Look after yourself

  • If you're not able to see the people who normally would support you, stay in touch with them by phone or on social media. Let them know how you’re feeling and how they can help.
  • Be kind to yourself. Grief can be exhausting, so try to get plenty of rest.
  • Eat healthily and do some gentle exercise each day.
  • Spend some time outdoors if you can or in your garden if you have one. If you don't feel like going out, open windows to let in some fresh air or sit by an open window.
  • As well as dealing with your grief, you may be feeling lonely or worried about your own health. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and accept it if it’s offered.

Some people see, hear or sense the presence of the person who has died. This might be troubling, especially if you’re living alone. It’s particularly common when the death has been traumatic, so try not to worry if this happens.

Get support

If you’re struggling with your feelings, contact support organisations. Although they may not be offering face-to-face services at the moment, they are still offering support through helplines, support groups and forums. They may offer counselling online or over the phone. Support organisations include:

If you’re a carer, you may find it helpful to share your feelings and get support from others who’ve been through a similar experience. You could join the Carer's UK forum for example.

If you’ve been affected by someone’s suicide during the crisis, contact the Support After Suicide Partnership or Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide.

Seeing someone after they've died

You may not have had a chance to see the person as they were dying or to say a proper goodbye. If it happened very quickly, you may be experiencing feelings of shock.

Seeing someone after they’ve died can help to overcome feelings of shock and unreality. But depending where they died, you may not have been able to do this during the pandemic, except at a distance. You still won’t be able to see them at all if you have coronavirus symptoms yourself or you’re self-isolating.

If they died from coronavirus, you will have to stay two metres away from them. This means you won’t be able to kiss or hold them, or carry out any cultural rituals that involve touching the body.

If you’re feeling very distressed because of the way the person died, try talking it through with someone you trust or contact a support organisation. You could also contact your GP, who may refer you to support services.

Registering the death

You need to register the death within five days. There may be changes to how  you register a death during the coronavirus pandemic. The doctor who signs the Medical Certificate Cause of Death may scan and email it directly to the registrar rather than giving you a copy. It is likely that you will need to make a telephone appointment with the register office to register the death, instead of visiting in person. The registrar would then post the death certificate to you. Check with your local register office what you need to do.

You’ll need to contact other organisations by phone to tell them about the death. If it’s available in your area, you may be able to use the Tell us once service to tell government organisations, such as benefits offices or the Pensions Service. Ask about this when you register the death.

Our factsheet What to do after a death has more information about what you need to do after someone dies. The Bereavement Advice Centre can give general advice about practical matters.

Funerals

During the pandemic, only small numbers of people have been able to attend funerals because of the risk of spreading the virus. There are no longer any limits on the number of people who can attend a funeral, but some people may still not feel comfortable to attend given that cases of the virus are still high. It may be possible to live stream or record the funeral service – ask the funeral director about this.

Funerals can be an important part of the grieving process and you may feel angry and upset if you’re not able to go because you're self-isolating, for example. Try to find other ways to remember the person who has died. You could:

  • set aside a time and place to think about them
  • plan something that you can do after this period of isolation such as planting a tree
  • plan a memorial service
  • arrange to speak to others who knew them, by phone or social media, and share your thoughts and memories.

You can find more advice about funerals during the coronavirus pandemic on the Marie Curie website. This looks at how you might be feeling, how you can involve people who can’t attend, and other ways to remember the person who died if you can’t be there.

How to help someone else

It can be difficult to know what to say when someone dies. You may feel uncomfortable or worried that you’ll say the wrong thing. You can find suggestions to help you on the Cruse website.

Let the person know that you are sorry. Sending a card or a letter can mean a lot to someone who has been bereaved.

Stay in regular contact and ask them how they’re feeling. Let them talk about the person who has died if they want to. They may want to go over the details many times. This can be hard to listen to, but it’s very helpful if you can allow them to share how they’re feeling. Some people may want some space while they deal with their emotions. If this is the case, let them know that you’re there for them.

If you’re worried about them, encourage them to contact support organisations or their GP.

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