Dying Matters Week 2026: Let’s Talk About What Really Matters
4th - 10th May 2026
Dying Matters Week 2026 is a reminder that planning ahead is a gift, not only to ourselves but to the people we love. Talking about death, dying, and the end of life isn’t always easy, but avoiding the conversation doesn’t make it any less important.
When plans aren’t in place, families are often left making difficult decisions at an already emotional time, sometimes without knowing what their loved one would have wanted. Starting these conversations early can reduce uncertainty, ease anxiety, and help ensure your wishes are understood and respected.
Planning ahead: small steps that make a big difference
Thinking ahead doesn’t have to be overwhelming. A few simple actions can make a meaningful difference:
Having a Will ensures your money, property and possessions go to the people or causes you choose.
Appointing an Attorney ensures that if you were to lose mental capacity to make decisions for yourself, your attorney can step in and make those best-interest decisions for you regarding health, care, property and financial matters. If you have no one to appoint, you can appoint us, head to our Support Services to find out more.
Completing a ReSPECT (Recommended Summary Plan of Emergency Care and Treatment) form helps record what matters to you and guides healthcare professionals to make decisions that reflect your preferences in an emergency.
Considering a DNAR (Do Not Attempt Resuscitation) form, where appropriate, can support informed, compassionate decision‑making about resuscitation.
Recording your end-of-life wishes, such as where you would prefer to be cared for or what is most important to you, offers clarity and reassurance to those supporting you.
Writing down your funeral wishes can ease the emotional and practical burden on family and friends, giving them confidence that they are honouring your life in the way you would want.
Support to help you plan
If you’re not sure where to start, our Rest Assured service is designed to help. Rest Assured brings your important plans, preferences, and documents together in one place, making it easier to record, review, and share your wishes when the time comes.
Let’s start the conversation
Dying Matters Week isn’t about being pessimistic; it’s about being prepared. It’s about opening up conversations, making informed choices, and knowing that your wishes won’t be left to guesswork.
This Dying Matters Week 2026, take one small step: start a conversation, write something down, or explore our Rest Assured service to begin planning with confidence. By planning ahead today, you’re supporting the people you love tomorrow.
Because dying matters, and so does peace of mind.