The Lack of Mental Health Support for Bereavement in the UK

Losing a loved one is one of the hardest things anyone can go through. Grief affects people in many ways, including their mental health. Despite this, many people in the UK struggle to get the right support when they need it most.

The Scale of Bereavement in the UK

Every year, millions of people in the UK experience the loss of a loved one. In 2020 and 2021 alone, around 1.1 million people died, leaving approximately 5.6 million people grieving (Bereavement Commission, 2022). The COVID-19 pandemic made things even harder, as many people couldn’t say goodbye properly or attend funerals in the usual way.

Not Enough Support

Grief can be overwhelming, and many people need support to cope. However, research shows that 40% of adults who wanted bereavement support didn’t get any (Bereavement Commission, 2022). Even more concerning, 28% said they didn’t receive support from their families, and nearly half (46%) said their friends didn’t offer support either. This shows a major gap in both formal services and personal support networks.

The Impact on Mental Health

When people don’t get the right help after losing someone, it can have a big impact on their mental health. Many experience loneliness, anxiety, and depression. A study found that 74% of highly vulnerable bereaved people were not receiving any professional support (Marie Curie, 2023). This lack of help can make grief even harder to manage.

Long Waiting Times for Counselling

Even when people ask for help, they often have to wait a long time to get it. In England, getting bereavement counselling through the NHS can take months (Financial Times, 2024). Many services focus mainly on depression and anxiety rather than grief, which means people often have to go through long assessments before getting the right support. This delay can make things worse for those already struggling.

What Needs to Change?

Experts and charities are calling for better bereavement support in the UK. They say more funding is needed to make sure people can access help quickly. Bereavement should be seen as a key public health issue, and services need to be improved so that no one has to face grief alone (UK Commission on Bereavement, 2023). Grieving is a natural part of life, but it shouldn’t be faced without support. More needs to be done to provide people with the help they need, when they need it. By improving bereavement services, we can ensure that those going through loss are not left to struggle alone.

Our goal is to drive positive change in bereavement support, ensuring that people receive the help they need, exactly when they need it most.

References

Bereavement Commission (2022). UK Bereavement Report.
Financial Times (2024). Bereaved people in England face long waits for counselling.
Marie Curie (2023). Post-Pandemic Bereavement Crisis in the UK.
UK Commission on Bereavement (2023). The True Scale and Impact of Grief.