Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide

What Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide does

Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide (SoBS) is a UK-registered charity founded in 1991 that provides peer-led support to adults bereaved by suicide. The organization is headquartered in Ilkeston, Derbyshire, and is structured as a charitable company limited by guarantee (Company No. 4754829; Charity No. 1098815; Scottish Charity No. SCO41397). It operates a multi-channel service model consisting of a national helpline (0300 111 5065), email support, face-to-face and virtual local support groups located by postcode, and an application-gated online peer forum restricted to UK residents aged 18+. All support services are delivered by trained volunteers who have themselves been bereaved by suicide; the charity reports a paid staff of approximately 40 supported by more than 500 volunteers across the UK.

SoBS does not develop proprietary technology and does not operate a commercial product platform in the conventional sense. Its service portfolio is augmented by downloadable educational resources (booklets such as 'After a Suicide', 'First Hand', 'Help is at Hand', 'Living through loss'), curated films, poetry, and books, and — more recently — partnership-developed tools including the Prescription Safe Plan (PSP) launched in May 2026 with Debi Roberts. Distribution is direct-to-beneficiary via website (uksobs.com), a Vimeo channel, Facebook, and Twitter/X, with awareness campaigns such as 'Don't Say the C Word' (2025) targeting stigma reduction.

The organization's revenue model is donation-led, supplemented by fundraising events (Run for Charity, Wagathon Walkies) and a small e-commerce merchandise operation. The shop sells branded merchandise including scented candles (Norwegian Pines, Lavender and Chamomile, Apple/Clove/Cinnamon), apparel (running vest, t-shirt, hoodie), accessories (wristbands, pin badges, pens, sports bottles, travel mugs), and SoBS Support Packs in quantities of 25-250 copies priced from £25 to £250, with UK delivery included in a £4 charge. Recent commercial expansion has come via a partnership with Grief Guides (May 2026) to offer paid grief support training courses to individuals, communities, and workplaces, representing the charity's first material move into fee-generating adjacent products.

Name

Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide

Legal name

Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide

Website

https://uksobs.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

UK charity founded in 1991 providing free, volunteer-led peer support — via helpline, email, local/virtual groups, and online forum — to adults bereaved by suicide, funded by donations, fundraising events, and merchandise sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Bereavement Support Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGAEAH)

Keywords

• Suicide bereavement support
• Peer support groups
• Grief helpline services
• Bereavement charity services
• Community mental health

Headquarters

HQ city

Ilkeston

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: SoBS relies on charitable donations and fundraising activities including runs for charity and other fundraising events to support their operations
2. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including pin badges, clothing, candles, and support packs through the online shop

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide (SoBS) provides free, peer-led support services to UK adults bereaved by suicide, delivered by trained volunteers who have themselves experienced suicide loss. Core offerings include a national helpline, email support, local and virtual peer support groups, and an online community forum, complemented by educational resources, support publications, and branded merchandise sold through an online shop.

Product overview

Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide (SoBS) is a UK charity providing peer-led support services to adults bereaved by suicide. The organization offers a unified portfolio combining support services (local and virtual peer support groups, national helpline, email support, and online forum) with physical products (SoBS Support Packs in various quantities, scented candles, apparel, accessories, and branded merchandise). The core service offering centers on peer-to-peer support delivered through trained volunteers who have also been personally bereaved by suicide. Recent additions include a new online peer support forum (2025), Prescription Safe Plan resource (May 2026), and Grief Guides partnership for grief support training (May 2026). The shop sells merchandise including apparel (hoodies, t-shirts, running vests), accessories (pens, badges, wristbands), home items (scented candles), and publications (support packs in quantities of 25-250 copies).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Local & Virtual Support Groups Peer-to-peer support groups offered both face-to-face and virtually across the UK. Facilitators are themselves bereaved by suicide. Users locate their nearest group by entering postcode or local town.

Quantifiable outcome

• Multiple support channels serving UK-wide population

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Grief GuidesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSoBS has partnered with Grief Guides to provide compassionate grief support training and resources. Grief Guides offers courses including 'Mapping Compassionate Support' and 'Leading through Loss' designed to help individuals, communities and workplaces provide effective grief support. The partnership extends SoBS's reach into professional training and workplace grief awareness.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Child Bereavement UK: UK charity supporting children and families bereaved by any cause, including suicide, through helpline, groups, and professional training. Comparable peer-support delivery model and training-products revenue stream via the Grief Guides-style approach.
• Samaritans: UK charity providing a 24/7 emotional support helpline for people in distress, including those bereaved by suicide. Closest direct peer in mission and delivery model (volunteer-led, helpline + email + self-help resources), though scope is broader than suicide bereavement specifically.
• Cruse Bereavement Support: UK's largest bereavement charity offering peer-led support, helpline, and local groups across all causes of death. Directly comparable volunteer-led support model and multi-channel delivery, serving overlapping beneficiaries including those bereaved by suicide.
• The Loss Foundation: UK charity providing specialist support for people bereaved by suicide, with peer support groups, online community, and resources. Most direct specialist niche peer to SoBS, smaller in scale but operating the same narrowly targeted bereavement-by-suicide model.
• PAPYRUS Prevention of Young Suicide: UK charity focused on suicide prevention and supporting those affected, with a helpline (HOPELINEUK), training, and awareness campaigns. Comparable volunteer-driven, multi-channel model and overlapping beneficiary base of those bereaved by suicide.
• Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM): UK charity running a suicide prevention helpline and webchat, plus bereavement support resources. Closely comparable helpline-plus-online delivery model and overlapping mission around suicide and bereavement.

Others

• Support after Suicide Partnership (SASP): UK umbrella coalition of organizations supporting those bereaved by suicide, of which SoBS is a member. Functions as an enabling/ecosystem participant rather than a direct service competitor, coordinating the sector SoBS operates in.
• Grief Guides: UK training provider delivering grief support courses (Mapping Compassionate Support, Leading through Loss) to workplaces and communities. Listed as an SoBS strategic partner rather than competitor, but operates in adjacent training/revenue territory.

Broad incumbents

• Mind: Major UK mental health charity providing information, support, and local services across the full spectrum of mental health conditions including bereavement. Larger, broader incumbent with overlapping beneficiary base but not specialist in suicide bereavement.
• SANELINE / SANE: UK mental health charity providing helpline, email, and peer support community for people affected by mental illness, including bereavement. Broader mental health incumbent with overlapping volunteer-led community forum delivery model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/uksobs
• YouTubevimeo.com/uksobs
• Facebookfacebook.com/uksobs
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/survivors-of-bereavement-by-suicide

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide