Empathy Expands to the UK Amid Rising Need for Better Bereavement Support
Empathy Enters the European Market, Starting with the United Kingdom
Since Empathy’s founding, we’ve supported millions of people across the United States and, more recently, Canada, where adoption grew quickly as organizations recognized the rising need for better bereavement support. Today, that journey continues with our expansion into the United Kingdom.
Today marks a major milestone for Empathy: our official expansion to the United Kingdom. This expansion comes alongside publication of Empathy’s newest research report, launching today, titled The Cost of Loss: The UK’s Bereavement Burden—which uncovers the scale of the UK’s bereavement challenge and the opportunity to build a more compassionate future in how we respond to grief.
The UK’s Bereavement Burden
The report, based on extensive research with bereaved individuals, employers, and insurers, reveals a growing disconnect between what people need and what current support systems provide.
With an aging population and longer working lives, more people are finding themselves caring for aging relatives and managing complex estates—often while juggling demanding jobs and family responsibilities. The consequences ripple across industries: from employers struggling to retain and support grieving employees to insurers navigating how to better engage customers at their most vulnerable moments.
Our findings were stark:
The Cost of Loss found that those whose experience with an insurer exceeded expectations were 2.4× more likely to purchase their own life policy from that provider, while 86% of those who felt unsupported said they would not buy from that insurer again.
Other findings from the report include:
1 in 3 people who had navigated a life insurance claim following the death of a family member or close friend reported feeling undersupported during an emotionally difficult time, a figure that rose to 46% among Gen Z respondents.
Nearly half (48%) of bereaved employees said they would consider leaving their job if they didn’t receive adequate support — a number that rises to 74% among Gen Z.
57% said they would choose one insurer over another based on the bereavement support offered.
Behind these numbers lies a simple truth: when people face loss, what they remember most is how they were treated. These findings show that compassion isn’t just an act of kindness; it’s a driver of loyalty, trust, and long-term well-being. For organizations, this represents a powerful opportunity—not only to support people at their most vulnerable, but to build deeper relationships, strengthen brand reputation, and create continuity that fuels lasting business growth. We’ve seen this proven time and again in North America, and now the data tells the same story in the UK.
Looking Ahead
While we’re beginning in the UK with our Loss Support Product, our vision extends well beyond bereavement. Families face a range of complex, emotional, and logistical challenges throughout life, and we’re committed to helping them through all of those moments. In the future, we plan to bring additional Empathy products to more markets as we grow.
Most importantly, our goal remains the same: to stand beside families when they need it most, and to partner with the employers and institutions ready to do the same.
Expanding our Impact Globally
International expansion for us is driven by purpose, not just scale. It’s about meeting a universal need with local understanding, recognizing that while grief is universal, the systems that surround it are not.
As we continue expanding outside North America, we’re laying the groundwork to bring Empathy’s support to more families, across more geographies, in the years ahead. The UK is our first expansion in the region, and we see meaningful opportunities to deepen our presence across the continental Europe over time.
To learn more about why Empathy is coming to the UK, read The Cost of Loss: The UK’s Bereavement Burden.