Parliamentary Event Today Highlights Urgent Need for Effective Bereavement Signposting
Author: Deborah Auty
Date: 3rd December, 2025
Overview: A parliamentary event hosted by the APPG on Grief Support and the Impact of Death on Society held today in National Grief Awareness Week highlighted the lack of access to bereavement support and called for for central signposting via AtaLoss.org.
A special parliamentary event today, hosted by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Grief Support and the Impact of Death on Society, has underlined a national lack of access to bereavement support and called for central signposting via AtaLoss.org.
The event, which was sponsored by Lord Leslie Griffiths of Burry Port, coincided with the UK Commission on Bereavement’s review and was within National Grief Awareness Week.
The UK Bereavement Commission’s landmark 2022 report identified widespread gaps in bereavement support and access to the services that exist. These concerns remain acute today.
Yvonne Tulloch, CEO of the signposting and community bereavement support charity AtaLoss, which is Secretariat to the APPG, said:
“Research shows that most bereaved people do not find the support they need - often because they don’t know where to turn, or because the services they’re referred to are oversubscribed, unsuitable, or the information is out of date. For ten years we have worked to provide a central signposting website to address these issues, and through the APPG we are now proposing a gold-standard national service.
“Signposting must be more than repeatedly pointing people to a few well-known organisations. It needs to be a dedicated, up-to-date online service offering helplines, comprehensive guidance on the many ways grief can affect people, and access to both local and specialist services and resources that offer holistic help and choice.”
Andy Langford of Cruse, Steering Group member of the APPG and partnering with AtaLoss for the event, added:
"At Cruse, we help thousands of people with their grief every year. However, we know that there are so many more who can’t get access to the support they need. Funding is so limited, and this limits our capacity to help. Access to clear information, practical guidance, peer and community-based support is vital. Directing people to options that will help them in their grief ensures people can access help as soon as possible and enable those who need more intensive support and counselling to receive support sooner."
APPG Chair Maureen Burke MP said:
"Grief and loss affect all parts of society, and good bereavement support must be a priority across Parliament. Everyone is bereaved at some point, and without support there can be long-term consequences. Universal referral to support at the time of a terminal diagnosis, the point of death, and at key trigger points throughout life would be a preventative measure that saves public money in the long term and provides vital assistance when it’s most needed."
Dame Sarah Mullally, Chair of the UK Commission on Bereavement, said:
“The Commission’s report was clear; far too many people cannot access bereavement support. This is a pressing national issue. We must be proactive and move from acknowledgement to action, ensuring that every bereaved person - no matter their circumstances - can access timely, appropriate help.”
AtaLoss.org is a dedicated service directing people bereaved in any situation easily to the helplines, information and support services, whether local or national, that are appropriate to their circumstances.
Other Steering Group members and organisations supporting the event included the bereavement sector umbrella organisation the National Bereavement Alliance together with Winston’s Wish, Child Bereavement UK, WAY (Widowed and Young) and Sue Ryder.
Attended by MPs and Peers from across Parliament the calls to action from the event include:
Funding to develop and sustain the AtaLoss.org central signposting service for fully comprehensive help, and for greater bereavement provision by bereavement services
Medical examiners and registrars required to direct bereaved people to where they can find support through a central service/AtaLoss.org
Police, ambulance services, hospital trusts and GPs advised and recommended where to direct bereaved families for support through a central service/AtaLoss.org
GPs advised to recommend that terminal diagnosis patients inform their families of where support can be found – through a central service/AtaLoss.org
Key national websites and action lines to direct to a central service/AtaLoss.org , recognising the trigger points of life.
To read more about the work of the APPG go to ataloss.org/appg
AtaLoss is a UK wide charity helping bereaved people find support and wellbeing by raising awareness about the impact of bereavement; directing to help through the signposting website ataloss.org; and training and equipping community support, including through The Bereavement Journey® programme.
Yvonne Tulloch, CEO and Founder at AtaLoss or Roger Greene, Deputy CEO and former NHS Trust CEO are available by prior arrangement.
Media interviews can be arranged via WhatsApp message to Adam May on 07736 949 869 or press@ataloss.org
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