What to do when someone dies in hospital or a care home in Scotland
The death certificate, belongings, care home fees, and the hospital bereavement services in our health board areas.
Read the guideWhere to start
For free support, you can call Cruse Scotland on 0808 802 6161 or talk to your GP. If you need to talk to someone at any time of day or night, Samaritans is available 24 hours a day on 116 123. There are also local services through the NHS, hospices and charities in Glasgow, Renfrewshire, Lanarkshire and Dumfries and Galloway, listed below.
After a death, most of what families hear about is practical: registering the death, arranging the funeral, dealing with the estate. Those tasks matter, but so does looking after yourself. Grief can bring shock, numbness, sadness, anger, exhaustion and confusion, often all at once. None of these feelings are wrong, and support is there if and when you want it.
National helplines and organisations
| Organisation | What it offers | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Cruse Scotland | Free bereavement support for adults, children and young people across Scotland, including a helpline and local services | 0808 802 6161 |
| Samaritans | Someone to talk to about anything, including grief, open 24 hours a day, every day of the year | 116 123 |
| Breathing Space | Scotland's free, confidential phone and webchat service for people aged 16 and over experiencing low mood, depression or anxiety, open evenings and weekends. See breathingspace.scot | Phone or webchat |
| PETAL | Support for families and friends of people who have died by murder or suicide, with a drop-in centre in Hamilton and outreach in Glasgow | 01698 324 502 |
| SAMH | Mental health support in communities across Scotland. See samh.org.uk | Local services |
The Scottish Government's booklet, What to do after a death in Scotland, is a helpful practical guide, and NHS inform has information on coping with grief and on counselling options.
Glasgow
- Macmillan Information and NHS Bereavement Centre. A service based at Glasgow Royal Infirmary, offering information and support to bereaved people.
- NHSGGC Spiritual Care and Chaplaincy Service. Chaplains support families of all faiths and none, in hospital and afterwards. Email chaplains@ggc.scot.nhs.uk or call the switchboard on 0141 201 1100.
- Child Bereavement UK. Commissioned by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to support families after the death of a baby or child. Call 0141 370 4747.
- Hospices. If the person was cared for by a hospice, ask the hospice about its bereavement support, as most offer it to families.
For the practical steps after a death in the city, see our page for executry solicitors in Glasgow.
Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire
- NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde services. The bereavement centre, chaplaincy and Child Bereavement UK services above also cover Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire, including the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley.
- ACCORD Hospice, Paisley. Provides palliative and end of life care in Renfrewshire and parts of East Renfrewshire, and supports families of the people it cares for.
- Renfrewshire Bereavement Network. Renfrewshire Council points families to this local network for support with death and bereavement.
Our pages for Paisley, Renfrew and Barrhead cover the practical steps locally.
Lanarkshire
- NHS Lanarkshire Bereavement Care. The Spiritual Care and Wellbeing team runs a bereavement service and helpline. Call 01698 751040.
- PETAL, Hamilton. A drop-in centre in Hamilton for people bereaved by murder or suicide, with telephone counselling. Call 01698 324 502.
- Kilbryde Hospice, East Kilbride. Runs a bereavement group. Call 01355 202020 to find out more.
- St Andrew's Hospice, Airdrie. Runs a bereavement café where people can meet and talk over a cup of tea.
Our pages for Hamilton, East Kilbride and Motherwell cover the practical steps locally.
Dumfries and Galloway
- No formal NHS bereavement service. The local health and social care partnership explains that there is no formal NHS bereavement service in the region, but that charities provide support.
- Cruse Scotland. Has offices in Dumfries, and can be reached on its free helpline, 0808 802 6161.
- Your GP and the NHS teams. If you are struggling, your GP, the NHS spiritual care team or the specialist palliative care team can help or refer you.
Our page for executry solicitors in Dumfries covers the practical steps in the region.
Support after a sudden or traumatic death
A sudden death, or a death that is being investigated, can make grief much harder. If the death has been reported to the procurator fiscal, the COPFS Victim Information and Advice service can support families through the investigation, and PETAL supports families after murder or suicide. Our guide on what happens when a death is reported to the procurator fiscal explains the process.
Support for children and young people
Children grieve too, even when they are very young, and they may show it in different ways from adults. Cruse Scotland supports children and young people, and in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area, Child Bereavement UK supports families after the death of a baby or child. Schools can also help if they know what has happened.
When to get more help
Grief often comes in waves and can be overwhelming, especially in the first weeks and months. Speak to your GP if you are finding it hard to cope with daily life, or if your grief does not seem to be easing after many months. If you are worried about your own safety or someone else's, call NHS 24 on 111, Samaritans on 116 123, or 999 in an emergency.
Practical help can ease the load
For many families, part of the strain is the paperwork. It can help to know what needs to happen and when, and to hand some of it to someone else. These guides explain the first steps:
- How to register a death in Scotland
- What to do when someone dies in hospital or a care home
- How much a funeral costs and who pays
- What an executor has to do
How we can help
We cannot take away the grief, but we can take away much of the paperwork. Once you are ready, we deal with the estate from start to finish, explain each step in plain English, and never rush you. Your first appointment is free.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I get free bereavement support in Scotland?
Cruse Scotland runs a free bereavement helpline on 0808 802 6161 and provides local support for adults, children and young people across Scotland. Samaritans is available 24 hours a day on 116 123. Your GP can also talk to you about support, including counselling.
Is there bereavement support in Lanarkshire?
Yes. NHS Lanarkshire's Spiritual Care and Wellbeing team runs a bereavement service, with a Bereavement Care line on 01698 751040. PETAL, which supports people bereaved by murder or suicide, has a drop-in centre in Hamilton. Local hospices, including Kilbryde Hospice in East Kilbride and St Andrew's Hospice in Airdrie, also run bereavement groups.
Is there bereavement support in Dumfries and Galloway?
There is no formal NHS bereavement service in Dumfries and Galloway, but charities offer support, including Cruse Scotland, which has offices in Dumfries. Your GP, the NHS spiritual care team or the palliative care team can also help or refer you.
Where can children get help after a bereavement?
Cruse Scotland supports children and young people as well as adults. In the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area, Child Bereavement UK supports families after the death of a baby or child, and can be contacted on 0141 370 4747.
When should I get more help with grief?
Grief can be overwhelming, especially at first, and it often comes in waves. If you are struggling to cope with daily life, or grief is not easing after many months, speak to your GP. If you are worried about your safety or someone else's, call NHS 24 on 111, Samaritans on 116 123, or 999 in an emergency.
Need help with an estate?
Our executry solicitors can take the whole process off your hands, or answer a single question. Your first appointment is free.
This guide is general information about Scots law, correct at the date shown. It is not legal advice for your circumstances.
