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This Kit has been written by the national charity Cruse Bereavement Care, which provides counselling and support, information and advice to bereaved people.

Losing a loved one is a painful experience, but dealing with the practicalities can be too overwhelming at such a time. When you are bereaved and emotionally raw, the last thing you want to think about are the procedures you need to follow and you might not know where to start.

This Kit can help. It gives advice on what steps need to be taken and by whom after someone dies. Written by Cruse Bereavement Care, the UK's leading bereavement charity, it tell you how to:

• understand the emotions of bereavement
• register the death
• organise the burial or cremation
• use the services of a funeral director
• deal with your loved one's finances and property
• apply for bereavement state benefits and payments

Cruse Bereavement Care have been providing help for those who are bereaved since 1959. In addition to dealing with the practicalities, they sensitively provide help on the emotional side of coping with the loss of a loved one.

For use throughout the UK.

• Understanding the emotions of bereavement
• Registering the death and the official procedures to follow
• Organising the burial or cremation
• Using the services of a funeral director
• Post-mortems and inquests
• Dealing with the deceased’s finances and property
• Bereavement state benefits and payments
• Looking to the future  
• Useful contacts
• Resources for children and young people
• Template letter to building society  
• Template letter to pension scheme

Loose-leaf forms

• Checklist of important things to deal with
• How to look after yourself and other people
• Funeral ceremony planner