Awareness moment · Usually the first or second week of May
Dying Matters Awareness Week on air
Dying Matters Awareness Week is one of the awareness days brands use to get on radio and TV. Relations Group has run 7 broadcast PR campaigns for it, for Dying Matters Coalition, Dying Matters Coalition, Macmillan Cancer Support, Dying Matters Coalition, Dying Matters Coalition, Dying Matters Coalition and Dying Matters Coalition. The coverage ran to 114 broadcast items, heard by a combined audience of 20.3 million. Coverage included Sky News Radio, BBC Radio Norfolk, BBC Radio Cambridgeshire, BBC Radio Cornwall, BBC Radio Merseyside and more. Every campaign met or beat its coverage budget.
Dying Matters Coalition wanted to help people feel comfortable talking about death and take action on putting plans in place.
The angle
For Dying Matters Awareness Week the charity released figures showing over 37 million UK adults have no written will. 75% have never spoken to anyone about their end of life wishes and only 7% have written any down.
On air
The charity's chief executive
The result
23 items of coverage reaching 3.3 million, including BBC Radio Merseyside, BBC Radio Sussex and Surrey, BBC Radio Devon, BBC Radio Cornwall.
Dying Matters Coalition wanted to get people talking openly about dying and end of life care, and taking practical steps such as writing a will.
The angle
A new survey found just 18% of people had asked a family member about their end of life wishes and only 35% had written a will. Just 7% had set out how they would want to be cared for if unable to decide.
On air
The coalition's chief executive
The result
11 items of coverage reaching 3.1 million, including Sky News Radio, BBC Radio Sussex and Surrey.
Dying Matters Coalition wanted to get people, especially those aged 55 to 75 and GPs, talking openly about dying, death and end of life care.
The message
We only have one chance to have our dying wishes met. People should talk openly about dying and take practical steps such as writing a will and an advance care plan.
The angle
New ComRes research found talking about dying is still taboo in Britain: only one in five people (21%) have talked to someone about their end of life wishes and just 6% have written them down.
On air
The chief executive of the National Council for Palliative Care
The result
18 items of coverage reaching 3.6 million, including BBC Radio Merseyside, BBC Radio Solent, BBC Radio Lancashire.
Dying Matters Coalition wanted to get people talking openly about dying, death and end of life care and taking practical steps like writing a will.
The message
Everyone deserves to die well, and that is more likely if we talk about it early. Discussing dying and death should become a normal part of living.
The angle
The first British Social Attitudes Survey on death wishes found half of us die in hospital, though 93% would not choose to and two thirds would rather be at home. Only 11% have written down funeral wishes and just 35% have made a will.
On air
The chief executive of the Dying Matters Coalition
The result
19 items of coverage reaching 2.1 million, including BBC Radio Merseyside, BBC Radio Solent, BBC Radio Kent, BBC Radio Lancashire.
Dying Matters Coalition wanted to get people, especially those aged 55 to 75 and GPs, talking openly about dying, death and end of life care.
The message
Everyone deserves to die well, and that is more likely if we talk about it early. Discussing dying and death should become a normal part of living.
The angle
Research for Dying Matters Awareness Week found fewer than a third of people (31%) have talked to anyone about their end of life wishes, only 8% have written down their wishes, and 71% say people are uncomfortable discussing death.
On air
The chief executive of the coalition and of the National Council for Palliative Care
The result
17 items of coverage reaching 3.3 million, including BBC Radio Merseyside, BBC Radio Newcastle, BBC Radio Kent, BBC Radio Devon.
Macmillan Cancer Support, Dying Matters Awareness Week
The aim
Macmillan Cancer Support wanted to raise awareness of its legacy services and encourage listeners to consider leaving a gift in their will.
The message
Gifts in wills help fund more than a third of Macmillan's services. Leaving a gift is a straightforward, cost-effective way to support its work, after family and friends are provided for.
The angle
A new report found more than half (56%) of people in their 50s and nearly a third (32%) in their 60s had not made a will, leaving their home, savings and legacy to chance.
On air
A broadcaster and finance expert, and a spokesperson from Macmillan Cancer Support
The result
13 items of coverage reaching 2.2 million, including Sky News Radio.
Dying Matters Coalition wanted to get people talking openly about dying and end of life care, and raise the profile of the coalition.
The message
Everyone deserves to die well, and that is more likely if we talk about it early. Discussing dying and death should be a normal part of living.
The angle
Research for Dying Matters Awareness Week found two thirds of Brits think people in the UK are not comfortable discussing dying and death. More people fear dying in pain (83%) than being told they are dying (67%).
On air
The chief executive of the National Council for Palliative Care and the Dying Matters Coalition
The result
13 items of coverage reaching 2.7 million, including Sky News Radio, BBC Radio Norfolk, BBC Radio Cambridgeshire, BBC Radio Cornwall.
Dying Matters Awareness Week is an annual UK week that encourages people to talk about dying, death and bereavement and to plan ahead. It grew out of the Dying Matters Coalition led by the National Council for Palliative Care, and it has been run by Hospice UK since the two charities merged in 2017. The 2026 week ran from 4 to 10 May. Stations plan their coverage of it in advance, which makes it a strong hook for a broadcast PR campaign.
Planning Dying Matters Awareness Week for 2027?
Dying Matters Awareness Week usually runs in early May; the 2027 dates have not yet been announced. Talk to the team about a broadcast PR campaign that gets your spokesperson on radio and TV.
