Useful Links & Services
Bereavement and Support Organisations
The Good Grief Trust exists to help all those suffering grief in the UK. Run by the bereaved, for the bereaved, they aim to find all those bereaved in the UK, acknowledge their loss and provide reassurance, a virtual hand of friendship and ongoing support.
https://www.thegoodgrieftrust.org/
At a Loss provides the UK’s ‘one stop shop’ website for finding local and appropriate bereavement support services and information. Their vision is for nobody in the UK, suffering a significant loss, to be left floundering or alone.
Cruse Bereavement Care offer support, advice and information to children, young people and adults when someone dies. They run a National Helpline staffed by trained bereavement volunteers, who offer emotional support to anyone affected by bereavement and can also help you find your local Cruse service, or signpost you to other services and useful sources of information.
https://www.cruse.org.uk/get-help
WAY aims to provide peer-to-peer emotional and practical support to widowed men and women under 50 – married or not, with or without children, whatever their sexual orientation – as they adjust to life after the death of their partner.
https://www.widowedandyoung.org.uk
The Jolly Dollies are an organisation started by widows for widows. Their main objective is to help widows regain a social life through friendship and social events.
Age UK leaflet on coping with bereavement in later life
RoadPeace is the national charity for road crash victims in the UK. They provide information and support services to people bereaved or seriously injured in road crashes and engage in evidence based policy and campaigning work to fight for justice for victims and reduce road danger.
The Alzheimers Society offers advice on understanding and caring for someone with dementia, with tips on how carers can look after themselves too. Including information on what happens when someone in the later stages of dementia is nearing the end of life, and when they die as well as advice on how to support people living with dementia through bereavement and grief.
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-support/help-dementia-care
DrugFam provide specialist support to families bereaved through drug and alcohol abuse..
https://www.drugfam.co.uk/bereavement
The BEAD (Bereaved through Alcohol and Drugs) Project is a source of information, support and hope for anyone whose loved one has died as a result of drug or alcohol use.
https://www.beadproject.org.uk
Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide exist to meet the needs and overcome the isolation experienced by people over 18 who have been bereaved by suicide.
Care for the Family want to help those who are living with loss to discover hope for the future, and the strength to rebuild their lives and the lives of their families.
https://www.careforthefamily.org.uk/family-life/bereavement-support
Rehab 4 Addiction offers a wealth of resources and information about addiction and mental health, which could be invaluable to those in need following a bereavement.
https://www.rehab4addiction.co.uk
Loss of a child
New Guidelines released in 2021 from Welsh assembly and may help with your difficult decisions.
https://gov.wales/child-burial-and-cremations-information-local-authorities-and-families
The Compassionate Friends offer many different kinds of support for bereaved families after the death of a child of any age and from any cause.
The Lullaby Trust raises awareness of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), provides expert advice on safer sleep for babies and offers confidential bereavement support to anyone affected by the sudden and unexpected death of a baby or young child.
https://www.lullabytrust.org.uk/bereavement-support
Child Bereavement UK supports families and educates professionals both when a baby or child of any age dies or is dying, and when a child is facing bereavement.
https://www.childbereavementuk.org
The Child Death Helpline aims to provide a quality freephone service to anyone affected by the death of a child of any age.
http://childdeathhelpline.org.uk
Baby loss certificates for parents who experienced a loss of pregnancy before 24 weeks are now available for application.
Baby loss certificate launched to recognise parents’ grief – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Loss during pregnancy and stillbirth
The Miscarriage Association provides support and information to anyone affected by miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy or molar pregnancy.
https://www.miscarriageassociation.org.uk
SANDS work to reduce the number of babies dying and to improve care and support for anyone affected by the death of a baby. They offer a range of different methods of support.
Antenatal Results and Choices is a national charity helping parents and healthcare professionals through antenatal screening and its consequences.
The Lily Mae Foundation supports parents and families after a stillbirth, neonatal death or medical termination.
https://www.lilymaefoundation.org/
Support for children and young people
Winston’s Wish supports bereaved children, their families and the professionals who support them. They provide specialist child bereavement support services across the UK.
The Childhood Bereavement Network (CBN) is the hub for those working with bereaved children, young people and their families across the UK.
http://www.childhoodbereavementnetwork.org.uk
Child Bereavement UK supports families and educates professionals both when a baby or child of any age dies or is dying, and when a child is facing bereavement.
https://www.childbereavementuk.org
Hope Again is the youth website of Cruse Bereavement Care. They provide a listening ear from other young people and advice for any young person dealing with the loss of a loved one.
Grief Encounter support bereaved children and their families to help alleviate the pain caused by the death of someone close.
https://www.griefencounter.org.uk
Loss of a pet
If you have lost, or are facing saying goodbye to, a much loved pet and need somebody to talk to, the Blue Cross Pet Bereavement Support Service is here for you every day from 8.30am – 8.30pm.
https://www.bluecross.org.uk/pet-bereavement-and-pet-loss
If you’re experiencing pet-related grief you can call the Cats Protection League free and confidential phone line to talk to one of their trained volunteer listeners.
https://www.cats.org.uk/what-we-do/grief
Pre Bereavement Support and Advice
Dying Matters is a coalition of individual and organisational members across England and Wales, which aims to help people talk more openly about dying, death and bereavement, and to make plans for the end of life.
The National End of Life Care Programme is for people who are approaching the end of their life. Some parts of it may also be useful for people who are caring for someone who is dying, or people who want to plan in advance for their own end of life care. It covers what to expect, thinking about your wishes for your future care, and looking after your emotional and psychological wellbeing.
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/end-of-life-care
Marie Curie offer practical information and emotional support for those living with a terminal illness or caring for someone.
Money Saving Expert have produced a checklist including tips on wills, inheritance tax, funerals and setting up a power of attorney, plus how to do the ‘unpleasant issues’ chat.
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/family/death-plan
This guide provides practical advice on why it is important that you draw up a will and how to do it.
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/family/death-and-wills/wills
An advanced funeral directive is a document containing instructions for relatives and friends, so that once a person dies those responsible for arranging the funeral have a clear understanding of the wishes of the person who has died.
Practical Support
Check what to do after a death – how to register the death, notify government departments and manage financial issues.
https://www.gov.uk/when-someone-dies
If you are looking for help, support, advice or guidance planning a funeral, either for yourself or for someone close to you, the Natural Death Centre Charity is here for you. They are passionate about sharing knowledge, dispelling myths, and empowering everyone who wants to have the best experience possible when it comes to making arrangements for a funeral.
http://www.naturaldeath.org.uk
The ICCM can give general advice on best practices and technical advice regarding Burial and Cremation.
As part of it’s commitment to the highest levels of customer service and care, Barry Town Council has signed up to the Institute of Cemetery and Crematoria Management’s Charter for the Bereaved. The Charter is intended to provide the bereaved with information and assistance regarding decisions that they may need to make when arranging a funeral. The Charter defines the Rights of every individual who experiences bereavement into a number of categories.
Funeral Guide was created to help the bereaved by providing a central resource where you can find all the information you need around the time of a funeral.
https://www.funeralguide.co.uk/help-resources
Money Saving Expert have produced this checklist featuring tips on how to deal with bureaucratic and financial issues after a loved one has passed away.
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/family/what-to-do-when-someone-dies
If someone you know has died, The Bereavement Register can reduce the amount of unwanted marketing post being sent to them, stopping painful daily reminders. By registering with their free service, the names and addresses of the deceased are removed from mailing lists, stopping most advertising mail within as little as six weeks.
https://www.thebereavementregister.org.uk
For information to help make a will –
Get help with funeral costs
Find out if you are eligible to receive a Funeral Expenses Payment.
https://www.gov.uk/funeral-payments/eligibility
Guidance on how to apply for the Bereavement Support Payment.
https://www.gov.uk/bereavement-support-payment
Down to Earth provide practical support for people struggling with funeral costs.
https://quakersocialaction.org.uk/we-can-help/helping-funerals/down-earth
Arranging a funeral
It is possible to hold a funeral on private land, The Natural Death Centre has produced a guide to explain the process.
http://www.naturaldeath.org.uk/index.php?page=home-burial
If you would like to purchase a biodegradable coffin there are a range of options available including wicker, wool , cardboard and bamboo.
A range of suppliers can be found on the ICCM bereavement portal here –
For guidance on coffin construction, the ICCM have produced the following document that should assist –
The Ashes Register
Richard Martin 07768 278363
Director@ashesregister.com
www.ashesregister.com
