Tell Us Once: Death Notification Service
Tell Us Once is a cross-government service making death or birth notification simple. You can report a death to most government organisations on one occasion.
TELL US ONCE SERVICE DEATH: In most cases, you can register a death yourself to the registrar who will then:
- Give you the 'Tell Us Once' phone number (if it is available in your area).
- Give you a unique reference number for using the Tell Us Once service online (or by telephone).
You need some details of the deceased person to use the Tell Us Once death service, including their:
- Date of birth, National Insurance number, and Passport number.
- Driving licence number and vehicle registration number.
As a rule, you will also need some details or personal information on:
- The full name and address of their next of kin, surviving spouse, or civil partner.
- Any benefits or entitlements they were receiving (e.g. the State Pension).
- Any local council services they had entitlement to (e.g. the Blue Badge scheme).
- Any public sector or armed forces pension schemes that they were either getting or paying in to.
- The name, address, and the contact details of the person or the company dealing with the estate. This is an 'executor' or 'administrator' and refers to belongings, money, and property.
Note: You need permission before giving out certain contact details. They include the next of kin, the executor, or the administrator. The same applies to anyone who was claiming joint benefits or entitlements with the person who died.
Organisations Notified by Tell Us Once
If you use the Tell Us Once death notification service they will then notify:
- HM Revenue and Customs.
- HMRC deal with personal tax. Thus, you will need to contact HMRC bereavement helpline for business taxes (e.g. VAT).
- Department for Work and Pensions.
- The DWP deal with benefits (e.g. Income Support).
- Passport Office to cancel a British passport.
- Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.
- The DVLA deal with driving licences and can remove a person as the keeper (for up to 5 vehicles).
- The local council.
- Local authorities deal with Council Tax Benefit, Housing Benefit, the Blue Badge scheme. They will also inform council housing services and remove a person from the electoral register and the 'open register'.
- Veterans UK (e.g. if you need to update or cancel payments received through the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme).
- Social Security Scotland (e.g. for canceling certain types of benefits and entitlements paid by the Scottish Government)
Note: If the deceased person owned land or property you will need to update property records when someone dies yourself.
If Tell Us Once is Unavailable
The Tell Us Once service is available throughout most of the United Kingdom. But, you will need to inform some organisations about the death yourself if:
- You decide not to use the Tell Us Once service or the local register office is unable to offer it.
- The person died outside the United Kingdom in a country where the Tell Us Once service is unavailable.
The service is not yet available in Northern Ireland or any of these local authorities:
- Brighton and Hove
- East Sussex
- Eastbourne
- Harrow
- Hastings
- Lewes
- Liverpool
- Manchester
- Medway
- Rother
- Wealden
Telling Banks and Financial Organisations
The person who died may have had a bank account, a mortgage, insurance policy, or a pension. You will need to contact the provider to change the details in the accounts or close them.
ALSO IN THIS SECTION
After a Death: Find out how to register a death, deal with a coroner, and arrange a funeral.
Tax, Benefits, and Entitlement: Which government organisations to notify if someone dies.
If a Child or Baby Dies: You may need to report the death of a child to other organisations.
Death Abroad: A list of things you should do if a United Kingdom citizen dies overseas.
Who to Notify when Someone Dies in the United Kingdom