Bereavement & Probate Support Service
Losing a loved one is one of the most difficult experiences in life. Whether you need someone to talk to, or guidance on how to handle the estate of the deceased, we're here to help you through this challenging time.
Bereavement & Probate Support Service - from 1 Jan 2025
The Generali Group Life Policy includes access to our Bereavement & Probate Support Service (BPS) completely free of charge, which offers assistance from Telus Health and Winston’s Wish, to employees, their families and work colleagues at a very difficult time.
Bereavement support provided in partnership with TELUS Health, is offered to employees and their immediate adult families at an emotionally challenging time. Experienced counsellors are on hand to provide support, and the Probate Helpline can assist those employees who have been appointed to administer a deceased person’s estate.
What does the Telus Health service include?
- Unlimited 24/7 access to a dedicated Generali customer helpline.
- Personalised bereavement counselling (telephonic or face to face as appropriate), for up to 6 sessions1.
- Providing online access to useful information, resources and publications to help educate and inform about grief.
- Confidential advice accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).
- Find helpful articles, podcasts and support on grief and loss.
- Practical advice and details of self-help groups and charities where appropriate.
- Immediate family members can also access this support service.
New! Support for Children and Young Adults from Winston’s Wish.
Bereavement support provided in partnership with Winston’s Wish (the UK’s first childhood bereavement charity founded in 1992) can help employees or their dependant children, up to the age of 25, find their feet after their world has been turned upside down by grief; following a terminal illness diagnosis; or death of a parent.
As everybody has their own way of grieving, Winston’s Wish offers various methods and tiers of support under strict safeguarding protocols.
- Access to a Bereavement Support Worker who will answer any immediate questions or concerns and assess the need for further support and/or a referral to receive 1:1 support from the Bereavement Support Team if needed.
- If more in depth support is required, this will be provided through digital, and remote services (telephone, video or text) or in some cases face to face support of up to 6 sessions.
Who can access these services?
All employees of Generali Group Life Assurance (GLA) policyholders have access to Telus Health and Winstons Wish services.
The Telus Health service is offered to employees’ immediate family members in the event of an employee’s death, and to the employee themselves should they suffer a bereavement, or in the event they are appointed to administer a deceased person’s estate.
The Winston’s Wish service is available to young adults (under 25), be they employees suffering a bereavement themselves or wishing to support a dependant child, and also to the dependant children of employees.
Access the Telus Service
Contact 0800 980 655932 or if calling from abroad please dial +44 (0)141 846 1686. When contacting the service,you will be asked “which company do you work for".
Access Winston’s Wish
Contact 0333 002 0354 or winstonswish.org to access live chat function, email or text support.
Safeguarding
Please note the following safeguarding rules in respect of children and young adults accessing the Winston’s wish services:
Referrals – for those requesting bereavement support and bereavement counselling sessions.
- Anyone between the ages of 13 and 25 can refer themselves for bereavement support services.
- Parents, carers and clinical professionals can submit a referral on behalf of a bereaved young person aged 12 or under. We encourage support is given to those aged 13 or over in order for them to complete thier own referral.
- Winston’s Wish is unable to accept referrals without the agreed consent of the young person for whom support is being sought.
Bereavement Support and Bereavement Counselling sessions ONLINE (1:1 and group support)
- For children under the age of 16, consent is sought from the parent /legal guardian.
- For children under the age of 16, parent /legal guardian are asked to check the child in and out of the session but do not have to stay during the session.
- Children under the age of 11 are supported with the family, and the parent/legal guardian is encouraged to stay during the session but is not compulsory.
- Arts therapy is offered to children as young as 4 or 5.
On-demand services (Helpline, Instant Message, Ask@ Email)
- Support offered through the helpline, live chat, email and text can be accessed by anyone (of any age) and are available on-demand, with no referral or consent required
Your Confidentiality is important to us
The Bereavement and Probate Support Services are confidential3. No information that could lead to your identification will be released to any external party, including your employer, unless you provide your explicit permission3 for us to do so. Exceptions to this are where life or safety is threatened, or where there is a serious risk or breach of law or your organisation’s rules.
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1. A series of counselling sessions (up to 6) will only be offered where short-term assistance is appropriate. This service is not suitable where longer-term support is more appropriate.
2. Calls to 0800 numbers are free from a UK landline. Mobile and international call costs may vary.
3. Personal records may be shared if legally required to do so.