Information

This area of the website has been created primarily for people approaching the end of their life, and their carers, relatives and friends. It will also be of interest to anyone thinking about what they want for their own end of life.

Poll

Which of the following describes how you would feel talking to someone close to you about their end of life wishes.

I would be happy to talk to them

81%

I would feel awkward or uncomfortable

15%

Neither of the above

4%

Total votes: 7716

Older polls

General help

There are several sites providing useful information about local end of life care, funeral planning and legal advice and bereavement support, based on postcode searches:

You can find a local hospice here https://www.hospiceuk.org/about-hospice-care/find-a-hospice

You can find local solicitors here http://solicitors.lawsociety.org.uk/ - choose “Wills, Probate and Trust” from under the “Your Legal Issue” menu. There’s also The Society of Will Writers which represents professional will writers: https://www.willwriters.com/find-a-will-writer/

The National Association of Funeral Directors represents larger funeral directors, and has a searchable directory here https://nafd.org.uk/funeral-advice/find-a-member/ The Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors represents smaller and independent funeral directors, and you can search for one near you here https://saif.org.uk/members-search/ We recommend using a funeral director that is a member of one or the other of these organisations.

Bereavement support

There are many organisations providing bereavement support, including many hospices that you can find using the search function above. You can also find local support from Cruse https://www.cruse.org.uk/get-help/local-services and the Good Grief Trust https://www.thegoodgrieftrust.org/.

www.ataloss.org provides the UK's signposting website for the bereaved, with options to filter support to help you quickly get what you need.

If you are under 51 and bereaved, Widowed and Young (WAY) are able to provide bereavement support.

Macmillan provides a range of services related to end of life care – you can find ones close to you here https://www.macmillan.org.uk/in-your-area/choose-location.html

Marie Curie offers a range of support services for people with life limiting conditions – find local services here https://www.mariecurie.org.uk/local

Our parent organsation Hospice UK has excellent resources for end of life care and bereavement - much more than simply about hospice care.

Hospice UK has also developed the Compassionate Employers programme, which is designed to help employers to better support employees and colleagues who may be affected by terminal illness or grief.

Funeral Planning

If you are seeking a funeral celebrant look here https://funeralcelebrants.org.uk/

For information about a Church of England funeral, start here https://www.achurchnearyou.com/

For general local funeral services, visit Funeral Map http://www.funeralmap.co.uk/

Being with someone at the end of their life

If you would like information on training as a Death Doula, you can contact Living Well, Dying Well: https://www.lwdwtraining.uk/. If you are seeking Doula support for yourself or someone close to you then you can contact End of Life Doula UK https://eol-doula.uk

Soul Midwives UK offer holistic and spiritual support to anyone from point of diagnosis to the very end of life. If you are looking for a Soul Midwife near you please contact us at office@soulmidwives.co.uk

If you would like to train to become a Soul Midwife, or become part of our TLC community education programme please visit our website www.soulmidwives.co.uk or email us at office@soulmidwives.co.uk

Being with someone who is dying is a rare experience for many of us, and we may not understand what is happening. This resource aims to put our minds at ease.

Whether you’re looking for advice on caring for someone close, planning for your own future or simply interested in finding out what the options are, this section will help you think things through.

It is aimed at people approaching the end of their life and their carers, relatives and friends. It contains information about what to expect during end of life care and the things you may want to think about, including where you would like to be cared for.

There is guidance and advice around letting your family know what you want at the end of life, including information about your rights and choices when it comes to the treatment you do or don't want.

For carers, friends and relatives, there is information on what happens at the end of life, advice on talking to someone about dying and help with what to do after a death and coping with a bereavement.

It goes against every instinct that we have to start planning for our death: in fact, only one in three of us has talked to anyone about how or where we’d like to die. But every adult, of whatever age, needs to look ahead and ask ‘What if?' By accessing our resources, you can start to plan for the inevitable, and reduce worry and heartache for your loved ones.