Close
This page covers the definitions of bereavement, as well as the support and resources available to you.
What is bereavement?
Bereavement, sometimes also referred to as grief, is a term used to describe the sense of loss felt when someone close to us or who we care about dies. It can be difficult and stressful and nearly everybody goes through it at some point in their lives.
This sense of loss may contain a range of emotions, such as sadness, anger, guilt, frustration and anxiety. Everyone experiences grief differently and there is no 'normal' or 'right' way to grieve. How we react will be influenced by many different things, including our age and personality, our cultural background and religious beliefs, our previous experiences of bereavement, our circumstances and how we cope with loss.
Support at UCL
UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services are here for you. We encourage you to get in touch and access our wide range of support. Please see here for the support we can provide.
Counselling
The Counselling team in Student Support and Wellbeing Services is UCL's dedicated counselling unit. Their counsellors can support students who have experienced bereavement and work closely with other bereavement organisations in the local area.
To access counselling, you need to complete an online registration form, which can be found on the 'Accessing counselling' page through the link below.
Find out more about Counselling and register for support.
UCL Chaplain and Interfaith Adviser
The Rev'd Reid Humble, the UCL Chaplain and Interfaith Adviser, is available to provide pastoral support to all students affected by bereavement, whether you identify with a faith group or not.
Email Reid to arrange a support session on chaplaincy@ucl.ac.uk.
External support
There are a number of services and websites that can help you better understand and cope with bereavement.
- NHS
Comprehensive guidance and signposting from the NHS.
Visit the NHS page on bereavement and young people.
The North Central London Clinical Commisioning Group have created a new NCL Suicide Prevention and Bereavement Support Service for individuals who are 18 and above and live in Camden, Islington, Haringey, Barnet and Enfield.
Find out more and access the NCL Suicide Prevention and Bereavement Support Service.
NHS Choices ‘Grief after bereavement or loss’ has information about how to cope and mental health and wellbeing.
- It's Time Charity
The UK’s only charity solely dedicated to supporting young people who lose a parent.
- Amparo
Amparo offers support for anyone living in or affected by a suicide in the boroughs of Barnet, Camden, Haringey, Islington and Enfield.
- Support after suicide
Support after Suicide Partnership support people bereaved by suicide who are neurodivergent.
Visit the Support after Suicide website.- Cruse Bereavement Care
Somewhere to turn when someone dies, Cruse offers support, information and advice.
- Restoring Hope leaflet
This leaflet is about what you can do to help yourself, how others can help you, how you can help other people who may be struggling to cope after the death of someone close, and where you can get more advice and support.
- Child Bereavement UK
Support for young people, up to the age of 25, who have experienced a bereavement. This site also includes Android and Apple apps that help you cope with bereavement.
- Bereavement Advice Centre
Advice on practical issues when someone dies as well as coping with the grief.
- Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide
Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide (SoBS) exists to meet the needs of and overcome the isolation experienced by people over 18 who have been bereaved by suicide.
- What's your Grief?
What's Your Grief? offers an online supportive community, resources and discussion about grief.
- Good Grief Trust
The Good Grief Trust offers support and resources by others who have been bereaved.
- Sudden
The charity Sudden produces bereavement advice for those experiencing sudden bereavement.
Useful resources
'Overcoming Grief: A Self-help Guide Using Cognitive Behavioural Techniques', by Sue Morris
Description: "This self-help book will prove invaluable to the recently bereaved, guiding them through the painful process of bereavement."