---
title: "Tell Us Once"
description: "One reference reports a death to DWP, HMRC, Passport Office, DVLA and the council. The registrar gives you the number."
url: "https://swiftwill.co.uk/tell-us-once/"
author: "Marcus Kaiser"
date_modified: "2026-08-12"
---

# Tell Us Once

Tell Us Once is the free government service that reports a death to HMRC, DWP, the Passport Office, DVLA and your local council in a single submission. You get a unique reference when you register the death, then use it online or by phone within 28 days. It does not contact banks, private pensions or utilities — you handle those separately.

> SwiftWill provides legal information and software for England & Wales under Section 9 of the Wills Act 1837. Figures are taken from gov.uk, legislation.gov.uk and HMCTS, checked 12 August 2026. We have not given you legal advice — this is general information.

## How does Tell Us Once work?

1. **Register the death** — see [how to register a death](/register-a-death/).
2. **Get your reference** — the registrar hands it over at the appointment (or posts it).
3. **Submit within 28 days** — online at gov.uk or by phone, using the reference plus the deceased's details.
4. **Departments act** — state pension and benefits stop, tax codes adjust, the passport and driving licence are cancelled, council tax and electoral roll update.

## What do you need for Tell Us Once?

- The Tell Us Once reference number
- The deceased's date of birth, address and date of death
- Details of any benefits or state pension they received
- Their passport number and driving licence number (if held)
- Name and address of the executor or next of kin

## Which organisations does Tell Us Once contact?

**Covered:** HMRC · DWP (state pension, Pension Credit, Attendance Allowance and
 other benefits) · Passport Office · DVLA · local council (council tax, electoral services,
 housing benefit, blue badge, adult social services) · public sector pensions · Veterans UK.

**Not covered:** banks and building societies, private and workplace pensions,
 insurers, mortgage lenders, utilities and telecoms, streaming and subscription services,
 premium bonds (NS&I), and employers. For the financial side, follow
 our [bank accounts after a death](/bank-accounts-after-death/) guide.

## Why does Tell Us Once matter for the estate?

Benefits and state pension paid after the date of death become an overpayment that must be
 repaid from the estate — Tell Us Once stops that quickly and cleanly. It also prevents
 identity misuse: cancelled passports and licences can't be abused. If you are the
 executor, keep the confirmation alongside your
 other paperwork — the full sequence is in the [executor checklist](/executor-checklist/).

## Frequently asked questions

### Who does Tell Us Once notify?

HM Revenue & Customs, the Department for Work and Pensions (state pension and benefits), the Passport Office, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, the local council (council tax, electoral roll, housing benefit, blue badge), and public sector pension schemes — all in one submission.

### Who does Tell Us Once NOT notify?

Banks, building societies, private and workplace pension providers, insurers, mortgage lenders, utilities, subscription services and employers. You must contact those yourself, armed with the death certificate.

### How do I get a Tell Us Once reference number?

The registrar gives it to you when you register the death — either at the end of the appointment or on a letter they send. You then have 28 days to use the service online or by phone.

### Can the executor use Tell Us Once, or only family?

The next of kin or the person dealing with the estate (executor or administrator) can use it. You will need the deceased's date of birth, address, date of death, and details of benefits, passport and driving licence.

### Is Tell Us Once mandatory?

No, but it saves hours of phone calls and letters to individual departments, and it stops benefit overpayments (which otherwise have to be clawed back from the estate). Use it.

Canonical HTML: https://swiftwill.co.uk/tell-us-once/
Markdown: https://swiftwill.co.uk/tell-us-once.md
Last modified: 2026-08-12
Author: Marcus Kaiser (https://swiftwill.co.uk/author/marcus-kaiser/)