National Bereavement Resources
Age UK -
Coping with the death of a loved one can be extremely hard. You may be dealing with lots of different emotions, finding it hard to process them and having difficulties moving on.
Age UK offer bereavement information and factsheets along with a range of practical advice. Alongside is the Age UK Advice Line.
The web link is to Age UK Somerset, and within that page there are links through to the national Age UK website where the Coping with Bereavement information can be found (within the Health and Wellbeing Section, Relationships and Family).
Losing someone close to you can be devastating and can leave you struggling with grief.
It can feel like there is not enough time to process all the complex emotions you face. Immediately after losing someone, there are usually a lot of practical matters to deal with, such as registering the death and arranging the funeral.
Family and friends tend to be around more at this time. So often, it's only when all the practicalities have been handled, and the people around you get back to their everyday lives, that you really start to focus on your own feelings.
We have provided some guidance to help you deal with the emotional and practical impact of losing someone.
Grief is a natural response to losing someone who is important. It can be a very painful set of emotions, and everyone experiences it differently. The important thing is to allow yourself time to grieve for as long as you need to. There is bereavement support available that you can access at any point. If you need advice and information we can help.
Our website offers a range of information, whether it is where to get bereavement support, practical considerations when someone has died, or support with coping with grief.
If your partner, relative or friend has died, you may find it hard to cope with your emotions and the practical things you have to do. We have information to help you cope with some of the feelings or questions you may have.
For support you can contact our helpline, email us, or use online chat, we also have an online community as well as local groups.
In addition we have a range of booklets and information on grief and loss.
National Bereavement Service -
Experiencing the death of someone close can be extremely difficult. It’s made even harder when you must take responsibility for all the many practical tasks required with loss, such as registering a death, arranging a funeral and dealing with the passed person’s property.
The National Bereavement Service (NBS) will source the help you need to deal with the practical elements of grief – whether that’s finding a reliable funeral director or understanding more about the legal side of bereavement – and will provide emotional support to those who need extra comfort during this challenging time. We’re here to help – whatever that may be.
Most people experience grief when they lose something or someone important to them. If these feelings are affecting your life, there are things you can try that may help.
Support is also available if you're finding it hard to cope with stress, anxiety or depression.
This NHS webpage shares information about symptoms of bereavement, grief and loss along with things that may help, and details support available.
We support people through the most difficult times of their lives. Whether that’s a terminal illness, the loss of a loved one or a neurological condition – we’re there when it matters.
Sue Ryder's Online Bereavement Support makes it easy to connect with the right support for you - whether that's information and resources, qualified counsellors or a community of others with similar experiences.
Our support includes an Online Bereavement Community, a range of bereavement information and grief advice, an Online Bereavement Counselling Service providing free short-term support for anyone grieving for a loved one, and a range of information for people who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness or care for someone who is dying.
SAMM (Support After Murder and Manslaughter) -
SAMM National is a registered charity providing support to anyone who has been bereaved by murder or manslaughter. All services are available for the bereaved, regardless of how long ago you lost a loved one. We support close relatives, wider family members and communities including people affected by mass fatality events. Even if a loss has affected you as a bereaved friend, we will support you.
Our unique support services have been designed by the bereaved for the bereaved to meet your emotional support needs. All volunteers receive bespoke training and have been bereaved through homicide themselves. They have a unique understanding and perspective of your own experience. We offer telephone support to our members by putting them in touch with one of our trained volunteers. We also offer members access to a highly confidential online forum, and regular online Pop-Up Café sessions which may be beneficial to some as an additional offer of support.
As a national charity our support services cover England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Our services include one to one telephone support or group support through our pop-up cafes. You can also apply to attend one of our Empowerment Weekends and meet other bereaved people. If you prefer to talk to someone online, you can join our online community forum.
WAY is the only national charity in the UK for people aged 50 or under when their partner died. It’s 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.
Unfortunately, there’s no guide book for grief. Everyone is different, and no two people will experience grieving in the same way. From numbness to anger, from disbelief to guilt, there’s no set pattern to the grieving process, especially when you’ve been widowed at a young age.
We offer a range of support information on our website, along with a helpline, forums and local groups that members of WAY can access.