Bereavement - NHS

Bereavement

Further information and contacts

This information has been adapted from a chapter in Bereavement: Helping you to deal with the
death of someone close to you, produced by Marie Curie Cancer Care.

Contents 2
2
Trade associations for funeral directors 2
Information and advice about funerals 3
Advice on religious or secular services 5
Bereavement organisations and information 5
Counselling
Financial and practical advice

Following are details of further sources of information. These include a number of national
organisations, some of which will be able to provide you with details of local contacts where
appropriate.

This information sheet only has space to include a limited number of organisations. Please visit:
www.mariecurie.org.uk for further information about bereavement issues and for links to
additional useful websites.

For information about Marie Curie Cancer Care phone: 0800 716 146 (freephone)
or visit: www.mariecurie.org.uk

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Bereavement
further information and contacts

Trade associations for funeral directors

National Association of Funeral Directors
0845 230 1343
www.nafd.org.uk

The National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors
0845 230 6777
www.saif.org.uk

Information and advice about funerals

Natural Death Centre
0871 288 2098
www.naturaldeath.org.uk

Offers advice and information on funeral arrangements, in particular inexpensive, DIY and green
funerals and woodland burial grounds. Publishes The Natural Death Handbook, a comprehensive
guide to DIY funerals.

AB Welfare & Wildlife Trust
01423 530900 or 01423 868121
[email protected] (not for urgent enquiries)

A national charity offering free and sound advice on the law around dying, collecting and
transporting bodies, burial and cremation, green funerals, burials in private land and nature reserves.
It also offers practical help with deaths within a 25-mile radius of Harrogate and can arrange burials
in nature reserves near Harrogate.

Funerals UK
www.funeralsuk.com

Provides advice on wills and funerals, and information on companies which can provide a wide range
of services for both conventional and more alternative funerals.

Advice on religious or secular services

Christian
You will find churches of all major Christian denominations in your local Yellow Pages directory.

For information about Marie Curie Cancer Care phone: 0800 716 146 (freephone)
or visit: www.mariecurie.org.uk

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Bereavement
further information and contacts

United Synagogue
020 8343 8989
www.unitedsynagogue.org.uk

The Muslim Council of Britain
0845 262 6786
www.mcb.org.uk

The Buddhist Society
020 7834 5858
www.thebuddhistsociety.org

British Humanist Association
020 7079 3580
www.humanism.org.uk

A national organisation that can provide a representative for non religious funerals as well as advice
on organising the ceremony.

Interfaith Seminary
08444 457004
www.theinterfaithseminary.com

A national organisation that can provide representatives to help plan tailor made ceremonies, with or
without a spiritual element.

Bereavement organisations and information

Your GP or practice nurse should be able to recommend a local bereavement support group.

Cruse Bereavement Care
Day By Day Helpline: 0844 477 9400
(9am-5pm, Monday to Friday)
www.cruse.org.uk

Young persons’ helpline: 0808 808 1677
(9.30am-5pm, Monday to Friday)
www.rd4u.org.uk

A national charity with branches throughout the UK, offering help to all those who have been
bereaved, through counselling, social contact and advice on practical matters.

Cruse Bereavement Care (Scotland)
01738 444 178
www.crusescotland.org.uk

For information about Marie Curie Cancer Care phone: 0800 716 146 (freephone)
or visit: www.mariecurie.org.uk

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Bereavement
further information and contacts

The Bereavement Advice Centre
0800 634 9494
(9am-5pm, Monday to Friday)
www.bereavementadvice.org

A national organisation offering advice on all aspects of bereavement, from registering the death
and finding a funeral director to probate, tax and benefit queries.

The Compassionate Friends
National helpline: 0845 123 2304
(open 10am-4pm and 6.30pm-10.30pm)
www.tcf.org.uk

An international organisation of bereaved parents offering friendship, support and understanding to
other bereaved parents. Includes parents of adult children who have died.

Childhood Bereavement Network
020 7843 6309
www.childhoodbereavementnetwork.org.uk

A national organisation aimed at improving the quality and range of bereavement support for
children, young people, their families and other caregivers. Offers information about support
services.

Marie Curie Hospices
Our hospices provide bereavement support for people whose partner or family member has died in a
Marie Curie Hospice.

We also offer the following booklets for children:
• Helping children when someone close dies
• Questions children may want to ask when someone close to them has died
• Teenage grief – things you might want to know

If you are not in contact with a Marie Curie Hospice, the booklets are available from Marie Curie
Cancer Care on 0800 716 146 or from www.mariecurie.org.uk

For information about Marie Curie Cancer Care phone: 0800 716 146 (freephone)
or visit: www.mariecurie.org.uk

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Bereavement
further information and contacts

Counselling

Your GP or practice nurse should be able to recommend a counselling service.

BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy)
01455 883316
www.bacp.co.uk

BACP provides a factsheet about choosing a counsellor and can provide details of local counsellors,
including those who have specialised training around bereavement and those who may be able to
provide free or low cost counselling or offer concessions.

Financial and practical advice

Benefits
Your local benefits agency should be able to provide you with information about bereavement
benefits and any changes to your benefits or pension. For contact details look for the benefits agency
display advert in the business section of the phone book.

Your local Jobcentre or Jobcentre Plus office should be able to provide you with information about
bereavement benefits or other benefits. For contact details look for employment service in the
business section of the phone book or visit: www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk

Citizens Advice
www.citizensadvice.org.uk

Trained counsellors will give advice on problems and contact details for other local groups which will
help. Look in the telephone directory for local offices.

HM Revenue and Customs
www.hmrc.gov.uk

You will need to notify the local tax office about your change in circumstances. To help you
understand the tax liabilities that may arise when someone dies visit: www.hmrc.gov.uk and search
for what to do about tax when someone dies.

Interpreters
Social Services should be able to advise you on the availability of interpreters.

Help the Aged
Freephone 0808 800 6565 or 0808 808 7575 in Northern Ireland
(9am-4pm Monday to Friday)
www.helptheaged.org.uk
Help the Aged’s advice line can help with advice on benefits and entitlements.

For information about Marie Curie Cancer Care phone: 0800 716 146 (freephone)
or visit: www.mariecurie.org.uk

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Bereavement
further information and contacts

Further information

For information about Marie Curie Cancer Care or if you would like us to send you a free full
version of this booklet phone Marie Curie Cancer Care: 0800 716 146 (free call) or visit
www.mariecurie.org.uk

Support us
Marie Curie Cancer Care’s services are always free to patients and families but we can only continue
our work through the generosity of our supporters. Find out how you can support us through
donations, volunteering, events or leaving a legacy in your will. Visit www.mariecurie.org.uk or
phone: 0800 716 146.

Disclaimer
Although every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, Marie Curie Cancer Care and their
advisers cannot accept any liability in relation to the information in this booklet or any advice that
our Marie Curie Nurses or Senior Healthcare Assistants provide in the home. It is not a substitute
for professional medical or other advice. Readers are strongly advised to discuss the information
provided and seek personalised advice from their doctor, specialist cancer nurse or other appropriate
professional.

© Marie Curie Cancer Care
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by
any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage
and retrieval system, without permission in writing from Marie Curie Cancer Care.

December 2009

Marie Curie provides high-quality nursing, totally free, to give people with terminal cancer and other illnesses the 6 of 6
choice of dying at home, supported by their families.

For information about Marie Curie Cancer Care phone: 0800 716 146 (freephone)
or visit: www.mariecurie.org.uk

Charity reg no. 207994 (England & Wales), SC038731 (Scotland) N27c