Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to increase funding for bereavement counselling services.
Bereavement services are provided locally by local authorities and health and social care services working together along with the voluntary and charitable sector. We are working with NHS England to reduce variation and to improve the quality and provision available across the country.
On 28 October 2019, we announced that, under the NHS Long Term Plan, we are investing over £1 million this year to roll out dedicated bereavement support in 10 areas to care for people in the aftermath of a family or friend’s suicide. This support will be made available across the country by 2023/24.
Anyone affected by a family member or friend taking their own life will have access to dedicated practical and emotional support in the days and months following their death. Support may vary in each of these areas but will range from one-to-one sessions with trained volunteers or counsellors, group support or signposting to specialist mental health services.