Tell Us Once: report a death to government

By SwiftWillUpdated 25 September 2026England and Wales

Quick answer

Tell Us Once is a government service that reports a death to HMRC, DWP, the Passport Office, DVLA, the local council and some other public bodies in one go. The registrar either completes it with you or gives you a reference number, which you must use within 28 days. It does not contact banks, insurers, utility companies or most private pensions.

How does Tell Us Once work?

The registrar explains the service when you register the death. According to GOV.UK, they either complete it with you or give you a unique reference number to use online or by phone.

Register the death: see how to register a death.
Get the reference number from the registrar, or complete the service with them.
Use it within 28 days online or by phone, with the details listed below.
The organisations act: benefits stop, the passport and driving licence are cancelled, and council services are updated. HMRC and DWP then contact you about tax and benefits.

GOV.UK notes it can take at least 30 days for HMRC to contact you after you use the service.

Who can use Tell Us Once?

You can use it if the person lived in England, Scotland or Wales, including if they died while temporarily abroad. The death must be registered, or reported to a coroner with a final or interim death certificate issued. It is not available if the person lived in Northern Ireland or had moved abroad permanently. You need permission from any surviving spouse or civil partner, next of kin, executor or administrator before giving their details. If the person lived in Northern Ireland, FuneralFinder's Tell Us Once guide explains the separate process there.

Which organisations does Tell Us Once contact?

It contacts these government organisations and schemes:

Organisations notified by Tell Us Once, from GOV.UK (checked 24 September 2026)
Organisation	What it does
HM Revenue and Customs	Deals with personal tax and cancels benefits and credits such as Child Benefit
Department for Work and Pensions	Cancels benefits and entitlements such as Universal Credit or State Pension
Passport Office	Cancels a British passport
DVLA	Cancels a driving licence, removes the person as keeper of up to 5 vehicles and ends the vehicle tax
Local council	Cancels Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction and a Blue Badge, informs council housing and removes the person from the electoral register
Veterans UK	Cancels or updates Armed Forces Compensation Scheme payments
Social Security Scotland	Cancels Scottish Government benefits such as Scottish Child Payment
Public sector pension schemes	Armed Forces, Civil Service, Local Government and NHS (England and Wales) schemes, the Pension Protection Fund and Financial Assistance Scheme, and some Scottish public schemes

Who do you still need to contact yourself?

You contact financial and private organisations yourself, usually with a death certificate. GOV.UK lists banks, mortgage providers, insurers, companies the person had contracts with (such as utility companies, landlords or housing associations), and personal or workplace pension schemes it does not cover. You may also need to update property records and contact the Student Loans Company. For banks, see bank accounts after a death.

What information do you need?

Have these details ready before you start:

the Tell Us Once reference number;
the person's surname, date of death and National Insurance number if they were in a listed pension scheme;
the name and contact details of the executor or administrator;
the surviving spouse or civil partner's name, address, phone number and National Insurance number or date of birth, or else the next of kin's details;
the passport number and town of birth, driving licence number and vehicle registrations, if any;
details of benefits, State Pension, council services, Blue Badge and any armed forces payments.

Why use it early?

Benefits paid after a death are an overpayment that must be repaid from the estate, so stopping them promptly avoids a later bill. The executor then has one less set of letters to handle. The order of the remaining tasks is in the executor checklist and what to do when someone dies.

Sources

Sources checked 24 September 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Who does Tell Us Once notify?

HMRC, the Department for Work and Pensions, the Passport Office, DVLA, the local council, Veterans UK and Social Security Scotland. It also tells some public sector pension schemes, including the Civil Service, NHS, Local Government and Armed Forces schemes.

Who does Tell Us Once not notify?

Banks, mortgage providers, insurers, personal and workplace pensions outside the public sector schemes it covers, utility companies, landlords and housing associations. You contact those yourself.

How long do I have to use Tell Us Once?

You must use the service within 28 days of getting your unique reference number from the registrar. If you cannot use it, you can contact each organisation yourself instead.

Can I use Tell Us Once if there is an inquest?

Yes. If the death cannot be registered yet because an inquest is under way, you can ask a registrar for a reference number once you have an interim death certificate from the coroner.

Can I use Tell Us Once if the person lived in Northern Ireland?

No. The service is for people who lived in England, Scotland or Wales, including those temporarily abroad when they died. It is not available if they lived in Northern Ireland or had moved abroad permanently.

Can I use Tell Us Once if a child has died?

Yes. GOV.UK says you can use it if a child or baby has died, but you must tell the Department for Work and Pensions separately if you get benefits because you are their parent or carer.