Losing a loved one is one of life’s most profound challenges. At Hillier Funeral Service, we see first-hand how the emotional weight of grief can be made even heavier by unexpected financial and practical pressures. We believe that no one should have to navigate this journey alone.
While government assistance like the Bereavement Support Payment and the Funeral Expenses Payment are available to some people, many families are unaware of the dedicated UK charities and benevolent societies that offer a vital lifeline.
From financial grants for funeral costs to professional counselling and help with paperwork, these organisations provide essential care tailored to specific trades, professions, or needs.
Below, we have compiled a guide to 15 charity funds that may offer the support you, or someone you know, might need during this difficult time.
General Bereavement Support Charities
- Cruse Bereavement Support
Cruse is the UK’s leading bereavement charity, providing free support to people who have experienced loss. They offer one-to-one counselling, group support sessions and a national helpline.
Their services are available to anyone grieving, regardless of the circumstances of the death. Cruse works with people of all ages and backgrounds, helping them understand and cope with their grief through compassionate, professional support.
- Sue Ryder
Sue Ryder provides comprehensive bereavement support for adults over 18 through their free Online Bereavement Community and Grief Kind Spaces across the country. Their services include peer-to-peer support groups, online forums and access to bereavement specialists.
In partnership with Winston’s Wish (the childhood bereavement charity), Sue Ryder now offers seamless grief support from childhood through to adulthood, ensuring families receive continuous care throughout their bereavement journey.
- The Good Grief Trust
The Good Grief Trust serves as a vital gateway to bereavement support across the UK, connecting grieving people with appropriate local and national organisations.
They provide comprehensive directories of support services categorised by type of loss, including losing a partner, parent, sibling or friend. The charity campaigns for better bereavement support nationally and works to ensure that no one has to face grief alone, whatever their circumstances.
Support for Children and Families
- Winston’s Wish
As the UK’s first childhood bereavement charity, Winston’s Wish has been supporting bereaved children and young people since 1992. They provide free bereavement support to anyone aged 25 or under across the UK, no matter who has died or how long ago.
Their services include telephone support, online chat, email and WhatsApp services, all delivered by trained bereavement specialists. Winston’s Wish reaches over 90,000 bereaved children and young people annually.
- Child Bereavement UK
Child Bereavement UK provides specialist support to families when a child grieves or when a child dies. They offer training for professionals who work with bereaved families, resources to help explain death to children and young people, and direct support services.
Their comprehensive approach helps both children coping with loss and parents who are navigating the unbearable grief of losing a child, offering guidance and understanding during the most difficult times.
Occupational and Industry-Specific Funds
- The Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI)
RABI and its sister organisation RSABI in Scotland provide approximately £2 million in financial support to around 2,000 farming families each year. The charity assists people of all ages within the farming community who are coping with immediate crises such as bereavement.
Support ranges from emergency grants to help with funeral costs to longer-term assistance with energy bills and essential living equipment for older members of the agricultural community.
- The Junius S. Morgan Benevolent Fund
Established in 1890, this benevolent fund supports registered nurses and healthcare assistants who have practised in the UK for at least five years. The fund provides individual financial assistance of up to £1,000 to nursing professionals who find themselves in hardship due to the death of their family’s primary wage earner.
The charity recognises the unique pressures faced by healthcare workers and offers targeted support during difficult times.
- The Electrical Industries Charity
This charity supports families of workers in the electrical, electronic and energy industries. Their comprehensive support programme includes financial assistance and grants for individuals and families facing difficulties through bereavement.
Services include telephone counselling, legal advice and support, respite breaks for carers, assistance with will writing, and in some cases, grants to help with funeral costs.
- ABF – The Soldiers Charity
As the British Army’s national charity, ABF provides grants to approximately 4,500 people annually who are facing difficult circumstances. For bereaved Army families, assistance might include help covering the cost of much-needed holiday breaks to aid recovery.
Each case is assessed on its own merit, though the charity cannot assist with medical or legal fees, non-priority debts or memorial costs. Their philosophy centres on providing “a hand up, not a hand out.”
- The RAF Benevolent Fund
The RAF Benevolent Fund provides extensive support for serving members, veterans and their dependents. Bereaved families facing financial difficulties can apply for assistance with essential living costs including utility bills, debts and one-off expenses for household items.
The fund also offers regular financial assistance for those on state pensions or disability benefits, along with support accessing government benefits and help with funeral costs for eligible war pensioners.
- The Transport Benevolent Fund
Supporting public transport workers and their families across England, Scotland and Wales, this benevolent fund offers significant support following bereavement.
In cases of unexpected death, the fund may provide a £1,000 grant to bereaved partners, parents of dependent children or dependent children who have lost a single parent. The charity also funds residential convalescence and provides grants of up to £250 annually towards therapies including counselling.
- The Retail Trust
The Retail Trust supports workers in customer-facing environments including shops, online stores, distribution centres, call centres, banks and property agencies. They provide in-house bereavement counselling with personal sessions over the phone or up to six free face-to-face sessions.
The charity also offers one-off hardship grants for unexpected costs, budget management advice and legal advice on matters such as tenancy rights following bereavement.
- Grocery Aid
Founded in 1857, Grocery Aid supports anyone who works or has worked in the grocery industry. The charity provides respite care, counselling and hardship grants to hundreds of people annually.
Those in great hardship may receive an annual support payment of £884, paid quarterly, plus help purchasing essential household items. Grocery Aid operates a helpline and telephone-based befriending service for those feeling isolated after bereavement, with volunteers making home visits when needed.
- The Benevolent
This charity supports anyone working in the alcoholic drinks industry, from manufacturing and distribution to pubs, bars and off-licences. The Benevolent provides one-off grants and longer-term financial assistance to alleviate hardship relating to family crises.
They offer practical, emotional and financial support to families whose loved one is seriously ill or has died. In exceptional cases, they may provide financial grants towards funeral costs and help families access government benefits.
- The Fishermen’s Mission
Since 1881, The Fishermen’s Mission has provided vital support to fishing families. Today, it offers immediate emergency grants to help cover rent, utility bills and essential items such as school uniforms.
Following a bereavement, the charity provides home visits and one-to-one assistance with paperwork and practical issues. Their befriending service also helps those struggling emotionally, offering companionship and support to combat isolation during grief.
Finding the Right Support
Every charity has its own unique eligibility criteria and application process, so we encourage you to reach out to any that feel relevant to your circumstances.
Many trade unions and employers also manage their own benevolent funds, so it is often worth checking with a representative.
At Hillier Funeral Service, our commitment to your family doesn’t end on the day of the funeral. We understand that grief is a personal journey that doesn’t follow a set timetable.
To ensure our community in Swindon has the support they need, we offer our own professional Bereavement Care Service. This service is provided free of charge to our clients and includes one-to-one counselling and local support groups.
Whether you need guidance on accessing these charitable resources or simply want to talk through funeral arrangements, our compassionate team is here to help.
Contact us on 01793 522 797.