Call to end bereavement help 'postcode lottery'

The hospice sector wants the government to use the expertise it has built up

A children's hospice in Surrey is leading a national call for the government to provide a standard level of bereavement care for families who have lost a child.

Shooting Star in Guildford, Surrey, said support varies greatly around the country, describing it as a "postcode lottery".

It convened a summit of 33 hospice and bereavement services from around the country, which has called for the creation of a national policy.

The Department of Health and Social Care said it is investing £100m into the hospice sector.

It wants the government to support the hospice sector, which it said is "uniquely placed to deliver specialist, safe, mental health informed bereavement care at scale".

It operates a cafe in Hampton, a weekly event for bereaved relatives to meet and talk, and wants similar projects to be set up across the country.

Shooting Star said the number of families using its bereavement services in 2025 had gone up by 74% from the previous year to 448.

'Invaluable service'

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "Our thoughts are with all those struggling with the loss of a child, an unimaginable situation for any parent.

"Hospices provide an invaluable service and through our 10 year health plan we are working to make sure the sector is sustainable, especially as we shift more care into the community.

"It is vital that grieving families and friends who lose loved ones have access to the support they need, when they need it. Bereavement services are commissioned locally to meet the needs of the community. To support the sector, we have provided £100m, the biggest investment into hospices in a generation."

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