The prize recognises the success of ESRC-funded researchers in achieving and enabling outstanding economic or societal impact from their research.

The COVID-19 bereavement study, led by Dr Lucy Selman from the Palliative and End of Life Care Research Group and Centre for Academic Primary Care at the University of Bristol, and Dr Emily Harrop, from the Marie Curie Research Centre, School of Medicine at Cardiff University, looked at the support bereaved people needed, whether they were able to access it, and how it could best be provided.

The study demonstrated the extraordinary challenges of bereavement during the pandemic in the UK, including the restrictions around end-of-life care, disruptions to mourning practices, social-support networks and coping mechanisms. It also identified the rapid, real-time implications for improving end-of-life care and the support available to bereaved people, during and following the pandemic.

Further work described the significant impact of the pandemic on bereavement services, including the shift to online and telephone support. While this shift helped extend the reach of services, some bereaved people were disadvantaged and inequities in access to support persisted.

As members of the UK Commission on Bereavement Steering Group, Dr Selman and Dr Harrop helped conduct the groundbreaking public and professional consultation represented by its landmark report, Bereavement is Everyone’s Business, and continue to work to further its recommendations.

Dr Selman said: “We are delighted that our research has been shortlisted for the ESRC Celebrating Impact Prize 2023. Our findings have demonstrated a need for improved bereavement services and highlighted inequalities in access to bereavement support.”

Dr Harrop said: “Our research has shaped UK policies and services around bereavement, and has contributed to improving societal and government understanding of the importance of person-centred bereavement support that is available and accessible to all who need it.

“We are grateful to the ESRC for funding this research, and to all those who took part for sharing their experiences.”

All finalists will have a film made about their work and its impact and have attended media training.

Winners are awarded £10,000 to spend on further knowledge exchange, public engagement or other communications activities.

The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on 15 November 2023.

For more information and a list of all finalists, see the ESRC news: Finalists for prestigious Celebrating Impact Prize 2023 announced