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TELL US ONCE

Tell us once will notify:

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) - to deal with personal tax and to cancel benefits and credits, for example like Child benefit and Tax credits (you need to contact HMRC separately for business tax, like VAT)

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 Licence Agency (DVLA) - to cancel a licence, remove the person as the keeper of up to 5 Vehicles and end the vehicle tax (You must contact DVLA separately if you either sell the vehicle or keep it and tax it in your own name)

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 

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 can cancel future pension payments, They'll notify:

My Civil Service Pension

NHS Pension for NHS Staff in England and Wales

Armed Forces Pension Scheme

Scottish Public Pension Agency Schemes for NHS Staff, Teachers, Police and Firefighters in Scotland

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) that participate in Tell us Once

There is a different process to update property records if the person who died owns land or property.

What to do when someone dies

Follow this step-by-step guide for information on the Tell us Once Service and The general procedures following a death.

Step 1

Register the death within 5 days 

Check what to do if:

The death has been reported to a coroner

The death has happened outside the UK

You're registering a still birth

Someone is missing and you think they're dead

To stop or change benefit payments you can tell the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)

about the death straight away

Step 2

Arrange the funeral

Find Bereavement Services from your local council  HERE

Get help paying for a funeral 

Get help paying for a child's funeral

Find bereavement help and support 

Step 3
 

Tell Government about the death; The Tell us Once service allows you to inform all the relevant government departments when someone dies

Use the tell us once service to tell government

If you cannot use the Tell us Once service, tell government yourself  

You'll also need to tell banks, utility companies, and landlords or housing associations yourself.

Step 4

Check if you can get bereavement benefits

You'll be eligible for financial help:

Bereavement support payment if your partner or spouse has died

Guardian's Allowance if your bringing up a child who's parents have died and

Deal with your own Benefits, Pension or Taxes

Your Tax, Benefits claim or Pension might change depending on your relationship with the person who died.

Manage your Tax, Pensions and Benefits if your spouse has died

Check how benefits are affected if a child dies and 

Check if you need to apply to stay in the UK

Check the rules if:

You're in the UK as the partner of a British Citizen or Someone with indefinite leave to remain

Your partner who died served as a member of HM Forces 

Contact UKVI to check the rules for other visas

UK Visas and Immigration

UKVAIG.ServiceIntegration@fco.gov.uk

 +44 1243 213 322 (UK)

Local opening times: 10:00am - 6:00pm

Step 5

Deal with their estate

You might have to deal with the will, money and property of the person who's died if you're a close friend or relative or the executor of the will.

Application for Probate

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