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Editorial Policy

Help After Loss provides free bereavement guidance for people in the UK who have lost someone. We take the accuracy and sensitivity of our content seriously. This page explains how we research, write, and maintain our guides.

How we research content

Our guides are based on official government sources, established charities, and professional bodies. Primary sources include:

  • GOV.UK (death registration, probate, Tell Us Once, benefits)
  • HMRC (inheritance tax, capital gains tax, income tax after death)
  • DWP (Bereavement Support Payment, other benefits)
  • Individual bank and building society bereavement pages
  • Energy, telecoms, and water company bereavement processes
  • SunLife Cost of Dying Report (funeral cost data)
  • The Law Society (probate solicitor guidance)
  • Cruse Bereavement Support, Mind, and other mental health charities

We link to original sources wherever possible so you can verify information independently.

How we maintain accuracy

Bereavement-related information changes regularly. Probate fees, benefit amounts, tax thresholds, and organisational processes are all subject to change. We maintain accuracy through:

  • Annual review of all financial figures (aligned with the April tax year)
  • Quarterly checks of organisation phone numbers and URLs
  • Monitoring GOV.UK updates for policy and process changes
  • "Last reviewed" dates on every guide page
  • A feedback mechanism for readers to report errors

What this site is not

Help After Loss is an information resource. It is not a substitute for professional legal, financial, or medical advice. We strongly recommend consulting a qualified professional for complex estate matters, tax questions, or mental health concerns.

We are not affiliated with any bank, solicitor, funeral director, or government department. When we recommend services or include links, we clearly disclose any affiliate or commercial relationships.

Jurisdiction

Our guides cover England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Where processes differ between nations (such as death registration, probate vs confirmation, or Tell Us Once availability), we flag these differences clearly. Each guide specifies which nations it covers.

Privacy and data

We do not collect or store personal information about the deceased or your situation. Our personalised checklist tool saves data only to your device (localStorage). No bereavement data is sent to our servers. See our privacy policy for full details.

Report an error

If you find information that is outdated, incorrect, or unclear, please email contact@helpafterloss.co.uk. We aim to investigate and correct errors within 48 hours.