Death notification
Navigating the process of notifying individuals and organisations after a death can feel overwhelming, but with the right guidance and support, it can be managed effectively. Our guide aims to provide you with some of the services available to help you navigate the necessary steps with compassion and confidence. Remember, you're not alone, and support is available every step of the way.
Delivering the news of a loved one’s death is one of the most difficult situations someone can face. Having to notify family and friends of a tragic loss can feel overwhelming. Not only this you may be finding yourself with having to notify multiple organisations and having to put yourself through heartache repeating the same conversation over and over, when it is possibly one of the last things you want to be doing.
Fortunately, there are services that can help make this process easier, and Funeral Experts are here to help support you.
Tell us Once
Tell Us Once allows you to report the death to most government departments through a single notification, sparing you from having to separately contact each one.
The service is available if the deceased was living in England, Scotland or Wales at the time of death or temporarily abroad, such as on holiday or a business trip. It cannot be used for those permanently residing abroad or in Northern Ireland when they passed away.
When registering the death, the registrar will either complete the Tell Us Once notification for you or provide a unique reference number for you to use the service yourself online or by phone within 28 days. Be prepared to have certain details on hand, such as the deceased’s personal information, next of kin, pension/benefit details, and documentation like a death certificate.
Who will Tell us Once 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)
Death Notification Service
The Death Notification Service is a free online notification service that allows a member of the public to notify participating organisations, of the death of a family member, friend, or care home resident. Funeral Experts are proud to be partnering with Death Notification Service who can notify banks, building societies, and insurance providers. Let Funeral Experts support you to notify the death. Call us now on 0333 0912 490 and let us reduce some of the administrative burden during your time of mourning and grief.