Tell us once - deaths

When someone has died, we can help tell the people who need to know.

We offer a service which will make things easier. This service means that you can just 'tell us once' and we will do the rest on your behalf.

You can download a copy of the information on this page from the document below.

• How can the service help me?
• What information will I need to give you?
• Who can we give information to?
• How will we treat your information?
• How can I contact you?

How can the service help me?

When someone has died, their death needs to be registered with the Registrar. Several other organisations may also have to be contacted.

We offer a service to give the information to the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP.) They then pass it on to a number of other government departments and council services.

What information will I need to give you?

We want to make sure we give the right information to any organisation we contact. We need the following information about the person who has died:

• Their National Insurance Number
• Details of any benefits or services they were receiving
• Their death certificate

We may ask for information about:

• their next of kin
• any surviving husband/wife or civil partner
• anybody who is getting child benefit on their behalf
• the person dealing with their estate

You must get the agreement of the people listed above if you you are going to provide us with information about them.

If you are not the next of kin, or the person dealing with the deceased's estate, you can still use the service if you have the authority to act on their behalf.

Please remember that it is still your responsibility to make sure any organisation that pays a benefit has correct and up-to-date information.

Who can we give information to?

We can contact the following organisations for you:

• Department for Work and Pensions
  • The Pension Service
  • Disability and Carers Service
  • Jobcentre Plus
• HM Revenue & Customs
  • Child Benefit
  • Tax Credits
  • Income Tax
• Identity and Passport Service
• Housing Benefit Office
• Council Tax Benefit Office
• The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority
• War Pensions Scheme

We can also contact the following departments if you ask us to:

• Council tax
• Blue badge
• Adult social care
• Children's social care
• Collection of payment for council services
• Electoral services

How will we treat your information?

We will treat all your information securely. The organisations we give your information to will use it to update their records, but only as the law allows.

How can I contact you?

In person: if you would like to talk to an adviser you can do so after you have registered the death. Further information will be given to you when you ring to make your appointment with the Registrar.

To book an appointment call us on 01752 268331.

By telephone: telephone the Department for Work and Pensions on 0800 085 7308 after you have registered the death.

The phone lines are open Monday to Friday between 8am and 8pm. This number is free from a BT landline but other providers, including mobile phone providers may charge you. If you do not speak English you can still call them on 0800 085 7308 and ask for their translation service.

When someone has died [223KB]

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