Tell Us Once Service to Report a Death to HMRC

Tell Us Once Service

Tell us once is a service used to report death of an individual to most of the government organisations in one go. At the time of death registration, the registrar will provide you the following information –

1. Tells you whether the service is available in your area or not
2. Provides you phone number
3. Provides you with a unique reference number to use “Tell us once service” by phone or online.

After death registration, you must use this service within 28 days.

Which details of a deceased person should be shared before using Tell Us Once Service

The following details of a deceased person should be shared before using Tell us once service –

1. Date of Birth (D.O.B)
2. Driving License Number
3. Vehicle Registration Number
4. National Insurance Number
5. Passport Number

In addition to it, you need to provide other details as well –

1. The name and address of the person closest to the deceased person
2. The name and address of any surviving spouse or civil partner.
3. Details of any benefits or entitlements deceased person were getting. For ex – State pension
4. Details of any local council services deceased person were getting. For ex – Blue badge.
5. The name, address and contact details of the person or company handling the property, belongings and money of the deceased person, also called as executor or administrator.
6. Details of any public sector or armed forces pension schemes deceased person were getting.

Before giving the details of the deceased person, you need to take permission from the person closest to the deceased person, the executor, the administrator or any person who are claiming joint entitlements or benefits with the deceased person.

Which organisations are contacted by Tell Us Once Service?

Following organisations are contacted by Tell us once service -

1. HMRC – HMRC deals with personal tax. You need to contact HMRC separately in case of business taxes. For example - VAT
2. Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) – In the case of deceased person, the role of DWP is to cancel the benefits of the deceased person that he or she was getting before. For example – Income support
3. Passport Office – In the case of deceased person, the role of passport office is to cancel his or her British passport.
4. Local Council – In the case of deceased person, the role of local council is to cancel the housing benefits, council tax reduction, blue badge of the deceased person. It is done to inform housing services and striking off the name of the deceased person from the electoral register.
5. Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) – In the case of deceased person, the role of driver & vehicle licensing agency is to cancel the driving license of the deceased person up to 5 vehicles. In case you keep or sell a vehicle, contact DVLA separately.
6. Veterans UK – The role played by veterans UK in case of deceased person – cancelling the armed forces compensation scheme payments of a deceased person.

When Tell us once service notify HMRC & the department for work & pensions (DWP) about the deceased person, they will contact you about the tax, benefits and entitlements of the deceased person.

Not only these organisations but Tell us once service contacts some public sector pension schemes in order to cancel the deceased person’s pension payments in future. The following pension schemes are notified about the deceased person –

• NHS pension scheme
• Armed forces pension scheme
• Civil service pension
• Pension schemes for NHS teachers, police, firefighters and staff persons in Scotland
• Local authority pension schemes that participates in Tell us once service

In case the deceased person was the owner of any land or property, there is a different process to update property records altogether.

If Tell us once service is not available

You need to contact the relevant organizations and tell them about the death of the individual –

1. In case your local register office does not provide the Tell us once service
2. You have chosen not to use that service
3. Person died abroad in a country where the “Tell us once service” is not available.

Tell us once service is not available in Northern Ireland or Brighton & Hove.

Banks & other financial organizations

You can contact any of the service providers mentioned below to close or change the details of the deceased person account –

1. Bank or mortgage
2. Pension provider
3. Insurance provider

Real Also: Self Assessment Tax Return for Deceased Person

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