Tell Us Once
Service
Notify multiple government departments about a death in a single step. Available in England & Wales and Scotland.
Last reviewed: 5 March 2026
Tell Us Once is a free government service that lets you report a death to most central and local government organisations in a single step. Instead of contacting the DWP, HMRC, DVLA, Passport Office, and your local council separately, Tell Us Once handles all of these notifications at once. It is one of the first things to do after registering a death.
The service is available in England & Wales and Scotland. Northern Ireland does not have Tell Us Once, so you will need to notify organisations individually. For a full overview of everything you need to do, see our complete guide to what to do when someone dies.
Watch: how Tell Us Once works
A short explainer of what Tell Us Once is, who it notifies, and how to start.
How Tell Us Once works
Register the death
When you register the death at the registrar's office, the registrar will explain Tell Us Once and give you a unique reference number.
Complete Tell Us Once
Use your reference number to complete the Tell Us Once service either online or by phone. You will be asked for details about the person who died, including their National Insurance number, date of birth, and details of any benefits or government services they used.
Organisations are notified
Tell Us Once passes the information to all relevant government departments. You will receive a confirmation listing which organisations have been notified.
What Tell Us Once notifies
Tell Us Once contacts the following government departments and services on your behalf:
Central government
- DWP (benefits and State Pension)
- HMRC (tax and tax credits)
- Passport Office
- DVLA (driving licence only, not vehicle)
- Public sector pension schemes
Local council
- Council tax
- Electoral roll
- Blue badge
- Library card
- Adult social services
Tasks where Tell Us Once helps
The following tasks in your bereavement checklist are partly or fully handled by Tell Us Once:
- Notify pension providers: Report the death and find out about survivor benefits
- Notify the council about council tax: Report the death and claim any discounts
Tell Us Once by jurisdiction
England & Wales
Tell Us Once is available in most local authorities across England and Wales. You will receive your reference number from the registrar when you register the death. You can then complete the service online or by calling the Tell Us Once helpline.
Use Tell Us Once (GOV.UK)Scotland
Tell Us Once is available in Scotland. In some areas the registrar will complete it with you during the registration appointment. In others, you will be given a reference number to complete it online or by phone. Scotland's version also notifies Social Security Scotland about devolved benefits.
Tell Us Once (mygov.scot)Northern Ireland
Tell Us Once is not available in Northern Ireland. You will need to notify government organisations individually. The Bereavement Service (0800 085 2463) can help with some DWP-related notifications, but you will also need to separately contact:
- HMRC (for tax matters)
- DVLA (to cancel the driving licence)
- Passport Office (to cancel the passport)
- Land & Property Services (for rates)
- Electoral Office for Northern Ireland
What Tell Us Once does not cover
Tell Us Once only covers government departments. You will still need to contact the following organisations directly:
Financial
- Banks and building societies
- Private pension providers
- Insurance companies
- Credit card companies
- Investment providers
Services
- Gas, electricity, and water companies
- TV Licensing
- Phone and broadband providers
- Employers
- Landlords or mortgage lenders
Note: Tell Us Once will notify your council about council tax, but you may still need to stop certain benefits separately and notify the DVLA about a vehicle (Tell Us Once only handles the driving licence, not the car registration).
This is the bit Tell Us Once leaves you to do alone. AfterLoss has pre-filled email and phone scripts for the banks, utilities, insurers, and pension providers that aren't on the Tell Us Once list, so you're not starting fresh on each call.
Tip: Free services like the Death Notification Service (for banks) and Life Ledger (for utilities and services) can help you notify multiple private organisations in one go.
Tips for using Tell Us Once
Have the person's National Insurance number, date of birth, and details of any benefits to hand before you start.
Complete it as soon as possible after registration. Your reference number is valid for 28 days.
The online version is usually quicker than the phone service. You can save your progress and return later.
Keep the confirmation email or letter listing which organisations were notified. You may need to follow up with some of them.
For the full list of departments notified, the rules in Scotland and Northern Ireland, and what falls outside the service, see the wiki entry on Tell Us Once.
Frequently asked questions
Related guides
What to Do When Someone Dies
The essential first steps: from getting the medical certificate to securing the home. A plain-English overview of everything in the right order.
Stopping Benefits After a Death
Which benefits stop, how DWP claws back overpayments, and the benefits you might now be entitled to yourself.
Council Tax After a Death
Class F exemption for empty properties, single person discount, and how to transfer or cancel council tax.