After › Bereavement support: who can help
Bereavement support: who can help
Grief is not a task to be completed. You may feel numb, angry, relieved or all of those in a day. Free support is available whenever you want it.
Talking to someone now
Samaritans. You can call 116 123 free at any time, from any phone, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The call is free from landlines and mobiles and does not appear on your phone bill. If your phone system blocks 116 123 you can call 0330 094 5717 (local call charges apply). There is also a Welsh Language Line on 0808 164 0123. You do not have to be suicidal to call them; Samaritans listen to anyone struggling. See the Samaritans page for other ways to contact them.
Cruse Bereavement Support. Cruse is a UK charity that supports people after a death. Its page gives a helpline number of 0808 808 1677 (check the Cruse website for opening hours). It also lists local support, support for children and young people, support after suicide and military bereavement support.
If you or someone near you is in immediate danger, call 999.
Other places GOV.UK points to
The GOV.UK guide lists, for grief information, the NHS, Cruse Bereavement Support, National Bereavement Service and The Good Grief Trust. For talking to someone, it lists Cruse (local support), the Marie Curie helpline, Sue Ryder Online Bereavement Support and AtaLoss. For children and young people it lists the Childhood Bereavement Network and NHS advice on children and bereavement. Citizens Advice has further information about what to do after a death.
Support through an inquest
If the death is going to an inquest in England or Wales, the Coroners' Courts Support Service offers free, independent help. GOV.UK gives the helpline as 0300 111 2141, Monday to Friday 9am to 7pm and Saturday 9am to 2pm. In Northern Ireland, coroner's liaison officers contact families about preliminary results, as nidirect explains.
Your GP
If you cannot sleep, cannot eat, or feel unable to cope for weeks, speak to your GP. Grief is not an illness, but you can still ask for help, and sometimes a short-term measure or a referral helps.
Looking after yourself in the first weeks
- Accept practical help. Ask a friend to make calls or drive you to the register office.
- Do not make big decisions in a hurry, such as selling a house or moving.
- Eat, sleep and go outside when you can, even briefly.
- Tell your employer. You may have a right to time off. Employers vary in what they offer, so ask HR what is available. GOV.UK says parental bereavement leave and pay may apply if you are employed and your child dies under 18, or after a stillbirth past 24 weeks, if the death was on or after 6 April 2020.
Children and young people
Children grieve differently and often in bursts. Honest, simple words help. Let their school know. Ask the organisations above for resources written for young people.
Death by suicide
If the person took their own life, you may feel guilt, anger and confusion as well as grief. Cruse lists support after suicide, and Samaritans will talk to you. Do not go through it alone.
Back to the practical side
When you feel ready, pick up where you left off with the checklist or return to first steps. Nothing on those pages needs to be done in a day.
This is general information, not legal advice. Rules differ between England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and they change. Check the official pages linked at the bottom of each page, and ask a solicitor or Citizens Advice about your own situation. Last checked November 2026.