Tell Us Once: Who It Notifies After a Death — and Who You Must Contact Yourself

Tell Us Once is a free government service that can save families considerable time after a death. But it doesn’t notify everybody, and there is an important warning about vehicle tax.

When someone dies, numerous organisations may need to be informed.

These include government departments, banks, pension providers, insurers, utility companies and other businesses.

Contacting everyone separately can be exhausting, particularly at an already difficult time.

Fortunately, the government’s Tell Us Once service allows you to report a death to most relevant government organisations in one go.

It is free to use and well worth taking advantage of.

However, there are some important limitations you need to understand.

What Is Tell Us Once?

Tell Us Once is a government notification service that helps prevent families having to contact individual government departments separately.

For example, it can notify the Department for Work and Pensions, HM Revenue & Customs, the Passport Office, DVLA and the local council.

It can also notify certain public-sector pension schemes.

Once the notifications have been sent, the relevant organisations deal with the information according to their responsibilities.

Tell Us Once does not administer the estate, close every account or replace the executor’s responsibilities.

How to Use Tell Us Once

When you register the death, the registrar will explain how to use the service.

They may complete the Tell Us Once process with you or provide a unique reference number.

You can then use that number to access the service online or by telephone.

You must use the reference number within 28 days of receiving it.

There is no charge.

Use Tell Us Once — official GOV.UK service

What if the Coroner Is Involved?

You may still be able to use Tell Us Once before the death has been formally registered.

Where an inquest is underway, and the coroner has issued an interim death certificate, you can ask the registrar about obtaining a Tell Us Once reference number.

This can allow important government notifications to proceed without waiting for the conclusion of a lengthy inquest.

What Information Will You Need?

Try to have the following information available:

• The deceased’s full name and date of death.
• Their National Insurance number, if known.
• Passport and driving licence details, where applicable.
• Vehicle registration numbers.
• Blue Badge details, if applicable.
• Details of state benefits or pensions.
• Details of the surviving spouse or civil partner.
• The name and contact details of the executor or person administering the estate.
• Details of relevant council services.

You may also need information about public-sector pension schemes, including the deceased’s National Insurance number.

You should obtain permission before providing another living person’s personal information where required, including that of a surviving spouse, civil partner, next of kin or executor.

Do not be discouraged if you cannot immediately find every reference number. The official guidance explains what information is necessary in your particular circumstances.

Which Organisations Does Tell Us Once Notify?

The service can notify relevant organisations including:

Organisation	Matters covered
Department for Work and Pensions	State Pension and benefits
HM Revenue & Customs	Personal tax and relevant benefits or credits
HM Passport Office	Cancellation of British passport
DVLA	Driving licence, registered keeper information and vehicle tax
Local council	Council Tax Reduction, Housing Benefit, Blue Badge, electoral registration and relevant council services
Veterans UK	Relevant Armed Forces compensation arrangements
Certain public-sector pension schemes	Notification to stop or adjust pension payments

The public-sector pension schemes covered include the Civil Service, NHS, Local Government and Armed Forces schemes, along with certain other specified arrangements.

Not every department or scheme will be relevant to every deceased person.

Important Warning: Vehicle Tax Is Not Transferable

This is a point I particularly want to emphasise.

When DVLA is informed of a death through Tell Us Once, the deceased’s vehicle tax is ended.

Vehicle tax does not transfer with the vehicle or automatically continue for the person who inherits or keeps it.

If a surviving spouse, child or other person intends to keep and use the vehicle, they must arrange the appropriate keeper details, insurance and vehicle tax before using it on public roads.

Do not assume the vehicle remains taxed merely because the deceased had already paid for the year.

The same issue can arise when notifying DVLA of a death without using Tell Us Once.

This is an easily overlooked problem at a difficult time.

Check the current requirements with DVLA before driving the vehicle.

Who Does Tell Us Once NOT Notify?

This is just as important as knowing who it does notify.

Tell Us Once generally does not notify the deceased’s private financial and commercial organisations.

You will normally still need to deal separately with:

• Banks, building societies and credit card providers.
• Mortgage lenders.
• Life insurance and other insurers.
• Gas, electricity and water suppliers.
• Telephone, broadband and television providers.
• Private and workplace pension providers not covered by the service.
• Landlords, letting agents and housing associations.
• Employers and business contacts.
• Clubs, subscriptions and other commercial organisations.

Some accounts may require a death certificate, while others may have their own bereavement notification procedures.

Keep a record of whom you have contacted, what they have requested and whether the matter has been completed.

That can prevent confusion and repeated correspondence.

Does Tell Us Once Notify Everyone About Pensions?

No.

Tell Us Once can contact certain public-sector pension schemes, but it does not cover all occupational or private pensions.

The executors or family may still need to contact other pension providers.

This is particularly important because pension death benefits may be payable to surviving dependants or nominated beneficiaries.

Check for pension paperwork, bank payments and correspondence before assuming there are no additional schemes.

Can Anybody Use Tell Us Once?

The service is available where the deceased was living in England, Wales or Scotland, including certain cases where they died temporarily abroad.

It is not available in the same way for someone who was permanently living abroad or resident in Northern Ireland.

The person using the service does not necessarily have to be the executor, but they must have the necessary information and permission to provide relevant details about living individuals.

The registrar can explain how to proceed.

What Happens If You Don’t Use Tell Us Once?

Tell Us Once is optional.

If you choose not to use it, or cannot use it, the necessary government organisations must be notified separately.

That can involve additional calls, correspondence and paperwork.

There is generally little advantage in avoiding the service when it is available, provided you understand what it does and does not cover.

A Final Warning About Bank Accounts and Powers of Attorney

Notifying government departments does not give you the legal authority to deal with the deceased’s estate.

You cannot use Tell Us Once to gain access to bank accounts or distribute assets.

A Lasting Power of Attorney or Enduring Power of Attorney ends when the donor dies.

Responsibility for estate administration then rests with the legally authorised personal representatives, usually the executors named in the Will or administrators appointed under the relevant rules.

Until the proper authority has been established, avoid using the deceased’s bank cards, transferring money or distributing possessions.

Save Yourself Time, But Keep a Record

Tell Us Once is a genuinely helpful service, and I recommend that families use it where available.

But don’t assume that a single notification completes every administrative task.

Prepare a list of organisations to contact, note when each was informed and keep copies of important correspondence.

The key message is simple: Tell Us Once saves time notifying government, but it doesn’t replace the work of administering an estate.

For practical local information, register offices and services following a death, visit The Probate Department’s Local Information pages.

For the official service, visit GOV.UK — Tell Us Once.

This guide provides general information for England and Wales. Government procedures and the organisations covered may change, so check the official GOV.UK service when making notifications.