Why We Must All Do More to Improve Bereavement Journeys

Bereavement is one of the most difficult experiences any family will face. Yet alongside grief, those left behind can suddenly find themselves responsible for a complex list of administrative tasks, from notifying banks and utility providers to dealing with mortgages, benefits, housing and local authorities.

For organisations supporting bereaved customers, there is an opportunity to make that journey considerably easier.

Ollie Wright, Head of Financial Sector Solutions at EstateConnect, speaks to Lucy Carpenter, Compassionate Employers Lead at Hospice UK, about the challenges bereaved families face during death administration and what organisations can do to create more compassionate, consistent and effective bereavement customer journeys.

Drawing on her own experience following the death of her father, Rob, Lucy Carpenter shares what needs to change and why improving bereavement journeys should be a responsibility shared by us all.

Why death administration can be so difficult for bereaved families

OW: Thank you, Lucy, for agreeing to openly share your experiences with me today. You have always spoken openly about the journey you went through when your father, Rob, died. I’d like to know more about the challenges both you and your family faced while managing his estate. 

I understand that this was a truly difficult time for you all. In the work you do now, you support organisations to better support families through bereavement, so did some of the issues you encountered come as a shock to you?

LC: “Yes, absolutely. As a society, we are not good at talking about death or dying generally, so future planning often doesn’t happen, which leads to complicated and stressful death administration for those left behind. 

“Even though it’s something we will all struggle through at some point in our lives, it seems that no one wants to talk about or deal with it. Even though Dad had cancer for four years, with nearly two years of that being terminally ill, we never felt comfortable discussing his finances or his wishes with him. 

“Some things were a big surprise to me. For example, I had no idea that the ‘Tell Us Once’ government service that allows deaths to be reported only reaches a tiny proportion of the institutions that need to be notified. 

“Dealing with death administration is impacted hugely by how someone handles grief and how they are in that state of vulnerability. I personally experienced confusion and brain fog. It’s then that you need to deal with things like credit cards, mortgage providers and current accounts. 

“Even if they are with the same provider, you can end up needing to contact three different departments, repeating the same conversation over and over again.” 

How organisations can improve the bereavement customer journey

OW: What do you think could be done to improve matters?

LC: “Organisations need to promote conversations and the normality of future planning because it will help those left behind. Bereaved families would also benefit from the overall death administration and notification process being simplified. 

“Unfortunately, it became necessary to have conversations with different providers multiple times and sometimes more than once within the same organisation. Shockingly, in one instance, the customer service representative said they needed to speak to Dad to resolve the matter. 

“Different touchpoints need to be consistent, while compassionate too. You may have a good phone call with one customer service representative, only to receive a bad, disjointed customer letter days later. 

“It’s important for organisations to stay compliant and efficient, but they need to consider every step of the customer’s journey and appreciate that they are vulnerable and often struggling.”

Could a centralised bereavement platform simplify death administration?

OW: Do you think a centralised bereavement platform could help financial firms and utility providers administer this process better? 

LC: “A central system where customers upload a death certificate and complete all identity verification once, allowing organisations to then access the information centrally, would take the pressure off customers trying to do all the outreach. 

“It would also offer the potential for firms to send sensitive correspondence first, reaching out and explaining the process they will follow, and crucially asking customers about their contact preferences for managing the estate. 

“Life still goes on, and often bereaved families are trying to complete estate administration during a lunch hour or while looking after their children. People will choose different pathways depending on their own circumstances. 

“For example, my mum found it helpful to go into branches and talk face to face with advisers. For others, in-person meetings may not be practical, so choice around communication methods is important. 

“Organisations need to consider how they can meet the needs of all customers, but anything that can standardise some of the process would be helpful. 

“You have to remember that it’s not just financial institutions bereaved family members need to contact. Utility companies, housing associations, benefits agencies and local councils are all on the list, so the more that can be done to simplify the situation, the better.”

How widespread are problems with bereavement services?

OW: How widespread do you think the issue is? 

LC: “Hundreds of thousands of people are dealing with death administration every year and no one really wants to talk about it. 

“Staff shouldn’t be asking ‘have we ever received a death certificate?’ or ‘can you tell me why you’re calling?’ again and again. I know at least one person who was asked to send the same death certificate to a single organisation three times. 

“There are many examples of poor customer support, and often it is a result of process failure. 

“It’s important for firms to remember that how you treat customers, especially in those incredibly vulnerable life moments, can offer opportunities to build new relationships. One leading high street bank impressed my mum so much that she decided to move some of her own money over to them.”

Why clarity and compassion matter for vulnerable customers 

OW: What was the biggest challenge for you? 

LC: “For me, the impact of grief on my brain’s ability to process information. 

“The conversations I do remember were those with people who were genuinely empathetic and crystal clear about what was to happen next. Bereaved people end up being an advocate for themselves so often, so I really appreciated the services or support that could advocate for me. 

“Organisations that did deal well with my enquiries would say, ‘Have a look at our bereavement page. It talks about how you are feeling right now and offers step-by-step guidance.’ 

“They would explain everything clearly on the phone, then follow up in writing with step-by-step guidance. This was invaluable through the brain fog and strange ‘new normal’ I was trying to navigate.”

Why improving bereavement journeys is everyone’s responsibility

OW: Who do you think should take responsibility for making positive changes? 

LC: “We all need to feel it is our responsibility to do more. 

“We should not be waiting for the FCA guidance to be updated. Much like any legislation, it will lay a foundation, a basic level we need to adhere to. 

“But organisations are capable of doing more, and some are already pushing forward to explore what they can do to create more compassionate and consistent bereavement journeys for their customers.”

Supporting bereavement teams and preventing compassion fatigue

OW: You mentioned improving training. Is there anything else firms should be doing to support bereavement teams? 

LC: “Those who work in call centres or bereavement lines are at greater risk of burnout and compassion fatigue, which will significantly impact an organisation’s ability to deliver consistent, compassionate customer journeys. 

“Being in these roles, you might deal with multiple emotionally challenging calls a day, so equipping teams and their managers with the skills to support themselves and each other is crucial.”

Why bereaved customer feedback matters

OW: What about feedback? 

LC: “Bereaved people are rarely asked for feedback on customer service and yet, without it, how can organisations make any improvements? 

“Firms should lean into gaining feedback and recommend it as part of vulnerability guidelines. I’m not talking about a generic customer survey, but a simple conversation acknowledging that the firm is looking to improve its processes and asking how helpful their bereavement service has been for that customer right now. 

“Finding out will make it better and easier for those bereaved families that contact them in the future.”

Creating more compassionate bereavement journeys

OW: Thank you, Lucy, for all the work you are doing in this space to improve bereavement processes for others in the future.

Lucy’s experience highlights why improving bereavement journeys cannot simply be viewed as an administrative or compliance exercise. 

For someone experiencing grief, having to repeat difficult conversations, resubmit documents or navigate inconsistent processes can add unnecessary pressure at an already challenging time. 

Better bereavement support means looking at the entire customer journey. It means combining efficient processes with compassionate communication, giving customers choice over how they engage and ensuring employees have the training and support they need to respond appropriately. 

Technology and greater standardisation also have an important role to play. By simplifying death administration and reducing the burden placed on families, organisations have an opportunity to create a bereavement experience that is not only more efficient, but more human. 

And, as Lucy makes clear, organisations do not have to wait for regulation to tell them to make that change

Find out more

For further information about Lucy Carpenter’s work with Compassionate Employers at Hospice UK, visit the Hospice UK website. 

For further information about EstateConnect and its work to improve bereavement and estate administration journeys, visit our services pages or follow us on Linkedin.