What is Tell Us Once?

For people who have registered a death in England, Scotland or Wales.

Applies to: England, Scotland, Wales Last checked against official sources: 30 September 2026

Tell Us Once lets you report a death to most government organisations in one go. The registrar will explain it when you register the death and give you a reference number.

Use it within 28 days of getting the reference number.
It notifies HMRC, DWP, the Passport Office, DVLA and the local council, among others.
It's for people who lived in England, Scotland or Wales; not Northern Ireland.
You'll still need to contact banks, utilities and private pensions yourself.

Different in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland

Rules may be different in:

Northern Ireland: Check nidirect for Northern Ireland

Key facts

One report to most of government
Use within 28 days
Not for Northern Ireland

What you need before you start

When you register the death, the registrar either does Tell Us Once with you there and then, or gives you a unique reference number. You must use the service within 28 days of getting the reference number. You can do it online or by phone. The registrar gives you the number to call.

Have these details about the person who died:

their surname and date of death
the name and contact details of the executor or administrator (the person dealing with their estate)
details of a surviving husband, wife or civil partner, or next of kin
the name of the hospital, care home or hospice, if they died there

If you have them, these help too: passport number, driving licence number, vehicle registration, Council Tax details, Blue Badge number, National Insurance number, and details of any benefits or pensions they got.

Get permission first. You need agreement from the surviving partner, next of kin, executor, or anyone who claimed benefits jointly with the person, before you give their details.

Steps

Register the death and get your Tell Us Once reference number.
Gather the details listed above.
Go online or call the number from the registrar.
Enter the reference number and the details, then submit.

Who it tells

Organisation	What it deals with
HMRC	Tax
Department for Work and Pensions	Benefits and State Pension
HM Passport Office	Cancels the passport
DVLA	Driving licence and vehicles
Local council	Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, Blue Badge, council housing and the electoral register
Veterans UK	Armed forces payments
Social Security Scotland	Scottish benefits
Public sector pension schemes	Including the Armed Forces, Civil Service, Local Government and NHS Pensions schemes

Who it does not tell

You still need to contact these yourself:

banks and building societies
mortgage and insurance companies
gas, electricity, water and phone companies
private pension schemes

If you cannot use it

Tell Us Once covers deaths of people who lived in England, Scotland or Wales. You cannot use it if the person lived in Northern Ireland or lived abroad permanently. In those cases, tell each organisation yourself. In Northern Ireland, nidirect explains who to contact.

Related guides

Where this comes from

Get it done

This takes you to the official service, which is free to use.

Use Tell Us Once

Common questions

What information do I need for Tell Us Once?

You need the person's surname and date of death, plus details of the executor or administrator and any surviving spouse, civil partner or next of kin.

Do I need permission to use Tell Us Once?

Yes, you need permission from any surviving spouse or civil partner, next of kin, executor, administrator or anyone who claimed joint benefits with the person.

Can I use Tell Us Once online or by phone?

Yes, the registrar either does it with you or gives you a reference number to use the service online or by phone.

Can I use Tell Us Once if the person lived abroad?

No, you cannot use it if the person was living abroad permanently when they died.

Source: Tell Us Once

Checked against GOV.UK on 30 September 2026

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