Many people with heart failure either die or are admitted to the hospital in the first few months after the condition is diagnosed. The reasons for this are currently unclear- but may be due to worsening heart failure or other medical conditions such as angina, heart attack or sudden electrical problems of the heart. The investigators propose to recruit and follow-up 450 people, with a new diagnosis of heart failure for a minimum of six months in a multi-centre observational study at two hospital sites: The Hillingdon (Uxbridge) and The Conquest (Hastings) hospitals. The total study duration will be two years. People will be recruited after a diagnosis of heart failure is made and the study will assess reasons for death or admission to hospital and the psychological impact of the condition on both patients and their carers. This is an observational study and no change will be made to patients’ conventional treatment.