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Tell Us Once – how it could help you

When someone dies, there can often be a number of government departments and agencies to notify.

For example, a passport or driving licence may need to be cancelled, or benefits stopped.

The Tell Us Once service is designed to make things simpler for you, by helping you give this information to government only once.

Who can use Tell Us Once

Tell Us Once is available in most local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales.

To use the service, your first step is to register the death with your local register office in the usual way. They will then tell you what to do next.

To find your local register office, and information about whether Tell Us Once is available in your area, follow the link below.

• Find your local register office Opens new window

How to use the service

Once you have registered the death, the registrar will tell you about your options for using Tell Us Once. These are:

• in person, by making an appointment with your local authority bereavement adviser
• by phone – the registrar will give you the phone number
• online

To use Tell Us Once online, your registrar will give you a unique Tell Us Once reference number, which you will need to log in.

What you will be asked

The type of information you will be asked to provide about the person includes:

• death certificate details – you get this when the death is registered
• their National Insurance number
• date of birth
• details of any benefits and services they were getting

You will also be asked for the name of the closest relative – known as the ‘next of kin’. If you’re not the next of kin (or spouse/partner), you must have permission from them before you give any information to the adviser.

What happens next

After you have used the Tell Us Once service, the relevant government departments and services will be contacted on your behalf. Depending on your circumstances these may include:

• Adult Services (social care for adults)
• Children’s Services
• Council Housing
• Council Tax Office
• Disability and Carers Service
• DVLA (driving licence agency)
• HM Revenue and Customs (for Child Benefit, Tax Credits and personal taxation)
• Passport Service
• Pension Service

The information you give to the adviser is only passed on to the government departments that need to know.

• Download the 'Tell Us Once' privacy statement (PDF, 163K)

• Help with PDF files

More useful links

• What to do after a death