What to do after someone dies:

Warrington Borough Council’s (WBC) Bereavement service

The council's website has a detailed section on births, deaths and marriages. The information on these pages explains the practical steps which need to be taken when someone has died.

How to register a death

Arranging a funeral

If you have any questions or need help, please contact Bereavement Services on 01925 267731 or bereavement-services@warrington.gov.uk.

Tell us once on www.gov.uk

The “Tell Us Once” service is a step by step guide of what to do when someone has died on www.gov.uk. It's a national service and when you use “Tell us Once” to report a death, the information will be passed on to most of the government organisations which need to know.

Dealing with finances

The money helper service provides free, impartial advice on all areas of finance, including dealing with money after someone has died. 
Visit the money helper website

, or call 0800 138 7777.

The gov.uk website explains who is eligible for financial support to help with the cost of a funeral. 

For general support with the cost of living, visit Cost of living support | warrington.gov.uk

If your husband, wife or civil partner has died, then you may be eligible for a Bereavement Support Payment.

If you are bringing up a child, who has lost one or both parents, you might be eligible for Guardian’s Allowance.

To help you manage the cost of a local funeral, you can discuss the option of paying by instalments with Warrington Bereavement Service. Call 01925 267731 or email bereavement-services@warrington.gov.uk.

How to find a bereavement counsellor

Although some of the services detailed on this page offer bereavement counselling, most offer information and unstructured emotional support.

If you are looking for a bereavement counsellor, there are a number of online counselling directories, such as British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). On BACP’s website you can find therapists in your local area, who are qualified and who work to professional standards. The site also covers: what therapy is, different types of therapy and questions that are useful to ask before you choose a therapist.

Often it’s recommended that people don’t start counselling until several months after their bereavement, this is to allow for the natural grieving process to take place. Many of the services listed on this page, will provide advice and emotional support immediately after someone has died.

If you’re looking for talking therapy or counselling, you might also want to ask your GP whether you could be referred for free therapy via the NHS. 

Communities of faith

Some places of worship can offer spiritual and emotional support to people who have been bereaved. If you have a faith, you might want to contact the leader of your community of faith, to check what support is available. Contact details for some local communities of faith are below.

Church of England, Liverpool diocese (North of the River Mersey)

Canon Steve Parish
Tel: 01925 711830
Email: steve.parish@liverpool.anglican.org

Muslim group in Warrington

Moazzam Hussain
Mobile: 07814 037 411
Email: moazzamh@hotmail.co.uk
Visit the website of Warrington Islamic Association

Roman Catholic Church Warrington

Canon Christopher Cunningham
Tel: 01925 630928
Email: Fr Christopher Cunningham stalbanspriory@gmail.com

Sikh temple in Warrington

Guru Nanak Gurdwara
Tel. 01925 418208
Email: ourgurdwara@gmail.com

Warrington Methodist Church

Rev David Easton
Tel: 01925 263612
Email: superintendent@sankeyvalleymethodists.org.uk

Rev Mark Coles
Tel: 01925 266537
Email: revmarkcoles.316@gmail.com 

Rev Linda Bishop
Tel: 01925 416780
Email: lindabishop@hotmail.com

When a pet dies

For many people pets come to be seen as members of the family, so it can be very difficult and upsetting time when a pet dies. The Blue Cross runs a Pet Bereavement Support Service, every day from 8.30am to 8.30pm, call 0800 096 6606.     

Free downloadable booklets and leaflets on bereavement

Details of some free booklets and leaflets relating to bereavement are listed below.

• Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust - This site has a range of clear, easy to read, self-help booklets, which are based on CBT. One of the booklets focuses on bereavement. The booklets are available in a variety of formats and can be downloaded free. There is also a free app for Apple and Android users, which allows you to access the full range of self-help booklets.
• Help is at Hand - This information booklet was produced by and for people who've been bereaved by suicide. The booklet covers a range of areas including inquests and investigations, bereavement and how friends and colleagues can help. You can order a free hard copy ringing 0300 123 1002 and quoting "2901502/Help is at Hand", or you can download a PDF of the booklet.
• Independent Age - This charity provides free information and advice to older people and their families. The website has a wide range of free advice guides and fact sheets, which can be ordered or downloaded. These include an advice guide on bereavement, "Coping with Bereavement" (link needs adding). Independent Age also offers a free phone call and visiting service, to help reduce loneliness.
• Mind - Mind’s website has information booklets and fact sheets on different aspects of mental health and wellbeing. One of the booklets focuses on bereavement. This information can be read online, or downloaded for free. Alternatively you can buy the bereavement booklet from the website. 
• Suicide Bereavement UK - This site has resource pages with free downloads, to help people get support following a death by suicide. The areas covered include:
• Support After Suicide Partnership - This site brings together a range of resources for people who have been bereaved, or affected by suicide. The resources include leaflets, booklets and support guides, focusing on suicide prevention and suicide bereavement. All the resources can be viewed online, or downloaded from the site. 
• Mersey Care NHS Foundation have produced a local leaflet about grief and the emotional impact of bereavement. The leaflet can be downloaded as a PDF.