Using the Tell Us Once Service After a Death

After registering a death, one of the most useful things you can do next is use the Tell Us Once service. It's a free government service that reports a death to most government organisations in a single go, over 80% of deaths in the UK are now reported this way, so it's worth knowing how it works.

What It Is

Tell Us Once lets you notify most central and local government departments about a death in one session, either online or by phone, rather than contacting each one separately. It's run by the Department for Work and Pensions and is entirely optional, though most families find it saves a considerable amount of time and difficult phone calls.

It's available in England, Scotland, and Wales. Northern Ireland runs a separate system, if the person who died lived in Northern Ireland, you'll need to contact each department individually instead, including the Department for Communities, the Driver & Vehicle Agency, and Land & Property Services.

How to Access It

You can only use Tell Us Once after the death has been registered. At the register office, the registrar will either complete the service with you there and then, or give you a unique reference number so you can do it yourself later, online at GOV.UK or by calling 0800 085 7308.

You must use the reference number within 28 days of it being issued, so it's worth doing sooner rather than later if you can.

If the death hasn't been registered yet because a coroner is involved, you may still be able to get a reference number in some areas once the coroner has issued an interim "Fact of Death" certificate, your registrar can advise on this.

What You'll Need

Having these details ready makes the process quicker:

• The person's date of birth and last address
• National Insurance number
• Driving licence number, if they had one
• Vehicle registration number(s), if applicable
• Passport number, if they had one
• Details of any benefits or entitlements they were receiving

Who Gets Notified

Tell Us Once can pass details on to:

• HMRC, for personal tax, Child Benefit, and Tax Credits (business taxes like VAT need a separate call)
• The Department for Work and Pensions, to stop benefits and entitlements such as State Pension or Universal Credit
• HM Passport Office, to cancel a British passport
• The DVLA, to cancel a driving licence and remove the person as registered keeper of up to five vehicles (this doesn't cover selling a vehicle or transferring it to someone else, that still needs a separate DVLA contact)
• Your local council, for Council Tax, Housing Benefit, Blue Badge, council housing, and removal from the electoral register
• Veterans UK, if they received War Pension or Armed Forces Compensation Scheme payments
• Social Security Scotland, for Scottish benefits, if the person lived in Scotland

What It Doesn't Cover

Tell Us Once only notifies government and council services. You'll still need to contact these separately:

• Banks and building societies
• Private and workplace pensions
• Employers
• Utility, phone, and broadband providers
• Insurance companies
• Mortgage providers and landlords

If You Don't Have a Reference Number

If you're unable to use Tell Us Once, whether that's because the death was in Northern Ireland, the 28-day window has passed, or you never received a reference number, GOV.UK sets out how to contact each department individually. For HMRC specifically, you can call the Bereavement Helpline, or if you're unable to call, fill in form P1000 to let them know who's dealing with the person's affairs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Tell Us Once compulsory?

No, it's entirely optional. Some families choose to contact departments individually instead, though Tell Us Once is generally the quicker route.

What happens after I use it?

Each organisation that's been notified will update its own records and may write to you separately with next steps, this can take a little time, so don't worry if you don't hear back from all of them at once.

Can someone else use Tell Us Once on my behalf?

Yes, as long as you have the reference number and the relevant details about the person who died, you don't have to be the next of kin to use the service, though you'll need the agreement of anyone whose information you're providing.

Does Tell Us Once notify my bank?

No. Banks and building societies aren't covered, you'll need to contact them separately, most have a dedicated bereavement team to help with this.

Related reading: Getting a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death · How to Register a Death in the UK