Tell Us Once Service: Notify Government of a Death in One Go

When someone you love dies, the last thing you want to face is a mountain of phone calls and letters to government departments. Fortunately, the Tell Us Once service exists precisely to take that burden off your shoulders — allowing you to notify government of a death across multiple departments in a single step.

This guide explains exactly what Tell Us Once does, how to access it, what information you'll need, and — importantly — what it doesn't cover, so you're not caught off guard later.

What Is the Tell Us Once Service?

Tell Us Once is a free service provided by the UK Government that allows you to report a death to most government organisations in one go, rather than contacting each one individually. It is available in England, Scotland, and Wales (Northern Ireland has a separate process — see below).

Before Tell Us Once existed, bereaved families had to contact every relevant government body separately — often spending days on hold or writing multiple letters at a deeply difficult time. The service was introduced to streamline this process, and in 2026 it remains one of the most practically useful tools available to those dealing with an estate.

Which Government Departments Does Tell Us Once Notify?

When you use Tell Us Once, the service can automatically inform the following organisations on your behalf:

• HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) — to deal with any tax affairs, including Income Tax, tax credits, and Child Benefit
• Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) — to stop or reassess benefits such as State Pension, Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment (PIP), and Attendance Allowance
• Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) — to cancel the person's driving licence
• HM Passport Office — to cancel the person's passport
• The local council — to stop or update Council Tax, Housing Benefit, a Blue Badge, and to update the electoral register
• Veterans UK — if the person received a war pension or compensation payment
• The Identity and Passport Service — to update records accordingly

If the deceased was a public sector employee or pensioner, Tell Us Once can also notify their former employer or pension provider — though this applies only to public sector pensions, not private ones.

How to Access the Tell Us Once Service

The most common way to access Tell Us Once is through the Register Office when you register the death. After the death has been formally registered, the registrar will give you a unique Tell Us Once reference number. You can then use this number to complete the process either:

• Online at gov.uk/tell-us-once — the quickest and most convenient method
• By phone — the registrar will provide the relevant number, and a Tell Us Once adviser will guide you through the process over the telephone

You have 28 days from receiving your reference number to use the service. If you miss this window, you will need to contact each government department individually.

What Information Will You Need?

Before you begin, it helps to have the following to hand:

• The Tell Us Once reference number provided by the registrar
• The deceased person's date of birth and date of death
• Their National Insurance number
• Their driving licence number (if applicable)
• Their passport number (if applicable)
• Details of any benefits or tax credits they were receiving
• The name and address of their next of kin or the person dealing with the estate
• Contact details of the deceased's solicitor or executor (if known)

The more information you have available, the smoother the process will be — though you can still use the service if some details are unavailable.

Who Can Use Tell Us Once?

Tell Us Once can be used by:

• The next of kin of the deceased
• A legal representative (such as a solicitor)
• Another person who is authorised to deal with the estate

If you are completing the process on behalf of someone else, you will need to confirm your relationship to the deceased.

What Tell Us Once Does NOT Cover

It's crucial to understand that Tell Us Once is a government service — it only communicates with government departments and public bodies. There are many important organisations you will still need to contact separately. These include:

Financial Institutions

• Banks and building societies — you must contact these directly to freeze accounts and begin the process of releasing funds to the estate
• Credit card companies — to close accounts and settle any outstanding balances
• Mortgage lenders — particularly important if the deceased owned property
• Private pension providers — Tell Us Once only covers public sector pensions; all private or workplace pension schemes must be notified directly
• Investment and ISA providers
• Life insurance companies — to make a claim on any life insurance policy

Utilities and Subscriptions

• Gas, electricity, and water suppliers
• Broadband and telephone providers
• TV Licence (notify TV Licensing directly)
• Streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Spotify
• Magazine or newspaper subscriptions

Other Important Notifications

• The deceased's GP and dentist — to remove them from patient lists
• Their employer (if they were still working) — to arrange final pay and any death-in-service benefits
• Private healthcare providers or insurers
• Royal Mail — if you wish to redirect post from their address
• Social media platforms — to memorialise or close accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and similar services
• HMRC again, directly — if the estate is complex or if there is a requirement to complete a Self Assessment tax return for the year of death

Creating a checklist of everything that needs to be done can feel overwhelming, but working through it methodically — or with professional support — makes the process more manageable. NAFD-accredited funeral directors are often a helpful first point of contact; while their core role is arranging the funeral, many have deep experience in supporting families through the administrative side of bereavement and can point you towards the right resources.

Tell Us Once in Northern Ireland

Tell Us Once operates differently in Northern Ireland. The service is available, but it is delivered through the nidirect government service rather than the national gov.uk platform. When registering a death in Northern Ireland, the registrar will advise you on how to proceed. The range of departments notified may differ slightly from the England, Scotland, and Wales version, so it's worth asking the registrar exactly what is covered in your area.

What Happens After You Use Tell Us Once?

Once you submit your information, each relevant government department will update their records and contact you — usually by letter — to let you know what happens next. For example:

• HMRC may write to confirm the deceased's tax affairs are closed or to advise if a final tax return is needed
• DWP will stop any benefits payments and may contact you if there are any outstanding overpayments or underpayments to resolve
• The local council will update Council Tax records; depending on the circumstances (such as a surviving spouse or partner living in the property), a discount or exemption may apply
• DVLA will process the cancellation of the driving licence

Keep copies of any reference numbers and correspondence you receive. If you are acting as executor or administrator of the estate, this paperwork will form part of your records.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Using Tell Us Once

1. Register the death — you must do this within 5 days in England and Wales (8 days in Scotland). The registrar will issue the death certificate and your Tell Us Once reference number.
2. Gather your information — collect the deceased's National Insurance number, passport, driving licence, and details of any benefits or pensions they received.
3. Choose your method — decide whether to complete Tell Us Once online at gov.uk or over the phone. Online is usually faster.
4. Submit your notification — work through the service, confirming which departments are relevant to the deceased's circumstances.
5. Note what isn't covered — use the confirmation screen or letter to identify what you still need to handle separately.
6. Contact remaining organisations — work through your own checklist for banks, utilities, private pensions, and other services.
7. Keep records — save or print your confirmation and retain all subsequent correspondence from government departments.

A Note on Bereavement Support

Using Tell Us Once does not mean everything is resolved — it simply starts the process of unwinding the deceased's relationship with government services. The weeks following a death involve a great deal of practical administration alongside profound emotional grief, and it's important to be kind to yourself and ask for help when you need it.

If you haven't yet arranged the funeral, or if you're supporting a family who is still in the very early stages, finding a trustworthy funeral director can make a significant difference. NAFD member funeral directors are bound by a strict Code of Practice, independently monitored, and supported by a free Funeral Arbitration Scheme — so you can be confident you're in safe hands. Many families find that having a professional to guide them through the funeral arrangements frees up vital emotional and practical capacity for everything else that needs to be done.

You can also use our funeral cost calculator to get a clearer picture of what to expect financially, helping you plan with confidence during a difficult time.

Find an NAFD Funeral Director Near You

If you're in the early stages of making funeral arrangements, our directory makes it simple to find a trusted, accredited funeral director in your area. Every NAFD member is committed to transparency, compassion, and the highest professional standards — because when it matters most, you deserve nothing less.

Search for an NAFD-accredited funeral director near you →