Every bereavement is different and there are different processes dependent on your circumstances.

Telephone: 0800 0246 121

Website: www.nationalbereavementservice.org

Spencer Street Surgery

Guidance on what to do following a death

 Part 1 – Practical matters

 Introduction

 Following a death, it is often the person who was closest to the deceased who is responsible for organising matters.  As they will also be very emotionally distressed it is advised that they have a relative or friend to help them to make the necessary arrangements.

 Notes:

 In this leaflet, the term “relative” is used to refer to those close to the deceased, be they a member of the family, partner, friend or significant other.

 Whilst this leaflet is easiest to use in its electronic format since it has links to webpages that contain relevant and useful information, it can still be used as a guidance booklet as it covers the main points contained in those relevant webpages.

 Throughout this bereavement guidance, all information has been extracted from the UK Government Guidance: What to do when someone dies. This guidance outlines how to register the death, notify government departments and manage financial matters.

 

Step 1

 Register the death 

What to do after someone dies: Register the death - GOV.UK

 

1. Register the death

After someone dies, a medical examiner will check the cause of death to make sure it’s accurate.

They will be a senior doctor and they will not have been involved in the care of the person who has died.  

The medical examiner’s office will then contact you to:

• explain the cause of death
• answer any questions you have about this or the healthcare provided to the person before they died

This is voluntary and you do not have to speak to them. 

Registering the death

You’ll also be contacted by the medical examiner’s office to confirm you can register the death.

Register the death within 5 days (8 days in Scotland) of being contacted. This includes weekends and bank holidays.

After you’ve registered the death

You’ll get a certificate for burial or cremation (often called ‘the green form’).

Give the certificate to your funeral director, crematorium or burial authority. You must do this before the funeral can take place.

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

2. When a death is reported to a coroner

If a death is reported to a coroner, the documents you need to register the death may be different. The coroner will decide either:

• the cause of death is clear
• that a post-mortem is needed
• to hold an inquest

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

The cause of death is clear

If the coroner decides that the cause of death is clear:

1. They’ll issue a certificate to the registrar saying that a post-mortem or inquest is not needed.

2.  

3. The registrar will register the death.

A post-mortem is needed

The coroner may decide a post-mortem is needed to find out how the person died. This can be done either in a hospital or mortuary.

You cannot object to a coroner’s post-mortem - but if you’ve asked the coroner must tell you (and the person’s GP) when and where the examination will take place.

After the post-mortem

The coroner will release the body for a funeral once they have completed the post-mortem examinations and no further examinations are needed.

If the body is released with no inquest, the coroner will send a form (‘Pink Form - form 100B’) to the registrar stating the cause of death.

The coroner will also send a ‘Certificate of Coroner - form Cremation 6’ if the body is to be cremated.

The coroner holds an inquest

A coroner must hold an inquest if:

• the cause of death is still unknown
• the person might have died a violent or unnatural death
• the person might have died in prison or police custody

Death certificates

If you need proof of the death while you wait for the inquest to finish, ask the coroner for an interim death certificate.

Once the inquest is over, you can get the final death certificate from the registrar.

You can use either certificate to:

• apply for probate
• report the death to more than one government organisation using Tell Us Once - the registrar can help you to do this

Get help

You can get free, independent support from The Coroners’ Courts Support Service.

The Coroners’ Courts Support Service Helpline (England and Wales)
Telephone: 0300 111 2141
Monday to Friday, 9am to 7pm
Saturday, 9am to 2pm
Find out about call charges

3. What to do if someone dies abroad

You must register a death with the local authorities in the country where the person died.

In many countries you can also register the death with the UK authorities.

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

These rules apply if you live in England and Wales. There are different processes in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Reporting the death

The Tell Us Once service lets you report a death to most government organisations in one go.

You can use Tell Us Once if the person who died:

• normally lived in England, Scotland or Wales
• was abroad temporarily (for example, on holiday or a business trip)

Contact a register office to use Tell Us Once. They will either:

• complete the Tell Us Once service with you
• give you a unique reference number so you can use the service yourself online or by phone

If you cannot use Tell Us Once, tell organisations about the death yourself.

Find out more about coping with a death abroad.

Bringing the body home

To bring the body home you must:

• get a certified English translation of the death certificate
• get permission to remove the body, issued by a coroner (or equivalent) in the country where the person died
• tell a coroner in England if the death was violent or unnatural

Read information about the country where the person died to find out what you need to do.

Contact a register office

Once the body is home, take the death certificate to the register office in the area where the funeral is taking place.

As the death has already been registered abroad, the registrar will give you a ‘certificate of no liability to register’. Give this to the funeral director so the funeral can go ahead.

If you’re arranging the funeral yourself, give the certificate back to the registrar after the funeral’s taken place. You must do this within 96 hours of the funeral.

When a coroner will be involved

A coroner will usually hold an inquest in England or Wales if the cause of death is unknown or if it was sudden, violent or unnatural.

You need a certificate from the coroner (form ‘Cremation 6’) if the person is to be cremated.

Bringing ashes home

When leaving a country with human ashes you will normally need to show:

• the death certificate
• the certificate of cremation

Each country has its own rules about departing with human ashes and there may be additional requirements. Read information about the country where the person died to find out what you need to do. You’ll need to fill in a standard customs form when you arrive home.

Contact your airline to find out whether you can carry the ashes as hand luggage or as checked-in luggage. They may ask you to put the ashes in a non-metallic container so that they can be x-rayed.

You should not have the person cremated abroad if you want a coroner at home to conduct an inquest into their death.

4. Tell Us Once

Tell Us Once is a service that lets you report a death to most government organisations in one go.

This guide is also available in Easy Read format and in Welsh (Cymraeg).

When to use Tell Us Once

You can use Tell Us Once if the person who died was living in England, Scotland or Wales. This includes if the person died while they were abroad temporarily, for example on a holiday or business trip. 

The death must have been either:

• registered
• reported to a coroner and you have a final or interim death certificate

You cannot use Tell Us Once if the person was:

• living in Northern Ireland when they died
• living abroad permanently when they died

How to use Tell Us Once

A registrar will explain the Tell Us Once service when you register the death. They will either:

• complete the Tell Us Once service with you
• give you a unique reference number so you can use the service yourself online or by phone

The registrar will give you a number to call. This includes Relay UK if you cannot hear or speak on the phone. If you’re a British Sign Language (BSL) user, there’s a video relay service if you’re on a computer - find out how to use the service on mobile or tablet.

You must use the service within 28 days of getting your unique reference number.

If you cannot register the death because an inquest is underway, you can still ask a registrar for a unique reference number. You’ll need to get an interim death certificate from the coroner holding the inquest first.

Before you use Tell Us Once

You’ll need the Tell Us Once reference number that you got from the registrar.

You’ll also need the following details of the person who died:

• surname
• date they died
• name, address and contact details of the person or company dealing with their estate (property, belongings and money), known as their ‘executor’ or ‘administrator’
• if there’s a surviving spouse or civil partner, the name, address, telephone number and the National Insurance number or date of birth of the spouse or civil partner
• if there’s no surviving spouse or civil partner or their spouse or civil partner is not able to deal with their affairs, the name and address of their next of kin
• if they died in a hospital, nursing home, care home or hospice, the name and address of that institution

You may also need:

• if they had a passport, their passport number and town of birth
• if they had a driving licence, their driving licence number
• if they owned any vehicles, the vehicle registration numbers
• if they were paying Council Tax or getting services from their local council, such as Housing Benefit payments, the name of their local council and which services they were getting
• if they had a Blue Badge, their Blue Badge number if you know it
• if they were getting any benefits or State Pension, information about which ones they were getting
• if they were getting money from an Armed Forces Pension or Compensation Scheme, details of that scheme
• if they were getting money or paying into public sector pension schemes, details of those schemes

You’ll also need their National Insurance number if they were getting money or paying into any of the following pension schemes:

• NHS Pensions for NHS staff in England and Wales
• Scottish Public Pension Agency schemes for NHS staff, teachers, police and firefighters in Scotland
• Pension Protection Fund and Financial Assistance Scheme
• Local Government Pension Schemes (LGPS)

Otherwise, you do not need their National Insurance number. If you can still provide it though, it will help some organisations match their records faster.

You need permission from any surviving spouse or civil partner, the next of kin, executor, administrator or anyone who was claiming joint benefits or entitlements with the person who died, before you give their details.

Step 2

 Arrange the funeral

 deaths-funerals-cremations

The funeral can only take place once the death has been registered and the registrar has issued the certificate stating that no post-mortem or inquest is required. 

 If you wish to organise a funeral yourself then contact your local council’s Cemeteries and Crematorium Department

Cemetery & Crematorium Office
Carlisle Crematorium
Dalston Road,
Carlisle,
CA2 6AT
Tel: 01228 817390

 

Some local councils also run their own funeral services, although these are usually non-religious.

 

A funeral expenses payment is available if you are on certain benefits and need help to pay for a funeral you are arranging. Funeral expenses claimant forms and notes are available to download and all claims must be made within six months of the funeral.

Should any assistance be required to complete the forms, the Bereavement Service helpline, 0800 731 0469, may help. Alternatively, should you not be able to hear or speak on the phone then use Relay UK.

Most people use a funeral director’s services who is a member of either:

 

·         National Association of Funeral Directors  or

·         The National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors

 

Step 3

 Tell the government about the death

The Tell Us Once service allows you to report a death to most government departments with one communication.

 

These are:

 

·           HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to deal with personal tax (you need to contact HMRC separately for business taxes such as VAT)

 

·           The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to cancel benefits and entitlements, for example universal credit or state pension

 

·           The Passport Office to cancel a British passport

 

·           The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) to cancel a licence and remove the person as the keeper of up to five vehicles (contact DVLA separately if you keep or sell a vehicle or keep a personalised number plate)

 

·           The local council to cancel housing benefit, council tax reduction (sometimes called council tax support) or a blue badge, to inform council housing services and to remove the person from the electoral register

 

·           Veterans UK to cancel Armed Forces Compensation Scheme payments

 

If the registrar confirms that the service is available, then you will be given the contact telephone number and a unique reference code which must be used within 84 days. 

 

Before contacting the Tell Us Once service, you will need the following details of the person who died:

 

·      Date of birth

·      National Insurance number

·      Driving licence number

·      Vehicle registration number

·      Passport number

and any:

 

·           Benefits or entitlements they were receiving – for example, a state pension

·           Local council services they were receiving – for example, a blue badge

·           Details of any public sector or armed forces pension schemes they were receiving or paying into

as well as:

·           The name, address, telephone number and the National Insurance number or date of birth of any surviving spouse or civil partner

 

·           The name and address of their next of kin – if there is no surviving spouse or civil partner or their spouse or civil partner is not able to deal with their affairs

 

·           The name, address and contact details of the person or company dealing with their estate (property, belongings, and money), known as their ‘executor’ or ‘administrator’

 

Should the Tell Us Once service not be available in your area or you do not wish to use it then you will have to inform the various government departments yourself. This is in addition to banks, building societies, insurance companies, television companies, utility companies and landlords or housing associations.

 

Step 4

 Check if you can receive bereavement benefits

 The following financial assistance may be available:

 a.    Bereavement Support Payment (BSP) claims must be made within three months of a partner’s death to receive the full amount.  Claims may be made up to 21 months after their death, but fewer monthly payments will be made.

To be eligible, your partner must:

 ·      Have paid National Insurance contributions for a least 25 weeks in any one tax year

·      Died because of an accident or a disease caused at work, e.g., asbestosis

·      Be under state pension age

·      Be living in the UK or a country that pays bereavement benefits

However, there are exceptions to the 21 months rule, e.g., the cause of death was confirmed more than 21 months after the death.   Speak to the Bereavement Service helpline on 0800 731 0469

You cannot claim BSP if you are in prison.

Bereavement claim forms are available on line along with BSP notes. Alternatively, applications can be made by phone on 0800 731 0469 or forms can be collected from the nearest Jobcentre Plus  

 

b.    Guardian’s Allowance if you are bringing up a child whose parents or one of whose parents have died.

 To receive Guardian’s Allowance all the following must apply:

·         You are bringing up someone else’s child

 ·         The child’s parents are dead (see conditions for one surviving parent below)

 ·         You qualify for Child Benefit

 ·         One of the parents was born in the UK (or was living in the UK since the age of 16 for at least 52 weeks in any two-year period)

 ·         If you adopt a child, you may still receive Guardian’s Allowance if you were receiving it before you adopted the child

 

If there is one surviving parent, you could receive Guardian’s Allowance if one of the following is true:

 ·      You don’t know where the surviving parent is

·      The parents were divorced, or their civil partnership has been dissolved

 ·      The surviving parent does not have custody and is not maintaining the child and there is not a court order in place saying that they should

·      The parents were not married, the mother has died, and the father is unknown

 ·      The surviving parent will be in prison for at least two years from the date of the death of the other parent

 ·      The surviving parent is in a hospital by court order

 

Deal with your own benefits, pension and taxes

Depending on your relationship with the person who died, your tax benefit claims, and tax may change. 

or details see Your benefits, tax and pension after the death of a spouse

 

Check if you need to apply to stay in the UK

 If your right to live in the UK depended on your relationship with someone who has died, you may have to apply for a new visa. You should check the rules if:

 ·           You are in UK as the partner of a British citizen or someone with indefinite leave to remain. You may be eligible to apply for settlement

 ·           Your partner who died served as a member of the HM Forces. See guidance HM forces: partners and children

For other rules on visas, check UK Visas and Immigration.  

 

Step 5

Deal with their estate

You may have to deal with the will, money and property of the person who died if you are a close friend or relative or the executor of the person’s will.

Check if you need to apply for probate

 By applying for probate you are applying to acquire the legal right to deal with someone’s estate, i.e., their property, money and possessions.  If the person:

 ·           Left a will you will receive a “grant of probate”

·           Did not leave a will, you will be given a “letter of administration”

 

Value the estate

To value the person’s estate involves three main tasks:

1.    Contact organisations

ontact banks, building societies and/or utility providers about the person’s assets and debts. Follow this link to find out which organisations to contact and what letters to write.

 

2.    Deal with the estate

f you already have the right to deal with the person’s estate, i.e., you have been granted probate, you can begin dealing with their estate.  You may wish to hire the services of a professional to help with some or all the tasks of dealing with the estate. 

 See Money Advice Service on how and when to use a solicitor or probate specialist

 Many who have dealt with an estate themselves find that it is not as complicated as they imagined, and they may save many thousands of pounds by so doing. The table below shows examples of charges of 1% and 5% of an estate valued at £100,000.

 

Value of estate	Fees	VAT	Total payable
£100,000	£1,000 (1% of estate value)	£200	£1,200
£100,000	£5,000 (5% of estate value)	£1,000	£6,000

 

3.    Update property records

How you update the property records when someone dies depends on whether they were the joint or sole owner of a property.

This guidance will help you to do this.

 

Part 2 – Emotional matters

 This section offers some support which we hope will help you to come to terms with the emotions of losing a loved one. 

 

Grief and other difficult feelings

 Whoever has died, your loss is unique to you, and you will cope with it in your own way. However, although bereavement is a highly personal and often traumatic event, many people go through a range of recognisable reactions and emotions when someone they are close to dies.

Sometimes people are shocked and upset by their changing and violent emotions when they are bereaved.  Realising that these feelings are quite normal may help.

 

Grief

 Grief knocks you off balance emotionally, physically, and mentally. 

 If the death had been expected, you tell yourself you should be able to cope, but you can’t.  You think you’re over it, and you’re not.  You think you should feel all right because you have family and friends looking out for you, but you don’t feel all right because no one can replace the person who has died.

When you are bereaved, you have to cope with a world that seems to have fallen apart.  In practical terms, your life may have changed dramatically.  You may have much less money, or you may be better off financially.  You may be eating and sleeping alone for the first time or be faced with household jobs that you used to share with the person who died.  Losing a close family member or an old friend can mean that you have no one who shares your childhood memories or family jokes.

 Yet the biggest changes are probably inside you.  When someone close to you dies, it can seem as though everything you took for granted has gone, that you have lost your sense of identity and self-worth.  You may feel you have lost almost everything and haven’t much left to fall back on or to look forward to.  And you may feel like this even if you have loving friends and family around you.

 

Your feelings

 At first you may be too shocked to feel anything much, even if the death had been expected.  Many bereaved people say that, in their initial shock, they felt a sense of numbness and disbelief.

 As you get over the shock and begin to grasp the reality of what has happened you may go through some of the most powerful feelings you have ever had, feeling high or excitable one minute, in despair the next.  You may think you are going mad because you can’t control your emotions, can’t concentrate, can’t organise yourself to make a phone call or make a cup of tea.  It may seem as though everything you knew has gone and that nothing will ever make sense again.

You may feel that you don’t care whether you live or die because the person who died was so important to you that you cannot imagine existing without them.  Your loss may feel overwhelming, and you are likely to be reminded of it constantly.  You are likely to miss the person who died in all sorts of ways, physically as well as emotionally.

 

Your thoughts

 You are likely to find it hard to concentrate and may feel confused and forgetful.  Your thoughts may constantly return to the person who died, with painful questions and fears running through your mind.  Alongside this, you may have a sense of relief if they died at what seemed the right time for them.

As you think more about the person and your relationship with them, as you talk about them and listen to what relatives, friends and acquaintances say, you are likely to start building a fuller picture of them than you had before.  As it grows, you will probably find this picture becomes a part of your life, a source of comfort which is more than just a memory.

 

Your body

 You will probably notice physical changes.  You may have difficulty getting to sleep and your sleep may be disturbed by vivid dreams and long periods of wakefulness.  You may lose your appetite.

 People react physically in many ways, some feel tense and short of breath, others feel edgy and restless, others feel very slow and lethargic.

 You are likely to feel exhausted, especially if you had been providing care for the person who died or had been through an anxious time before they died.  Strong emotions and dealing with all the things that need to be done after a death can also make you feel tired and drained.

The stress of grief makes enormous physical demands upon you.  You may be more susceptible to colds or other infections or become more accident-prone. It is very important to take extra care of yourself, so try to eat well and take extra rest even if you can’t sleep.  Take some gentle exercise if you can.

 Be kind to yourself and do not try to do too much while you are grieving.

 

Getting used to the death

 Getting used to a death seems to happen in fits and starts and is often not as simple as it sounds, especially if you had shared your life with the person who died or had known them since childhood.  Or you may have lost a younger relative, perhaps your daughter or son, or grandchild.  When a young person dies it reverses the natural order of life and death and can seem particularly unjust.

 You may switch between talking rationally about the death, the illness, the will, then have a surge of hope as you think you see the person who has died in the street or hear them whistling their favourite song.

 Allowing your feelings to come out can help you to get used to your loss.  Talking about the death and about the person who died, dealing with the practicalities of your new situation, and trying to think of the present as well as the past can all help you get used to the reality of the death and get through some of the anguish you may feel.

 As you do this you will probably, slowly, begin to find a way of living without the person alongside you but very much with you in your thoughts and memories.

 

Emptiness and depression

 Feelings of depression and meaninglessness can hit you when the reality of the death begins to bite, and you realise that the person who has died will not come back.  And just when you think you have started to move on and are feeling better, you may hit rock bottom and life can seem endlessly bleak and empty. 

Surprisingly, although it may feel almost unbearable at the time, this seems to be a period when some inner healing takes place.  Afterwards, people generally say they feel lighter, more in control of their lives and better able to look forward.

 Depression is a natural response to a bereavement, and usually lifts of its own accord.  But if it doesn’t, and life seems an endless, pointless struggle, you could be clinically depressed.  Clinical depression can be treated and there are different ways of getting through periods of depression, both with and without antidepressant medication. 

 Ask your doctor for help and advice.

 If you have any thoughts of suicide, do talk to your doctor or someone you trust.  Remember you can phone The Samaritans, day or night, on 0845 790 9090.

 

Anger

 Some people don’t feel angry after a bereavement, but if you do it can be the hardest feeling to cope with.  You may feel anger at the injustice of your loss; anger at the lack of understanding in others; anger at the person who died because of what they are putting you through.

 Bereaved people are usually angry because they feel hurt and unhappy.  You probably feel angry at yourself and at the person who died i.e., the person you need most, who has left you to feel abandoned, frightened, and alone.

These feelings are normal, and you can probably get rid of your anger in a way which doesn’t hurt you or someone else.  Some people have a shouting session, dig the garden, or write their thoughts on paper and then destroy the pages.

Try not to bottle up your feelings, think about the reasons for your anger.  If you do not do this, whatever is upsetting you will almost certainly continue to trouble you and will not disappear.  It can help to talk about your feelings with someone who is not emotionally involved in your own loss.

 

Fear

 You are likely to feel fearful and anxious.  This is very natural as your familiar world has been turned upside down and you are likely to feel you have little control over your life or over the thoughts and feelings churning inside you.  Feeling out of control is likely to leave you feeling vulnerable and afraid.  But you will probably notice that as you get used to coping, and start to get on top of life again, you will become more confident and less afraid.

 You may also have fears about important practical issues.  How will you cope with less money coming in?  How will you manage household tasks?  If you have worries like this, it usually helps to get some practical advice.  The organisations listed at the end of this leaflet may be able to help you.

 

Mixed feelings

 It is usual to have mixed feelings when someone dies.  You may find yourself thinking of times you wish had been different, or wondering what might have happened if you, or the person who died, had made different decisions.  Mixed feelings of regret, guilt or anger are not easy to deal with.

 The important thing is to try to reach a point where you are realistic about the past and can accept it for what it was.  This can be hard if the relationship had turned sour or was always a mixture of good and bad.

 When a difficult relationship ends with death the problem is that any chance of mutual understanding or reconciliation has gone.  But if you try to avoid dealing with upsetting thoughts and feelings you run the risk of becoming angry, bitter, or depressed.  In a situation like this it usually helps to get a better understanding of the relationship you had with the person who died, of what was good about it and what was not, to work out what each of you contributed to it.

Don’t be too hard on yourself or anyone else. No one is perfect and most people try to do the best they can with the situation they are in.  Eventually you are likely to reach some acceptance of the past and move towards a more fruitful present.

 

Memories of other losses

 A bereavement may trigger memories of earlier losses which you thought you had got over.  Perhaps you did not realise at the time how much you were affected, or circumstances made it difficult for you to talk about your feelings.  You may now remember these unhappy times with great clarity, and this can be extremely distressing.

 For example, some people are only now beginning to grieve for losses that happened in the war years.  Similarly, people who had a stillborn baby or a miscarriage, or a child who died, or whose brother or sister died young, may only now start to grieve openly.

 In years past, it was often customary not to talk much about such deaths and children’s feelings were often overlooked, so you may have gone through life with an unspoken burden of sorrow.  You may feel that you need to mourn for these losses, and talk about your experiences, before you can come to terms with your more recent loss.

 

Grief in children and adolescents

 Most children do not understand the meaning of death until they are three or four years old.  Even so, they feel the loss of a close friend or relative in much the same way as adults.  Even in infancy it is known that children grieve and feel great distress.

 Children experience the passage of time differently to adults and can therefore appear to overcome grief quite quickly.  It is important that the grief of a young person is not overlooked

 

Part 3 – Sources of help and support

 At the time of publication these contact details were correct. If you find any errors, please do let us know.

 Age UK

 Tel: 0800 678 1602

Web: www.ageuk.org.uk

 Age UK is a national network of groups providing services for older people. Some Age UK groups offer bereavement counselling.  Look in your phone book to find your local group, or ring the national office listed above.

 

Bereavement Advice Centre

 Helpline: 0800 634 9494

Web: www.bereavementadvice.org

 The Bereavement Advice Centre offers practical advice on what to do when someone dies.

Citizens Advice Bureau

 Look in your phone book to find your nearest Citizens Advice Bureau, or go to their website: www.citizensadvice.org.uk

 

The Compassionate Friends (For bereaved parents)

 Helpline: 0845 123 2304

Web: www.tcf.org.uk

 The Compassionate Friends is a charitable self-help organisation.  Parents who have been bereaved themselves offer friendship and support to other bereaved parents, grandparents, and their families.

 

Cruse Bereavement Care

 Helpline: 0808 808 1677

Web: www.cruse.org.uk

 Cruse Bereavement Care offers free information, advice, and support to bereaved people. Cruse runs a helpline, and can supply a wide range of books, leaflets, and a newsletter for bereaved people.

 

Facing Bereavement

Web: www.facingbereavement.co.uk

 Facing Bereavement contains articles offering advice and guidance on facing and dealing with bereavement.

 

Institute of Civil Funerals

 Tel: 01480 861411

Web: www.iocf.org.uk

The Institute of Civil Funerals can help you find someone to conduct a non-religious funeral.

 

Lullaby Trust

 Web: www.lullabytrust.org.uk/bereavement-support/when-a-baby-dies/

 Support for parents and carers of a child under 18 who has died

 

Natural Death Centre

 Tel: 01962 712 690

Web: www.naturaldeath.org.uk

 The Natural Death Centre offers advice on arranging a funeral with or without using a funeral director.

 

Probate and Inheritance Tax Helpline

 Tel: 0300 123 1072

Web: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-customs

 

Samaritans

 Tel: 116123

Email: jo@samaritans.org

Web: www.samaritans.org

 Samaritans are ordinary people from all walks of life who offer a sympathetic listening ear to despairing and suicidal people of all ages. Lines are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year; all calls are charged at the local rate.

 

Service Personnel and Veterans Agency

 General Helpline: 0808 1914 218

Bereavement number and minicom line: 0800 169 3458

Web: www.veterans-uk.info

The Service Personnel and Veterans Agency can offer support and advice to war pensioners, war widows, their dependants and carers.

 

War Widows Association of Great Britain

 Tel: 0845 241 2189

Web: www.warwidows.org.uk

 The War Widows Association gives advice, help and support to war widows and dependants.