The Department for Work and Pensions Tell Us Once service lets you report a death to multiple local and central government services, which can be helpful to reduce the associated administrative tasks that you may have to deal with whilst you’re coping with the emotional difficulties of bereavement.
When you register a death at York Register Office you don’t need to bring any additional documents for the Tell Us Once service; the registrar will provide your unique reference number and tell you how to access the Tell Us Once free telephone line or website.
The registrar will take the information needed from you to produce a ‘Capture letter’ with a unique reference number for the Tell Us Once Service. You will then be able to contact Tell Us Once online or by phone to provide all the details for the relevant departments and services.
You can also use this service if the coroner has given you a coroner’s certificate of the fact of death, otherwise known as an interim death certificate.
You may access the service by telephone; the registrar will give you details. You will need the death certificate plus the information listed on this page.
The Department for Work and Pensions have produced a short video about reporting a death using the Tell Us Once service.
- Information you will need to use the Tell Us Once service
- How we use the information you provide
- Tell Us Once enquiries
- Death outside of the United Kingdon
Information you will need to use the Tell Us Once service
You will need to know the following information about the person who has died:
- their date of birth
- their National Insurance Number
- details of benefits or services they were receiving
- their driving licence or driving licence number
- their passport or passport number
- their vehicle registration number
- their next of kin
- any surviving husband, wife or civil partner
- the person dealing with their estate
How we use the information you provide
The information you give will be treated securely and confidentially. The organisations who are contacted will use the information to:
- update records
- end services, benefits and tax credits as appropriate
- resolve any outstanding issues
They may use this information in other ways, but only as the law allows.
The information you provide will be used to update records and will not be used to start new claims. You must contact the relevant organisation if you want to make a new claim to any benefit.
Tell Us Once enquiries
If you have a query or need help with Tell Us Once, contact us on email: registrar@york.gov.uk with;
- your name and contact number
- the name of the person who the Tell Us Once code relates to
- the date and place of death
- state whether the death has already been registered or whether the matter is with the coroners
One of the registrars will contact you within 2 business days regarding your Tell Us Once query.
Death outside of the United Kingdon
You can use Tell Us Once when someone dies abroad (when visiting an EEA or Commonwealth country), but used public services in England, Scotland or Wales.
Find out more about the Tell Us Once service from GOV.UK, including what information you'll need to gather and which government areas the service covers.