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Living with loss

Where to get help

All of these are free, national and answered by people trained in bereavement. None of them needs a GP referral, and there is no threshold of severity you have to reach first.

Published 5 min read

If you need to talk to somebody now, start here.

  • Samaritans

    116 123

    24 hours, every day

    For anyone in distress, whatever the reason. Free from any phone, and the call does not appear on the bill.

  • Cruse Bereavement Support

    0808 808 1677

    Weekdays, with longer hours midweek

    The main national bereavement helpline for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Cruse Cymru covers Wales; Scotland has its own separate service.

  • Child Bereavement UK

    0800 02 888 40

    Weekdays

    For families when a baby or child of any age dies, and for children and young people who are grieving.

  • Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide

    0300 111 5065

    Every day, daytime and evening

    Run by and for people bereaved by suicide.

  • Marie Curie Support Line

    0800 090 2309

    Weekdays and Saturday morning

    Terminal illness and bereavement, including the practical and money side of it.

General bereavement support

ServiceNumberWho it is for
Cruse Bereavement Support0808 808 1677The main national bereavement service in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Helpline, one-to-one support and groups. Cruse Cymru covers Wales.
Cruse Scotland0808 802 6161The separate Scottish service, covering the whole of Scotland.
Marie Curie Support Line0800 090 2309Terminal illness and bereavement, including the money and benefits side.
Samaritans116 123Anyone in distress, for any reason, 24 hours a day. Also a Welsh Language Line on 0808 164 0123 in the evenings.
ShoutText SHOUT to 85258Free 24-hour text support, for when talking is not possible.
Age UK Advice Line0800 678 1602Older people: bereavement, benefits, care and the practical aftermath.
At a Loss—A signposting service that matches you to local bereavement support. Website only.

When a child has died

ServiceNumberWho it is for
Child Bereavement UK0800 02 888 40Families when a baby or child of any age dies.
The Compassionate Friends0345 123 2304Bereaved parents, siblings and grandparents — run entirely by bereaved parents themselves.
Sands0808 164 3332Stillbirth and neonatal death.
Tommy’s0800 0147 800Miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth — midwife-staffed.

Bereaved children and young people

ServiceNumberWho it is for
Winston’s Wish08088 020 021Bereaved children, young people and the adults caring for them.
Child Bereavement UK0800 02 888 40Children and young people who are grieving, and their families.
Hope Again (Cruse)0808 808 1677Cruse’s service for young people, run by young people.
Your local hospice—Many run children’s bereavement groups open to the whole community, not only to families they cared for. Worth ringing directly.

Particular kinds of loss

ServiceNumberWho it is for
Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide0300 111 5065Anyone bereaved by suicide, run by people bereaved by suicide.
Sudden0800 2600 400Sudden and unexpected death — accidents, road deaths, unexplained deaths.
WAY Widowed and Young—A peer network for anybody widowed at 50 or under. Membership organisation, not a helpline.
Blue Cross Pet Bereavement0800 096 6606The death of a pet — a loss other people routinely dismiss, which is exactly why the service exists.

Practical and financial help

ServiceNumberWhat for
Bereavement Advice Centre0800 634 9494Free advice on probate, benefits, tax and the paperwork after a death.
Citizens Advice—Free benefits checks and debt advice. Local offices, plus national telephone lines for each nation.
Turn2us—Searchable database of charitable grants, including funeral help. Website.
MoneyHelper—The government-backed free money guidance service.

Talking to your GP

Worth doing if you are not sleeping at all, if you are drinking or using substantially more, if you cannot function after several months, or if grief remains intensely disabling well past a year — which may be prolonged grief disorder, a recognised condition with treatment that works.

Say plainly how long it has been and what you cannot do. NHS talking therapy services in England accept self-referral without going through a GP at all, and the equivalent services in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland can be asked about directly.

Local support

Almost every area has more than the national picture suggests:

  • Hospices run bereavement services that are usually open to anyone in the area, not only to families they have cared for. This is the single most underused resource in UK bereavement support.
  • Faith communities, whether or not you belong to one.
  • Bereavement cafés and walking groups, which for many people work better than sitting in a room and talking. At a Loss and Cruse can both point you at what exists nearby.

Questions people ask us most

Do I need a referral from my GP?
No. Every service on this page is self-referral — you ring, or fill in a form, and that is the whole of the process. Some have a waiting list for ongoing counselling, but the helplines themselves answer the same day.
Is bereavement support free?
The services listed here are free at the point of use, funded by charity or by the NHS. Private bereavement counselling also exists and costs money; it is not better by virtue of being paid for. Start with the free options — for most people they are sufficient.
What actually happens if I ring?
Somebody answers, asks what has happened, and listens. There is no assessment to pass, no form-filling at the start, no requirement to be in crisis, and no pressure to commit to anything. Many people ring once and never again, and that is a perfectly good use of a helpline.
What if I can't face talking on the phone?
Several services offer email, webchat or text instead. Shout runs a 24-hour text service — text SHOUT to 85258. Cruse and several others have webchat. If ringing is the barrier, the barrier is removable.
Is there help for the practical side rather than the emotional?
Yes. The Bereavement Advice Centre gives free advice on probate, benefits, tax and the paperwork after a death. Citizens Advice offers free benefits checks, which matter a great deal when a household loses an income. Age UK’s advice line handles both for older people. And this site’s probate and paperwork page covers the ground.

Keep reading

Also in this section

You do not have to work this out in one sitting

Very little has to be done on the first day, and almost nothing has to be decided tonight. Start with the step-by-step guide, and if you need a person rather than a page, the helplines are free and answered by people who do this every day.

Start with the first steps Where to get help