During times of grief, there is somebody you can talk to and organisations that offer a range of support.
Coping with bereavement and grief during the coronavirus outbreak
Bereavement, which is a difficult experience under any situation, is taking place under very challenging circumstances during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Both those who experience loss as a consequence to COVID-19, or loss through another cause may experience increased trauma and may be cut off from some of their usual support network.
Support available during this difficult time:
Need to talk to somebody right now?
The Good Grief Trust is an excellent resource for those coping with bereavement. There you can find a number of support lines to call to help with grief:
24 hour support lines
- Samaritans - for anyone at anytime for any reason, call 116 123 (UK)
- Childline - support for under 25s and their relatives, call 0800 1111
- Silverline - support for the over 50s, call 0800 470 8090
Day/evening support lines
General support
- Cruse: nationwide bereavement support 0808 808 1677
- Winstons Wish: Support and Guidance to bereaved children, young people and families. Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, Weds 7 to 9.30pm 08452 030405
- Bereavement Trust: Emotional and practical advice (6 to 10pm) 0800 435 455
- Grief Encounter: Support for anyone to Grief Encounter from any phone for free Monday to Friday 9am - 9pm. Have a 1-2-1 CHAT live session with a Grief Encounter counsellor 0808 802 0111
- Waltham Forest’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services – the URGENT CRISIS line is 0300 555 1247 open Monday to Friday 9 to 5, or 0300 555 1000 outside of these hours
Support after the death of a child
- Child Bereavement UK: helpline (9 to 5pm) 0800 02 88840
- Sands: Free confidential helpline for anyone affected by the death of a baby, 9.30am - 5.30pm Mon to Fri and 9.30am - 9.30pm Tues and Thurs evenings 0808 164 3332
- The Lullaby Trust: Monday - Friday, 10 am to 5 pm. Weekends and Public holidays, 6 pm - 10 pm 0808 802 6868
- The Compassionate Friends: Support for people when a child of any age dies through any cause. Local support groups & online message boards – www.tcf.org.uk Open every day 10 am to 4 pm, 7 to10 pm 0345 123 2304
Specific support
- DrugFam: drug and alcohol addiction. The helpline line is available between 9am and 9pm seven days a week 0300 888 3853
- Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide: 9am to 9pm every day 0300 111 5065
Practical advice
- Bereavement Advice Centre - Practical advice 9 to 5pm 0800 634 9494
Other organisations that can help
- Kooth - a web-based confidential mental health support service available to young people aged 11-18
- Widowed and Young – a charity for those under 50 who have lost a partner.
- Marie Curie – Terminal illness Support
- MacMillan – Cancer Support
- The Loss Foundation – Therapy support groups in London – 0300 200 4112
- At a Loss – Help with finding local and specific Bereavement Support
- SUDC UK – Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood
- RoadPeace – Bereavement through Road Crashes 0845 4500 355 7 days 9am to 9pm
- Funeral Zone – Free online resource for the bereaved
- Cruse Bereavement Care - dealing with bereavement and grief
Faith-specific support