Tell Us Once: How to Notify UK Government Departments After a Death¶

Tell Us Once is the closest thing the UK has to a single point of contact after someone dies. One online session, or one phone call, notifies a list of government departments at the same time. It's genuinely useful, and it's genuinely misnamed.

Because "Tell Us Once" implies you only have to tell people once. You don't, not even close.

Tell Us Once handles the government side. It does not touch banks, pension providers (other than public-sector schemes), insurers, utility companies, the NHS, solicitors, or the dozens of private organisations you'll still need to contact yourself. Use it; absolutely use it; but treat it as a starting point, not a finish line.

This guide is for England, Wales, and Scotland. Northern Ireland has a separate process.

If you can only do one thing today: Use your Tell Us Once reference number before it expires (28 days from registration). The session takes around 15 minutes and saves hours of individual phone calls. [source: gov-uk/tell-us-once-2026-04-29.html]

Getting the reference number¶

When you register the death, the registrar will either give you a Tell Us Once reference number to use online or by phone, or they'll walk you through the service at the appointment itself. Practice varies by local authority. [source: gov-uk/tell-us-once-2026-04-29.html]

If you weren't given a reference number at registration and want one, contact the local Register Office that recorded the death; they can issue one retrospectively while the 28-day window is still open.

How to use it¶

You can use Tell Us Once online at gov.uk/tell-us-once or by phone on the number given at registration.

You'll need:

The Tell Us Once reference number
The deceased's date of birth, date of death, and National Insurance number
Details of any benefits or pensions they were receiving
Details of any surviving spouse or civil partner
Names and addresses of the people who'll be dealing with the estate
Your own contact details and any relevant relationship to the deceased

The session itself takes around 15 minutes once you have everything in front of you. [source: gov-uk/tell-us-once-2026-04-29.html]

What Tell Us Once notifies¶

The service contacts, in a single submission [source: gov-uk/tell-us-once-2026-04-29.html]:

DWP (Department for Work and Pensions) for State Pension and benefits
HMRC for tax records, including PAYE and any outstanding refunds or liabilities
HM Passport Office to cancel the passport
DVLA to cancel the driving licence
The local council for council tax, electoral register, Blue Badge, council housing, and library memberships
Veterans UK for war pensions or Armed Forces Compensation, if applicable
Public-sector pensions (NHS, Teachers', Civil Service, Armed Forces, local government), if the deceased was a member

Each of those bodies handles the notification on its own timetable. You'll start receiving letters from them in the days and weeks that follow.

What Tell Us Once does not notify¶

This is the list nobody prepares you for. Each of these still needs to be contacted directly:

Banks and building societies — every account, every institution, individually
Private and workplace pensions that aren't on the public-sector list
Insurance companies — life, home, car, travel, health
Utility companies — gas, electricity, water, broadband, phone, TV licence
The NHS — GP surgery, dentist, optician, hospital appointments
Mortgage lender — even if the bank is notified, the mortgage division is usually separate
Credit card companies and personal loans
Subscription services — streaming, gym, app subscriptions, regular charity donations
Social media accounts — each platform has its own memorialisation or deletion process
Royal Mail — for post redirection
Solicitors holding a will or managing ongoing legal matters
Employer, if the deceased was still working
Landlord, if the deceased was renting
Professional bodies — memberships, subscriptions, trade associations

This is where the real work of bereavement administration sits, in the 30 or so individual conversations that follow Tell Us Once. The government side is the small part.

After you use it¶

In the weeks after submission, you should expect [source: gov-uk/tell-us-once-2026-04-29.html]:

Confirmation from HMRC about the deceased's tax position, including any refund due to the estate or outstanding liability
Confirmation that the State Pension has been stopped, often with a note about any payments made after the date of death that need returning to DWP
Cancellation confirmation for the passport and driving licence
A council tax adjustment (the property may be exempt from council tax for up to 6 months while it remains unoccupied and part of the estate)

If you don't hear from one of the listed organisations within 4 weeks, contact them directly with the reference number. The service occasionally fails to reach a department, and following up directly is straightforward. [source: gov-uk/tell-us-once-2026-04-29.html]

Common questions¶

Can someone else use Tell Us Once on my behalf? Yes. Anyone with the reference number and the required details can use the service. You don't have to be the person who registered the death.

What if I miss the 28-day window? The reference number expires 28 days after registration. If you miss it, you'll need to contact each government department individually. It's more work, not a disaster. [source: gov-uk/tell-us-once-2026-04-29.html]

Does it cover Scotland? Yes. Tell Us Once works the same way in Scotland.

Does it cover Northern Ireland? No. Northern Ireland uses a separate Bereavement Service through nidirect; contact NI Direct for the equivalent process. [source: gov-uk/tell-us-once-2026-04-29.html]

What about the State Pension? Tell Us Once stops the State Pension. Any payments made after the date of death will usually need to be returned to DWP, and the department will write to you about this. If a surviving spouse or civil partner is entitled to inherit pension rights, DWP will explain the next step in their letter.

What to do next¶

Once Tell Us Once is in motion, the next priorities for most families are:

Contact each bank and building society directly. → Do I need probate? explains how to find out which accounts can be released without a grant.
Cancel or transfer utility accounts.
If applicable, apply for Bereavement Support Payment (a separate DWP application, not part of Tell Us Once).
Begin valuing the estate for probate. → How to apply for probate

What this guide doesn't cover¶

This page is for England, Wales, and Scotland. Northern Ireland's process runs through nidirect's Bereavement Service rather than Tell Us Once. A separate Northern Irish guide is planned.

If you're struggling, you don't have to do this alone. Samaritans (116 123, 24/7) | Cruse Bereavement Care (0808 808 1677) | Mind (0300 123 3393)

Next: Do I Need Probate?

Last verified: 29 April 2026 against gov.uk/tell-us-once.