The first video goes through the basics of what needs to be done after a death. You may also want our own Guides to Probate and the information you need for the Registrar to register the death. Our mission is to point you in the right direction for help, and if you do feel you need professional help, give us a call on 03 300 102 300 or use the form here to give us some details of the estate and of the sort of help you need – the page explains the options.
Video What to do after a death
Find information about the process in YOUR AREA with contact details.
This video tells you about the Tell Us Once Service
Please do use the Tell Us Once Service
Find information about the process in YOUR AREA with contact details.
Organisations Tell Us Once will contact
Tell Us Once will notify:
- HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) – to deal with personal tax and to cancel benefits and credits, for example Child Benefit and tax credits
- Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) – to cancel benefits and entitlements, for example Universal Credit or State Pension
- Passport Office – to cancel a British passport
- Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) – to cancel a licence, remove the person as the keeper of up to 5 vehicles and end the vehicle tax
- the local council – to cancel Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction (sometimes called Council Tax Support), a Blue Badge, inform council housing services and remove the person from the electoral register
- Veterans UK – to cancel or update Armed Forces Compensation Scheme payments
- Social Security Scotland – to cancel benefits and entitlements from the Scottish Government, for example Scottish Child Payment
HMRC and DWP will contact you about the tax, benefits and entitlements of the person who died.Tell Us Once will also contact some public sector pension schemes so that they cancel future pension payments. They’ll notify:
- Armed Forces Pension Scheme
- NHS Pensions for NHS staff in England and Wales
- Scottish Public Pension Agency schemes for NHS staff, teachers, police and firefighters in Scotland
- Pension Protection Fund and Financial Assistance Scheme
- Local Government Pension Schemes (LGPS)
After you use Tell Us Once
To close or change the details of the person’s financial accounts, you’ll need to contact organisations like:
- banks
- mortgage providers
- insurance providers
- companies that the person had contracts with, like utility companies, landlords or housing associations
- personal or workplace pension schemes, unless they’re one of the public sector pension schemes that Tell Us Once contacts
You may also need to:
- update the property records, if the person owned land or property
- contact DVLA, if the person owned a vehicle and you sell it or keep it and tax it in your own name
- contact HMRC, if the person owed business taxes like VAT