Getting Support from Bereavement Organisations

Losing a loved one is a difficult experience that can turn your world upside down. Many struggle to adjust after suffering such a terrible loss. This can be particularly hard right now when contact with other people is restricted by social distancing.

Those who would usually visit to share grief or provide comfort and practical help are prevented from doing so. You may also have been unable to be with your loved one in the days or weeks before they died and unable to view their body, so you may feel you didn’t get to say goodbye.

Of course, you can talk to those who share your loss via technology such as Facetime or Zoom; but it's not quite the same as the physical comfort of a hug or speaking face-to-face. It is important 

Moving forward with your life after losing a loved one will take time. If you find that you need additional help beyond your family and friends in order to cope with grief, there are lots of organisations available to support you. Finding bereavement support during this time can be an important part of your recovery.

Here are a few suggestions of bereavement organisations who you can contact for support and advice on how to cope with your grief. 

Cruse Bereavement Care

Cruse Bereavement Care is the leading national charity for bereaved people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. They offer a range of support services, including a helpline staffed by trained bereavement volunteers. There is also face-to-face or group support available at branches throughout the UK. All their services are confidential and they are committed to being a diverse and inclusive charity that is accessible to all sections of society. 

Contact: 0808 808 1677

BereavementUK 

BereavementUK offers several online services to help with bereavement support and information. These include articles, podcasts, and email support from trained counsellors. They understand that grief doesn’t keep sociable hours and the internet can be a useful support when others are not available. So, they are dedicated to providing bereavement support and information whenever you need it, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Contact: support@bereavement.co.uk

The Compassionate Friends

The Compassionate Friends (TCF) is a charitable organisation of bereaved parents, siblings and grandparents dedicated to supporting bereaved family members who have suffered the loss of a child. TCF offers many different kinds of support for bereaved families. This includes resources, a telephone helpline, a community forum, facebook groups and support events.

Contact: 0345 123 2304

Widowed and Young

Widowed and Young (WAY) is a UK charity that offers a peer-to-peer support network for anyone who's lost a partner under the age of 50. WAY is a peer-to-peer support group operating with a network of volunteers who have been bereaved at a young age themselves. So, they understand exactly what other members are going through. They offer a telephone helpline, online support, and meet-ups that are available to those who became members. 

Child Bereavement UK

Child Bereavement UK helps children, parents, and families to cope with the loss of a child or support a child who is facing bereavement. They provide confidential support, information, and guidance to families and professionals. Their Helpline team is available to take calls and respond to emails and Live Chat via the website, 9am-5pm Monday-Friday. They also offer face to face group support sessions for parents, families, young people, and schools as well as a drop-in service at a number of locations across the country. 

Contact: 0800 02 88 840 or support@childbereavementuk.org.

Sands

Sands is the leading stillbirth and neonatal death charity in the UK. Sands exists to reduce the number of babies dying and to ensure that anyone affected by the death of a baby receives the best possible care and support for as long as they need it wherever they are in the UK. Sands provides bereavement support services at both a local and national level. These include the Sands Freephone helpline, mobile app, online community, family support packs, memory boxes, and over 100 regional support groups run by trained befrienders.

Contact: 0808 164 3332 or helpline@sands.org.uk.

For more advice, read our article on how to cope with bereavement.