Bereavement Training in the UK: What You Need to Know in 2025
Supporting someone through grief is one of the most compassionate — and most challenging — roles you can take on. Whether you work in education, healthcare, social care, counselling, or community support, the right training can give you the confidence and tools to help people feel understood and supported during one of the hardest times in their lives.
If you want a detailed breakdown of what grief coach training involves, who it’s for, and how it works in practice, you can read our full guide here:
Accredited Grief Coach Training: Support Others After Loss, With Confidence
In the UK, there’s a growing demand for bereavement training that goes beyond theory — courses that combine empathy with practical, trauma-informed tools. If you’re exploring your options in 2025, here’s what to look for.
1. Choose Accredited Training
Accreditation matters. It’s a signal that the programme has been reviewed and recognised by professional bodies, meeting a set standard for content, ethics, and delivery.
In the UK, respected accreditations include ACCPH (Accredited Counsellors, Coaches, Psychotherapists and Hypnotherapists) and IPHM (International Practitioners of Holistic Medicine).
Accreditation is valuable whether you’re building a professional practice or adding to your skills in an existing role. It reassures clients, employers, and community partners that your training meets a professional benchmark.
2. Match the Delivery Style to Your Life
Bereavement training can take different formats:
Live, interactive training gives you real-time feedback, a chance to ask questions, and opportunities to practise techniques with guidance.
Self-paced learning lets you study when it suits you, making it ideal if you have shift work, childcare responsibilities, or live in a different time zone.
The best courses offer both options, so you can choose what fits your lifestyle.
3. Look for a Trauma-Informed Approach
Grief and trauma are deeply connected. A trauma-informed training programme will help you:
Recognise signs of trauma in clients.
Respond in ways that feel safe and respectful.
Avoid unintentionally causing harm by pushing someone too quickly or ignoring emotional signals.
Trauma-informed bereavement training also gives you the tools to take care of yourself as a practitioner — something that’s often overlooked.
4. Check the Scope of Learning
Strong bereavement training should cover:
Understanding grief theory, including models like Kübler-Ross and dual process theory.
The different types of grief, such as anticipatory, complicated, and disenfranchised grief.
Practical tools for one-to-one and group settings.
Ethical considerations and boundaries.
Creative, therapeutic activities to support emotional expression.
If a course focuses only on talking about loss, it might leave you without the practical skills you’ll need in real-world situations.
5. Think About Who the Training Is Designed For
Some bereavement courses are aimed solely at qualified counsellors. Others, like the STILL Method’s grief training, are open to:
Professionals in education, care, health, and wellbeing.
Support workers, volunteers, and community leaders.
People with lived experience of grief who want to turn that understanding into a structured way to help others.
Inclusivity matters — you shouldn’t need a counselling degree to offer valuable, ethical grief support.
6. Consider Post-Training Support
What happens after you complete the training? Look for programmes that offer:
Ongoing mentoring or supervision.
Peer support groups.
Access to tools, resources, and session plans you can use straight away.
This kind of follow-up makes it easier to turn training into practice.
FAQs
Do I need a counselling background to take bereavement training?
No. Some programmes are open to anyone with the right motivation and empathy, while still providing accredited certification.
Is bereavement training suitable for working with children and young people?
Yes — many courses include age-specific activities and guidance, although not all do, so check before enrolling.
Can I deliver grief support online after completing the training?
Yes, provided the training covers safe online delivery practices and ethical considerations.
Finding the Right Fit
If you’re looking for a programme that’s accredited, trauma-informed, and designed for real-world application, we’ve created a full guide that breaks down what grief coach training involves and how to get started:
