Grief, loss and bereavement - useful organisations

Get details of organisations that can help if you or someone living with dementia is feeling grief, loss or bereavement. 

Useful organisations

Age UK

Telephone
0800 678 1602 (advice line, 8am–7pm every day)

Website
www.ageuk.org.uk

Wales – Age Cymru

Telephone
0300 303 4498 (advice line, 9am–4pm Monday–Friday)

Email
[email protected]

Website
www.ageuk.org.uk/cymru

Northern Ireland – Age NI

Telephone
0808 808 7575 (advice service, 9am–5pm Monday–Friday)

Email
[email protected]

Website
www.ageuk.org.uk/northern-ireland

Age UK, Age Cymru and Age NI provide information, advice and services for older people, including services to combat loneliness.

At a Loss

Website
ataloss.org

At a Loss are a signposting organisation for people who have been bereaved. They also provide a free, online counselling service called GriefChat.

Bereavement Advice Centre

Telephone
0800 634 9494 (helpline, 9am–5pm Monday–Friday)

Website
www.bereavementadvice.org

Bereavement Advice Centre is a free helpline and online information service. It gives practical information and advice on the issues and procedures after a person dies.

Carers Trust

Telephone
0300 772 9600

Email
[email protected]

Website
www.carers.org 

Carers Trust works to improve support, services and recognition for anyone living with the challenges of caring, unpaid, for a family member or friend.

Carers UK

Telephone
0808 808 7777 (helpline, 9am–6pm Monday–Friday)

Email
[email protected]

Website
www.carersuk.org
www.carersuk.org/forum (online discussion forum)

Carers UK provides information and advice about caring, alongside practical and emotional support for carers.

Cruse Bereavement Support

Telephone
0808 808 1677 (helpline, 9.30am–5pm Monday and Friday, 9.30am–8pm Tuesday–Thursday, 10am–2pm Saturday and Sunday)

Website
www.cruse.org.uk

Cruse Bereavement Support promotes the wellbeing of bereaved people, and to enable anyone bereaved by death to understand their grief and cope with their loss. They provide counselling and support, information, advice, education and training services.

Dementia UK

Telephone
0800 888 6678 (helpline, 9am–9pm Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm Saturday and Sunday)

Email
[email protected]

Website
www.dementiauk.org

Dementia UK provides specialist dementia support for families through its Admiral Nurse service. 

Dying Matters (Hospice UK)

Website
www.dyingmatters.org

Dying Matters is a national campaign by Hospice UK that aims to change public knowledge, attitudes and behaviours towards dying, death and bereavement.

The Good Grief Trust

Website
www.thegoodgrieftrust.org

The Good Grief Trust is a bereavement support website that signposts to a wide range of immediate, tailored local and national support.

GOV.UK

Website
www.gov.uk/find-bereavement-services-from-council

The UK government website has a search function to find local bereavement services by postcode.

Hospice UK

Telephone
020 7520 8200

Website
www.hospiceuk.org

Hospice UK is a national charity for hospice care. They have details of hospices across the UK, some of which may be able to provide bereavement services.

Independent Age

Telephone
0800 319 6789 (helpline, 8.30am–6.30pm Monday–Friday)

Email
[email protected]

Website
www.independentage.org

Independent Age provides information and advice for older people, their families and carers. They have an online service called GriefChat where you can chat directly to a specially trained bereavement counsellor.

Samaritans

Telephone
116 123 (24 hours, seven days a week)

Email
[email protected]

Website
www.samaritans.org

Samaritans offers a safe, confidential phone line providing non-judgemental emotional support. This is for people with feelings of distress or despair, including those that could lead to suicide.

Sue Ryder

Telephone
0808 164 4572

Website
www.sueryder.org

Sue Ryder support people who are living with a terminal illness or a neurological condition, or who are bereaved. They have local services and also offer online bereavement support. 

Winston’s Wish

Telephone
0808 8020 021 (helpline, 9am–5pm Monday–Friday)

Email
[email protected]

Website
winstonswish.org

Winston’s Wish supports bereaved children, young people, their families and the professionals who support them.

Review information

Last reviewed: October 2021
Next review due: October 2024

Our information is based on evidence and need, and is regularly updated using quality-controlled processes. It is reviewed by experts in health and social care and people affected by dementia.

Reviewed by: Dr Jacqueline Crowther, Admiral Nurse, Admiral Nurse Dementia Helpline, Dementia UK, Jane Chatterjee, Lecturer in Palliative Care, St Gemma’s Hospice and Dr Remy Marckus, Clinical Psychologist.

To give feedback on this information, or for a list of sources, please email [email protected]

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