Tell Us Once: the 28 day deadline and what it misses

What Tell Us Once is and the 28 day clock

Tell Us Once is a free service run by the Department for Work and Pensions that reports a death to most central and local government organisations in a single notification. When you register the death, the registrar gives you a unique Tell Us Once reference number. That number is your key to the service. The service must be used within 28 days of receiving that number. The clock does not start on the date of death, and it does not start on the date you registered the death. It starts on the day the registrar issues the reference number. This is the detail most people get wrong. If you delay registering the death, you also delay the start of the 28 day window, but once the number is in your hand, the countdown begins. The service is available in England, Scotland and Wales. It is not available in Northern Ireland, and it is not available where the person lived permanently abroad. You can use the service online at GOV.UK or by telephone. The register office may also run the session during the registration appointment. It does not have to be the person who registered the death who uses the service. Anyone with the reference number and the necessary details can complete it. The session takes around 15 minutes where the person's National Insurance number, date of birth, benefit and pension details and next of kin details are to hand. If you have a Motability vehicle, contact Motability before using Tell Us Once. The service is designed to save you from making dozens of separate calls and letters, but it is not a complete solution for everything that needs to be done after a death.

Which organisations it notifies

Tell Us Once notifies a specific set of organisations. The Department for Work and Pensions is notified, which covers the benefits and credits that the person was receiving. HM Revenue and Customs is notified, which covers tax credits and any tax matters. The DVLA is notified, which cancels the person's driving licence and can remove them as the registered keeper of up to five vehicles. HM Passport Office is notified, which cancels the person's passport. The local council is notified, which covers council tax, housing benefit, a Blue Badge, library membership and the electoral register. Veterans UK is notified if the person was receiving a military pension or related benefits. Social Security Scotland is notified for devolved benefits in Scotland. Public sector pension schemes are notified, including NHS, Civil Service, Armed Forces and local government schemes. This is a broad reach, and it covers the majority of government interactions that a person has during their life. The notification is made in a single step, so you do not need to contact each department individually. The service passes the information to each organisation, and each organisation then updates its own records. You do not need to provide the same information multiple times. The service is designed to be comprehensive for government departments, but it is not comprehensive for everything. The list of organisations is fixed, and it does not include private companies or non government bodies. Understanding exactly what is covered helps you plan the rest of the administration. The local council notification is particularly broad, covering not just council tax but also housing benefit, a Blue Badge, library membership and the electoral register. The DVLA notification is also significant because it can remove the person as the registered keeper of up to five vehicles, which is a legal requirement. The public sector pension schemes notification is important because it triggers the process for any survivor benefits or lump sums that may be payable. Each of these notifications happens automatically once you complete the Tell Us Once session.

What it does not cover, and why that matters

Tell Us Once does not notify banks, building societies, insurance companies, private or workplace pension providers, utility companies, landlords or subscription services. These must be contacted separately. This is the gap where people lose money. Unpaid subscriptions and unnotified private pensions are two of the most common sources of loss. If a subscription continues to be paid from a bank account after death, the estate loses money every month until it is cancelled. If a private pension is not notified, any survivor benefits or lump sums may not be paid, and the estate may miss out on money that is rightfully due. Banks and building societies have their own process for dealing with a death. They will usually freeze the account when they are notified, and they will release funds to the executor or next of kin according to their own procedures. They may require a death certificate or a grant of probate. They will not be notified by Tell Us Once, so you must contact them directly. Insurance companies also have their own process. If the person had life insurance, you will need to make a claim. If they had home insurance, you may need to cancel it or transfer it. Utility companies need to be notified so that accounts can be closed or transferred. Landlords need to be notified if the person was renting. Subscription services, including mobile phone contracts, broadband, streaming services and gym memberships, need to be cancelled. Each of these organisations has its own timescale and its own requirements. Some will ask for a death certificate, some will ask for probate, and some will accept a simple notification. The Tell Us Once service does not cover any of them. This means that even after you have used Tell Us Once, there is still a significant amount of administration to do. The service is a major time saver for government departments, but it is not a complete solution for everything. Understanding what it does not cover helps you avoid missing payments or continuing to pay for services that are no longer needed.

What you need before you start

Before you start the Tell Us Once session, you need to gather certain information. The reference number is essential. Without it, you cannot use the service. You also need the person's National Insurance number. You need the date and place of death. You need details of any benefits and pensions the person was receiving. You need the person's driving licence number and passport number, if they had them. You need details of the next of kin. You may also need the person's date of birth and address. The session takes around 15 minutes where all of this information is to hand. If you do not have all the information, you can still start the session, but you may need to pause and find the missing details. It is better to gather everything first. The reference number is given to you by the registrar when you register the death. It is unique to the person who died. You should keep it safe. The National Insurance number can be found on payslips, pension letters, tax letters or the person's National Insurance card. The date and place of death are on the death certificate. Benefit and pension details can be found on letters from DWP, HMRC or the pension provider. The driving licence number is on the driving licence. The passport number is on the passport. Next of kin details include the name, address and contact details of the person's closest relative. If you do not have all of these documents, you can still use the service, but you may need to provide the information from memory or from other sources. The service is designed to be flexible, but having the information ready makes the process faster and easier. You do not need to be the person who registered the death to use the service. Anyone with the reference number and the details can complete it. This means you can ask a family member or friend to help. The session can be completed online at GOV.UK or by telephone. The register office may also run the session during the registration appointment. If you use the service online, you will need to create an account or sign in. If you use the telephone service, you will speak to an adviser who will guide you through the process. The session is straightforward, but it is important to have the information ready.

If you miss the 28 days

If you miss the 28 day deadline, the Tell Us Once reference number expires. You cannot use the service after that point. Instead, you must contact each organisation separately. This means contacting DWP, HMRC, the DVLA, HM Passport Office, the local council, Veterans UK, Social Security Scotland and any public sector pension scheme individually. Each organisation has its own process for dealing with a death. You will need to provide the same information to each one. This can be time consuming. The process is roughly the same as it would have been before Tell Us Once existed. You will need to write letters or make phone calls. You may need to provide a death certificate or a grant of probate. Each organisation will have its own timescale for processing the notification. Some may respond within a few weeks, while others may take longer. The total time to notify all organisations separately can be several weeks or even months. This is longer than the 15 minute Tell Us Once session. The 28 day deadline is therefore important. If you are approaching the deadline, you should use the service as soon as possible. If you have already missed it, you should start contacting organisations immediately. Do not delay further. The sooner you notify each organisation, the sooner you can stop any unnecessary payments or benefits. You should keep a record of who you have contacted and when. This will help you follow up if necessary. You may need to provide the same information multiple times, so keep copies of documents. The process can be frustrating, but it is necessary. The Tell Us Once service is designed to prevent this duplication, but it is only available within the 28 day window. If you miss it, you must do the work yourself. There is no extension and no appeal. The deadline is fixed. The reference number is only valid for 28 days. After that, it cannot be used. This is why it is important to act quickly. If you are unsure whether you have missed the deadline, check the date on the reference number. The 28 days run from the day the registrar issues the reference number. If that date is more than 28 days ago, the number has expired. You should then contact each organisation separately. The process is not difficult, but it takes time. You should start as soon as possible.

What comes next

After you use Tell Us Once, each organisation notified writes to the family separately and in its own time. You will not receive a single confirmation that everything is done. Instead, you will receive separate letters from DWP, HMRC, the DVLA, HM Passport Office, the local council, Veterans UK, Social Security Scotland and any public sector pension scheme. The timing of those letters varies. Some organisations respond quickly, within a few weeks, while others may take longer. You should keep a record of what you have notified and what you have not. The reference number is your proof that you used the service, so keep it safe. If you need to follow up with an organisation, you can quote the reference number. Overpaid benefits may need repaying. If the person received benefits that they were not entitled to, or if they received benefits for a period after their death, DWP may ask for the money back. This is a common issue. You should be prepared for it. Council tax exemptions may apply. If the person lived alone, the council tax may be reduced or exempted for a period after the death. You should contact the local council to find out what applies. The local council notification through Tell Us Once covers council tax, but you may need to follow up to confirm the exemption. You should also consider the wider administration of the estate. This includes applying for probate, dealing with the will, and managing the person's finances. The Tell Us Once service does not cover probate or the will. You will need to apply for probate separately if it is required. You may also be eligible for Bereavement Support Payment. This is a benefit paid to a surviving spouse or civil partner. You can find more information on GOV.UK. The KT bereavement checklist can help you keep track of everything that needs to be done. The probate guide can help you understand the process. The Bereavement Support Payment guide can help you find out if you are eligible. These resources are available to help you through the process. The administration after a death can be overwhelming, but it is manageable if you take it step by step. Start with Tell Us Once if you are within the 28 day window. Then work through the other organisations. Keep records and ask for help if you need it. The process takes time, but it is finite. You will get through it.

Source: GOV.UK: Tell Us Once.

Related coverage on Kael Tripton: What to do when someone dies: the money and admin checklist, What to Do When Someone Dies UK 2026 - Complete Checklist, Writing life insurance in trust: how it avoids inheritance tax and probate delays, How Much Does It Cost to Contest Probate in the UK?, Bereavement Support Payment 2026: rates and deadlines.

Frequently asked questions

What is Tell Us Once?

Tell Us Once is a free service run by the Department for Work and Pensions that reports a death to most central and local government organisations in a single notification.

How long do you have to use Tell Us Once?

You must use the service within 28 days of receiving the reference number from the registrar.

When does the 28 day clock start?

The 28 days run from the day the registrar issues the reference number, not from the date of death or the date of registration.

Which organisations does Tell Us Once notify?

It notifies the Department for Work and Pensions, HM Revenue and Customs, the DVLA, HM Passport Office, the local council, Veterans UK, Social Security Scotland and public sector pension schemes including NHS, Civil Service, Armed Forces and local government schemes.

What does Tell Us Once not cover?

It does not notify banks, building societies, insurance companies, private or workplace pension providers, utility companies, landlords or subscription services. These must be contacted separately.