After a Death: Get Support When Someone Dies

A free helpline for grief. This non-profit confidential service connects you to a caring volunteer who can listen. They are familiar with support groups, organizations and resources across the province.

How to contact

• Visit their website
• Toll free 1-877-779-2223 (Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm)

A free helpline providing support to people in distress. Call if you’re worried, upset, confused or just want to talk to someone.

How to contact

• Visit their website
• Toll-free 1-800-784-2433
• Online chat support for youth
• Online chat support for adults

Search for a counsellor or psychologist in British Columbia. Find a professional who can help you with grief or other difficulties that come up when someone dies.

• See Counselling BC

Get help with substance use or addiction.

• See BC Centre on Substance Use

Offers suicide prevention resources, including support groups and programs.

How to contact

• Visit their website
• Suicide loss peer support group
• Online chat support, text support, email counselling for youth

Free information and support for life-threatening illness, end of life care, loss and grief, including:

• Canadian Virtual Hospice
  Information and support on advanced illness, palliative care, and grief.
   
• MyGrief.ca
  Confidential support developed by families and grief experts. Online information and interactive lessons to help you cope with grief. Free for Canadians.
   
• LivingMyCulture.ca
  Sharing of cultural stories and wisdom about living with serious illness, end of life and grief.

An employee in B.C. gets up to three days of unpaid leave when an immediate family member dies. Talk to your employer about time off work. There are also financial support options.

Do this

• If you need unpaid leave to grieve, attend a funeral or take care of issues relating to the death of an immediate family member

What you need

• To be an employee covered by B.C. employment standards

For more information

• Visit Employment Standards
• Call toll-free 1-833-236-3700

If you can’t afford the funeral costs of a person who dies in B.C., you might qualify for funds to help with a portion of the costs.

• See Funeral Costs Supplement
• See Ministry Assistance with Funeral Costs (PDF)

Do this

• If you can’t afford the funeral costs
• If the assets of the person who died don’t cover the funeral costs

What you need

• Social Insurance Number (but not the physical card) of the person who died

For more information

• Call toll-free 1-866-866-0800

The Canada Pension Plan (CPP) death benefit is a one-time, lump-sum payment to the estate on behalf of a deceased CPP contributor. The amount of the death benefit depends on how much and for how long the deceased contributed to the CPP. The maximum is $2,500.

• Apply for the Death Benefit – Government of Canada

Do this

• If the person who died contributed to CPP

What you need

• Application for CPP Death Benefit Death Certificate (ISP1200)
  • Or certified copy or an alternative document
  • See How to Apply for the Canada Pension Plan Death Benefit (PDF)
• Social Insurance Number recorded on all documents

For more information

• Visit Service Canada
• Call toll-free 1-800-277-9914

• Apply for the Children’s Benefit – Government of Canada

The Canada Pension Plan (CPP) children’s benefit provides payments to dependent children of deceased CPP contributors if the contributor has made enough contributions to CPP.

Do this

• If the person who died contributed to CPP and had dependent children

What you need

• Application for a CPP Survivor's Pension and Child(ren)'s Benefits (ISP1300)
• Application for a CPP Child's Benefit (ISP1400)
• Declaration of Attendance at School or University

For more information

• Visit Service Canada
• Call toll-free 1-800-277-9914

The Allowance for the Survivor benefit is available to people aged 60 to 64 who have a low income, who are living in Canada, and whose spouse or common-law partner has died. A person must apply in writing for this benefit.

• Apply for the Allowance for the Survivor – Government of Canada

Do this

• If you’re aged 60 to 64, have a low income, live in Canada, and have a spouse or common-law partner who died

What you need

• Statement of Income for the Renewal of the Guaranteed Income Supplement
• Allowance or the Allowance for the Survivor application form
• Application for the Allowance or Allowance for the Survivor form

For more information

• Visit Service Canada
• Call toll-free 1-800-277-9914

If you have taken time off work temporarily to care for or support a family member who was gravely ill and has died, you may be eligible for Caregiving Benefits through EI.

• Apply for Caregiving Employment Insurance (EI) Benefits – Government of Canada

Do this

• If you took time off work to care for a family member who was ill and died

What you need

• Authorization to release a medical certificate
• Medical Certificate
• Record of Employment
• Attestation for non-family members
• Your personal and employment information

For more information

• Visit Service Canada
• Call toll-free 1-800-277-9914

Let Service Canada know if the person who died was receiving EI. If the deceased person had not applied for EI benefits, the legal representative can apply in the name of the person who died. EI benefits may be paid to the legal representative or a person authorized to inherit property of the person who died.

• Cancel EI or Request EI payments – Government of Canada

Do this

• If the person who died was receiving EI

What you need

• Completed Request for Payment of Benefit on Behalf of a Deceased Person (INS2882)
• Copy of the Death Certificate
• A certificate from the director of a funeral home or an administrator of a hospital or clinic, or a letter from a physician, graduate nurse, or member of the clergy

For more information

• Visit Service Canada
• Call toll-free 1-800-277-9914

Under the Crime Victim Assistance Program, immediate family members of an injured or deceased victim, and some witnesses may be eligible for financial assistance or benefits relating to crimes which occurred in B.C.

• See Crime Victim Assistance Program

Do this

• If the person who died was a victim of a crime

What you need

• Crime Victim Assistance Program — Application Forms

For more information

• Visit the Crime Victim Assistance Program
• Call toll-free 1-866-660-3888

If an insured person is killed in a motor vehicle crash, Basic Autoplan will reimburse burial and funeral expenses of up to $7,500.

• See ICBC Autoplan Insurance Funeral Coverage (PDF, 502KB)

Do this

• If the person who died was killed in a motor vehicle crash

What you need

• Reported claim

For more information

• Visit ICBC
• Call toll-free 1-800-910-4222

If a member of the Canadian Armed Forces dies, their legal spouse or common law partner, their children under the age of 18 years, or their children aged 18 to 25 years enrolled as a full-time student, may be eligible for a survivor pension or child pension.

• Apply for Canadian Armed Forces Survivor Benefit Entitlements – Government of Canada

Do this

• If the person who died was a member of the Canadian Armed Forces

What you need

• Marriage certificate
• Birth certificates of survivors
• Sworn declarations
• Documented evidence of common-law relationship

For more information

• Visit Service Canada
• Call toll-free 1-800-277-9914

The Last Post Fund delivers the Veterans Affairs Canada Funeral & Burial Program. It helps with funeral, burial and grave marking for veterans who meet the financial and service criteria.

Do this

• If the person who died was an eligible military veteran

What you need

• See financial and service criteria

For more information

• Visit the Last Post Fund
• Call toll-free 1-800-465-7113

WorkSafe BC provides information for compensation on death of a worker including funeral and other death benefits. Where compensation is payable as the result of an injury resulting in death, an amount for funeral expenses is paid with other compensation.

• See WorkSafe BC Financial Assistance and Funeral Expenses

WorkSafe BC also has a booklet with information on assistance available and lists resources that may be helpful following a work-related death.

Do this

• If the person who died as a result of a workplace accident

What you need

• Full name of the person who died
• Their date of birth
• Their date of death
• Their Social Insurance Number (if available)
• Their employer's name

For more information

• Visit WorkSafe BC
• Call toll-free 1-888-967-5377

Free legal help and access to justice in B.C. from volunteer lawyers.

• Visit Access Pro Bono

Information, advice, and representation for British Columbians. Priority is given to people with low incomes.

• Visit Legal Aid BC

Get an action plan for a legal issue, including wills information and dialogue or mediation tools.

• Visit My Law BC

Information on wills, dealing with an estate and personal planning.

• Visit Dial-A-Law

Find someone to talk with for law-related help in B.C.

• Visit Clicklaw