Tell Us Once Service: when someone has died

How the service can help you

When someone dies, their death needs to be registered with the Registrar. Once thats done, other organisations may also need to be contacted and given the same information.

For a British Sign Language (BSL) guide please see the Tell Us Once service video on the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) YouTube channel.

We will provide a unique reference number to use the DWP Tell Us Once service. They will then pass on this information to a number of other government departments and local council services for you.

What you will need to use the service

To make sure the DWP can pass on the right information it will help to have the following information about the person who has died:

  • their National Insurance number and date of birth
  • details of any benefits and local council services they were getting (eg the State Pension or a Blue Badge)
  • their death certificate
  • their driving licence or driving licence number
  • their passport or passport number
  • town/country of birth;
  • their next of kin
  • a surviving husband, wife or civil partner
  • the name, address and contact details of the person or company who are dealing with their estate (property, belongings and money), known as their executor or administrator

You must have the permission of the persons listed above if you are going to provide the DWP with information about them.

On a weekly basis Registrars inform Council Tax and Public Health of all deaths within their district.

What happens to the information?

If you decide to use the Tell us Once service, the DWP will tell the following organisations:

  • DWP
  • The Pension, Disability and Carers Service
  • Jobcentre Plus
  • Overseas Health Team
  • Ministry of Defence, Service Personnel and Veterans Agency
  • War Pensions Scheme
  • HM Revenue and Customs
  • Child Benefit
  • Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit
  • Personal Taxation
  • Local Councils
  • Housing Benefit Office
  • DVLA
  • Passport Office
  • Council Tax Benefit Office

After a death

Using Tell Us Once will tell the right areas of both local and central government so they can:

  • work out final payments of benefits for the person who has died (including the State Pension)
  • make arrangements for Income Tax, National Insurance and Council Tax
  • cancel the passport and/or driving licence of the person who has died (if youve provided this information)
  • let local council services know so they can make arrangements about council housing and Blue Badge schemes
  • make sure the persons name is removed from the electoral register (also known as the electoral roll)

You may also need to inform banks, building societies and utilities of the death.

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