and support – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- After someone dies | Cancer Research UK
- What to do after a death – Citizens Advice
- Support with grief | Macmillan Cancer Support
- When someone dies (mariecurie.org.uk)
- When-a-baby-or-young-child-dies-suddenly-and-unexpectedly.pdf (lullabytrust.org.uk) and When a child dies – A guide for parents and carers (lullabytrust.org.uk)
Looking after you
- Get help with grief after bereavement or loss – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
- Coping with Grief: Managing the Experience of Grief (thenbs.org)
- I need support with a bereavement | Hospice UK
- Understanding grief – Cruse Bereavement Support
- Bereavement Services: Free Support for Bereaved People (thenbs.org)
- Bereavement support | Grief support (mariecurie.org.uk)
- Online Bereavement Support | Sue Ryder
- AtaLoss.org is the UK’s signposting and information website for bereaved people
- Support and self-care for grief – Mind
Are you 50 years old or over and experiencing grief?
- Age UK provides advice on how to deal with grief after a bereavement https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/health-wellbeing/relationships-family/bereavement/
- Beth Johnson Foundation Bereavement Friendship Project offers free 1:1 telephone befriending and group social support for people aged 50+ living in Stoke-on-Trent or North Staffordshire https://www.bjf.org.uk/bereavement-friendship/
- Dove Buddies is a social friendship group for adults who have experienced bereavement and who may be struggling with social connections, loneliness and isolation https://thedoveservice.org.uk/adult-bereavement-services-2/dove-buddies-social-groups/
- Good grief trust provides support and information for people over 50 who have suffered a bereavement https://www.thegoodgrieftrust.org/find-support/for-over-50s/
Are you 50 years or younger and lost a partner?
- Good Grief Trust provide support for people who have lost a partner https://www.thegoodgrieftrust.org/i-have-lost-a/partner/
- Widowed and young for people who have been widowed at a young age https://www.widowedandyoung.org.uk/get-support/bereavement-support
Are you, or do you know, a child or young person whose family member or friend has died?
- Child bereavement helps children, young people, parents and their families to rebuild their lives when a child grieves or when a child dies https://www.childbereavementuk.org/
- Grief encounter provides support to children and young people after the death of someone close https://www.griefencounter.org.uk/
- Good grief trust provides information and support for young people who have suffered a bereavement https://www.thegoodgrieftrust.org/find-support/for-young-people/
- Sue Ryder provide advice on supporting a bereaved child https://www.sueryder.org/how-we-can-help/bereavement-information/supporting-a-child/how-do-i-support-a-bereaved-child
- Take our hand provides support through navigating through grief for people aged 16-25 in England https://www.takeourhand.org.uk/
- Young minds provides information to support children and young people with grief and loss https://www.youngminds.org.uk/parent/parents-a-z-mental-health-guide/grief-and-loss/
- Windmills specialise in facilitating or supporting families with breaking bad news conversations with children, supporting Children and Young People when someone significant in their life receives a terminal diagnosis/prognosis, providing support through the acute dying process and up to several months after the death has occurred. Windmills offer support after a sudden death has happened but can only to accept a referral within the first four weeks of a death happening. https://www.windmillscharity.org/
- Winston’s Wish helps children, teenagers and young adults (up to the age of 25) find their feet when their worlds are turned upside down by grief https://www.winstonswish.org/
Has your child, or a child close to you, died?
- Baby loss certificate if your pregnancy ends before 24 weeks, you can get a certificate in memory of your baby from https://www.gov.uk/request-baby-loss-certificate
- Child bereavement helps children, young people, parents and their families to rebuild their lives when a child grieves or when a child dies https://www.childbereavementuk.org/
- Child death helpline offer support to parents who have lost a child of any age, under any circumstances and however recently or long ago https://www.childdeathhelpline.org.uk/
- Compassionate friends support bereaved parents https://www.tcf.org.uk/content/helpline/
- Good Grief Trust supports families who have lost a child both at a young age and in adulthoodhttps://www.thegoodgrieftrust.org/i-have-lost-a/child/
- Miscarriage association UK provides support and information for people affected by miscarriage, molar pregnancy or ectopic pregnancy https://www.miscarriageassociation.org.uk/
- Sands provides emotional support and information right from the early hours after a baby’s death, through to the weeks, months and years ahead. Sands supports anyone affected by the death of a baby https://www.sands.org.uk/
- The lullaby trust provides confidential bereavement support to anyone affected by the sudden an unexpected death of a baby or young child https://www.lullabytrust.org.uk/bereavement-support/
- Tommy’s have a serious of animations to support families affected https://www.tommys.org/baby-loss-support/baby-loss-series
- A child of mine provides families who have lost a baby or a child with emotional support, practical information and guidance https://achildofmine.org.uk/
Has a family member or friend died due to suicide?
- AMPARO provides emotional and practical support for anybody who has felt the impact of suicide https://amparo.org.uk/about-us/
- Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide (SOBS) offer peer-led support to adults impacted by suicide loss https://uksobs.org/
Has a family member of friend died due to substance misuse?
- DrugFAM offer support to those bereaved by suicidal abuse https://www.drugfam.co.uk/bereavement/