The Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide
Our objectives
Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide (SoBS) supports adults aged 18 and over who have been bereaved by suicide. This includes parents, siblings, partners, children, friends, colleagues, and anyone affected by the devastating impact of suicide loss. We support individuals, families and communities across the UK, recognising that suicide affects people across every demographic, often in sudden and deeply traumatic ways.
We offer peer-led, non-clinical support through a network of trained volunteers who have all experienced suicide bereavement themselves. Our services include:
- Face-to-face support groups across the UK
- Virtual support groups, including specialist spaces for men, LGBTQ+ and people connected to emergency services
- A national support line, open 9am–7pm every day
- Email support and online resources to help people feel less alone, more understood, and better equipped to cope with grief
Our approach is grounded in empathy, connection, and lived experience. We create safe, non-judgemental spaces where people bereaved by suicide can speak openly, share their feelings, and find hope.
Suicide bereavement is uniquely painful, complex, and isolating. Those affected are 65% more likely to experience suicidal thoughts themselves.
By supporting SoBS, you are helping to:
- Break the silence surrounding suicide loss
- Reduce the risk of further harm through timely, life-affirming support
- Build resilience in individuals and communities through connection and understanding
- Empower people to navigate grief in their own time, surrounded by others who truly understand
Our work is life-changing; and, for many, life-saving.
Our activities
We achieve our objectives by delivering a nationwide network of peer-led support services that are accessible, compassionate, and grounded in lived experience.
We recruit and train staff and volunteers to provide professional skills and safe spaces for open conversation. All our services are free of charge and designed to reduce isolation, encourage healing, and build resilience among those affected by suicide loss.
We work in collaboration with NHS trusts, public health bodies, local authorities, and other bereavement services to raise awareness of suicide bereavement and improve access to support. In doing so, we contribute directly to suicide prevention efforts, helping to reduce the long-term mental health risks faced by those left behind.
Through empathy, understanding, and connection, SoBS meets its objectives by walking alongside the bereaved wherever they are in their grief.