Tell Us Once: Report a Death to Government in One Step

Tell Us Once is a free government service that lets you report a death to most national and local government organisations in one go. It is one of the genuinely kind parts of this process, saving you hours of phone calls and paperwork at a time when you have quite enough to carry.

Free

No cost to use

28 days

Deadline to use it

Departments notified

Online

Or by phone

Tell Us Once is available in England, Wales, and Scotland. It is not available in Northern Ireland, where you need to contact each department separately. See our Northern Ireland guide for what to do instead.

What does Tell Us Once do?

Tell Us Once notifies the DWP (state pension and benefits), HMRC (tax and National Insurance), DVLA (driving licence, and removal as registered keeper of up to 5 vehicles), HM Passport Office, your local council (council tax, electoral roll, Blue Badge, library cards, housing benefit), Social Security Scotland, and public sector pension schemes (NHS, Civil Service, Armed Forces, local government). It does not cover banks, building societies, utility companies, insurance providers, or private pensions.

How do I use Tell Us Once?

The registrar gives you a unique reference number when you register the death. Use it at gov.uk/tell-us-once or call 0800 085 7308 within 28 days of that number being issued. Have their National Insurance number, benefit details, and driving licence or passport numbers to hand if you can find them.

How to use Tell Us Once: step by step

One thing to do first, if they had a Motability car

Please ring Motability on 0300 456 4566 before you use Tell Us Once. Motability are clear that once Tell Us Once has gone through, the vehicle can no longer be driven. If you speak to them first, the family can usually keep using the car for up to two weeks while you make other arrangements. It is a small thing that is very easily missed, and it can leave you without transport at the worst possible moment.

Register the death

Book an appointment at the register office for the area where they died. In England and Wales you have 5 days; in Scotland, 8 days. The registrar will explain Tell Us Once and hand you a reference number while you are there.

Gather what you can

Before you start, gather their National Insurance number, details of any benefits or tax credits they received, their driving licence and passport numbers, and details of any council services they used. You do not need every single one, but having them to hand makes it quicker.

Use it online or by phone

Go to gov.uk/tell-us-once, or call the number the registrar gives you (usually 0800 085 7308). Enter your reference number and follow the prompts. Online it takes around 15 minutes.

Use it within 28 days

The service must be used within 28 days of getting your unique reference number, so the clock starts when the registrar hands it to you rather than at the registration itself. If that date passes, you would need to contact each government department yourself, which takes considerably longer, so it is worth setting a reminder.

What information you need

Gather as much of this as you can before you start. You do not need every item, but each one helps things go smoothly:

Your Tell Us Once reference number (from the registrar)
Their National Insurance number
Details of any benefits or tax credits they received
Their driving licence number
Their passport number
Council tax account number
Blue Badge details (if they had one)
Details of any public sector pension (NHS, Teachers, Civil Service, Armed Forces)

What Tell Us Once covers

DWP: All benefits: State Pension, Universal Credit, PIP, Attendance Allowance, ESA, Carer's Allowance, and more
HMRC: Income tax, National Insurance, tax credits
DVLA: Cancels the driving licence, removes the person as registered keeper of up to 5 vehicles, and ends the vehicle tax. You must still tell DVLA separately if you sell a vehicle, keep one, or want to keep a personalised registration number
HM Passport Office: Cancels the passport. There is no option here to ask for the passport back, so if you would like it as a keepsake, use form D1 instead
Local council: Council tax, electoral register, Blue Badge, library cards, housing benefit
Public sector pensions: NHS, Civil Service, Armed Forces, local government, and the Scottish Public Pension Agency schemes
Veterans UK: Armed Forces compensation and pension schemes
Social Security Scotland: Devolved Scottish benefits

What you still need to do yourself

Worth knowing: Tell Us Once covers government departments only, so there is still a list of private organisations to contact yourself. Our template letters will save you time writing them, and the complete notification list has contact details for each one.

Banks and building societies: Use the free Death Notification Service at deathnotificationservice.co.uk to notify multiple banks at once
Private and workplace pensions: Check for death-in-service benefits through the employer too
Insurance companies: Life, home, car, travel, and pet insurance. Check with the motor insurer before anyone drives the car, since cover is not guaranteed to continue, and arrange cover before anyone drives the car
Mortgage lender: Check whether the mortgage had life insurance attached
Utility companies: Gas, electricity, water. Transfer to surviving occupant or close the account
Phone and broadband providers: Cancel or transfer contracts. You may be entitled to exit without penalty
TV Licensing: Cancel or transfer. Refunds are available for unused months
GP surgery and NHS dentist: Notify so records can be updated
Employer: Ask about outstanding salary, holiday pay, and death-in-service benefits
Landlord or housing association: Give appropriate notice. Check tenancy terms for your rights
Subscriptions: Streaming, gym, magazines, charities, breakdown cover
Royal Mail: Set up post redirection through their special circumstances service. There is a charge, and current prices are on royalmail.com. It catches mail from organisations you may not know about
Social media and email: Facebook and Instagram can be memorialised or deleted. Google has an Inactive Account Manager

Related: See our step-by-step guide for the full process after a death. Use template letters to notify banks and utility companies. Browse our phone directory for contact numbers, or check what benefits you may be entitled to.

Common questions about Tell Us Once

What is Tell Us Once?

Tell Us Once is a free government service that lets you report a death to most national and local government organisations in a single notification. It saves you contacting each department individually. It is available in England, Wales, and Scotland, but not in Northern Ireland.

How do I get a Tell Us Once reference number?

The registrar gives you a unique Tell Us Once reference number when you register the death. You cannot use the service without this number, and you have 28 days from the day it is issued to use it. If you forget to ask, contact the register office afterwards and they can provide it.

Can I use Tell Us Once online?

Yes. You can use it online at gov.uk/tell-us-once at any time, or by phone. The registrar will give you the number to call along with your reference number, and the line most people are given is 0800 085 7308.

What happens if I miss the 28-day deadline?

The 28 days run from the day you are given your unique reference number, not from the registration itself. If that time passes, you would need to contact each government department yourself. It is not the end of the world, and it is always worth ringing the register office to ask before you assume the worst.

Does Tell Us Once notify banks?

No. Tell Us Once only covers government departments and public sector pension schemes. It does not notify banks, building societies, private pension providers, insurers, utility companies, or any private organisations. You need to contact all of these yourself.

Is Tell Us Once available in Northern Ireland?

No. Tell Us Once is not available in Northern Ireland. If the death occurred in Northern Ireland, you need to contact each government department and council service individually. The registrar can advise you on who to contact.

What information do I need to use Tell Us Once?

You need the Tell Us Once reference number from the registrar, their National Insurance number if you know it, details of any benefits or tax credits they received, their driving licence number, their passport number, and details of any local council services they used (council tax, Blue Badge, library cards, and so on).

Does Tell Us Once stop benefit payments automatically?

Yes. Tell Us Once notifies the DWP, which will stop the benefits that were being paid to them. If you are their surviving husband, wife, or partner, your own benefits will not be affected, though you may need to speak to the DWP separately about changes to your household income or about claiming Bereavement Support Payment.

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Important

This information is for general guidance only. It is not legal, financial, or tax advice. Laws and regulations change. Always verify current details with the relevant authority. This guide covers England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have different rules. Last reviewed: August 2026. If you spot an error, please contact us. See our editorial policy.